Key Verse:
This is the day the Lord has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 (NLT)
Last week, the Washington Nationals were six and a half games back from winning the division. This week they are nine games back. The players are visibly losing their joy in the game. They’re making rookie errors and forgetting their fundamentals. Their forward progress isn’t just about the game, but about the way they’re playing the game. They’re walking onto the field wearing yesterday’s defeat.
While baseball is just a game, it gives me, you, and every other Jesus-follower a clear picture of the importance of turning our eyes forward. In Nehemiah the people heard and understood the reading of God’s word and were broken hearted over their sin. Read what the LORD said to His people in Nehemiah 8:10c.
Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!
They acknowledged and grieved their sin, but they were also feeling defeated and unable to change their ways. The LORD reminded them their strength was in rejoicing in Him.
Look at their response in Nehemiah 8:12.
So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.
The people were no longer looking at their sin, but God’s gracious forgiveness and unfailing love. They were able to celebrate the freedom from their sin and His presence for the future.
The writer of Hebrews also wrote about this. Look at Hebrews 12:1b-2a.
let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.
The past is done and cannot be undone. The consequences of past sins have already been set in motion. We can and must learn from our past, but we must also strip it off and turn our eyes toward Jesus. Afterall, we’re Jesus-followers and it’s awfully hard to follow someone when we’re not looking at them.
How do we strip it off? John tells us clearly in 1st John 1:9.
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
Our relationship with Jesus is secure from the beginning, but our ability to follow Jesus depends on our willingness to strip off what holds us back and slows us down. Keeping our eyes on Jesus not only helps us follow well, but it also helps us see the differences between our way and His. It helps us discern what needs to be stripped off and left behind.
We strip them off by confessing (agreeing with God about what is right). He does the forgiving and the cleansing.
I always envision this cleansing process as a pitcher of red water being overflowed by a continuous flow of clear water until the pitcher is finally filled and overflowing with clear water.
God doesn’t just remove our sin; He changes our desires as we agree with Him and delight in Him. The more we know Him, the more we delight in Him, and the more our desires mirror His. We stop choosing the world’s way of attaining joy and peace, and our lives no longer overflow with the redness of sin but the pure living water of Jesus and His Spirit living inside of us.
This brings us back to our reason for taking hold of the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit. We’ll look more deeply into using both of those next week.
Between Then and Now…
1 Read your Bible. Ask for Holy Spirit’s help in understanding what you read. Intentionally look for words that describe God and His ways. Remember, Jesus is God in the flesh and Holy Spirit is God living in you. Remind yourself of whose you are whenever you feel defeated!
2 Pray. Apply 1 John 1:9 daily. Grieve over any sin in your life, but don’t wallow in shame. Agree with God over it and then rejoice as you move away from your past and follow Jesus.
3 Memorize Romans 8:1-2. Write these verses on a card and carry them with you or post them where you will see them throughout the day. Read them repeatedly and begin to hide them in your heart. Our enemy wants you to hide from God instead of walking joyfully with Jesus and by His Spirit.
Digging Deeper:
Psalm 37:4, Isaiah 1:18, Romans 8:38-39, Galatians 5:22-25, Ephesians 6:10-18 & Philippians 3:12-14
If you have not yet met Jesus, you can meet Him today. He created you. He loves you. He wants you to be a part of His family. I encourage you to step into the life He created you to live. You will still have the troubles of this world, but you will no longer be facing them alone. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.