Is Will Power Necessary to Have Victory Over Sin?

It's total submission to God that is necessary rather than will power. Your will "power" needs to be in your willingness to totally submit to God (James 4:7-8). 

Your attitude as you approach God is very important and will determine what kind of result you get. The real power to live the life that is pleasing to God will be given to you by the grace of God (Titus 2:11-14). It's when you are humble before God and weak in your own eyes that you will cry out for his deliverance and then He will make you strong by his power (e.g. 2 Corinthians 12:9). You have to take your "self" out of the way to follow Jesus. He said it like this: "If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23). Not many are willing to do that. And that's why not many are getting any practical results out of their faith. 

False teachings do not lead people to follow God's precepts. Thus, many want to wave a magic wand rather than approach God the way He has prescribed (e.g. James 1:21-22), being willing to repent genuinely and stop living for themselves (Romans 6:4-11, 2 Corinthians 5:15). One of those false teachings is to "trust" in a particular result of having faith in God while doing nothing and believing that Jesus did it all (video). It's very popular. "But why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46) would be Jesus' question to those believers who call their faith a conviction that requires them to do nothing. Essentially, they are believing that faith without works (of faith) is not dead (comp. James 2:26,  Galatians 5:6, 1 John 5:3). But they do need to strive to enter through the narrow door (Luke 13:24), and God will energize their dilligent efforts (Philippians 2:12-13).

There is a lot of baggage that may come with the world's idea of "will power." And that's not what the Bible teaches to those who want to follow God's ways. They only have to be "willing" to wholeheartedly obey God in all if they love Him. And if that's will power, that's real power!

See also:
Freedom From Sin

Faith Implies Obedience 

Works Of Faith Are Not Works Of The Law - video

How Do You Love God with All Your Heart, Mind, Soul and Strength?

What does "by grace are you saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8) really mean?

1 Corinthians 1:27-29
27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in his presence.

Image by Colin Behrens from Pixabay

 

I find this to be quite a thought-provoking image. To the Christian (follower of Jesus) light bulb, I say, "Make sure you stay connected to Jesus, abide in Him (John 15:4-6; 1 John 2:28; 1 John 3:6, 24; 1 John 4:13), and  never unplug yourself from Him through disobedience (1 John 3:6). That's keeping your faith (Galatians 5:6). That way, you will keep on shining as planned (Matthew 5:14-16, Ephesians 5:8-10) —rather than be sinning." And to those who have neither socket, nor wire, nor plug, don't marvel that I tell you, "You must be born again. And you will receive these all at once and pass from darkness to light (Acts 26:18, 2 Corinthians 4:6, Ephesians 5:8)."

Matthew 5:14-16
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Condition to Remain in the Book of Life

The condition for the name of someone who is saved to remain in the book of life is to overcome.

 

Revelation 3:5

He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

 

Reminders:

Luke 13:24

Make every effort to enter in through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter in and will not be able.

 

John 15:18-20

18 If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.

 

Matthew 10:22

And you will be hated by all for my name's sake: but he who endures to the end will be saved.

 

Acts 14:22

... we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

 

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

 

Being born again does not mean you have overcome when all is said and done, because all is not yet said and done. You have trials you will go through for your faith to be tested and you'd better "put on Christ" and be overcoming in them. So, we must be overcomers today and continue to be overcomers until Jesus comes. That implies listening to all the exhortations made to believers in the Bible and doing all the things commanded to us for a victorious walk with the grace of God (Titus 2:11-14, Romans 6:14).

 

 

 

See also:

Can You Lose Your Salvation? 

 

Saved From What?

"Am I Saved?" Why Do You Ask?

The Great Tribulation

Once Saved Always Saved (OSAS) Is False (www.bitly.com/OSASisFalse)- video

Eternal Security - Once Saved Always Saved - Heresy - video

 
 

Image by Please Don't sell My Artwork AS IS from Pixabay

Revelation 2:7

To the one who overcomes, I will give

the right to eat of the tree of life which

 is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Anger in the Bible — Is it a Sin?

Anger is not a sin in itself but it can be sinful (for instance, anger "without cause"):
Matthew 5:22

Anger can be provoked:
Colossians 3:21

Anger is exhorted against:
Ephesians 4:31, Colossians 3:8

Anger should not be allowed to become sinful (for instance, giving place to hatred or wrath or any other sin opposed to the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23):
Ephesians 4:26-27
Romans 12:18-21

But anger is justified against wickedness (evil/sin):
Mark 3:5
Matthew 21:12-23
Ephesians 5:11
Galatians 2:11-13

And God's judgement against sinners¹ will be the final expression of his anger against them and thus his justice will be served:
Psalm 7:11
John 3:36
Romans 1:18
Jude 1:14-15
2 Thessalonians 1:3-10


1. That's sinners who do not repent and get converted as God has commanded for salvation (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19, Acts 17:30-31, Acts 20:20-21). That's people who cannot speak of a transformation by God's power as highlighted in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 or Titus 3:3-7 for instance, thus remaining on the wrong side of the contrast Jesus will make in the end according to the word in Revelation 22:11-12.

 

See also:
Bible Study on Sin

 Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay

Finding Rebekah (Genesis 24)

Asking to receive and seeking to find can be intertwined.

Seeking
Genesis 24:10-11
10 Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master’s camels loaded with all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor. 11 He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.

Asking
Genesis 24:12-14
12 Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.” 

Being Alert and Watching
Genesis 24:15-16
15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. 16 The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again. 

Seeking ("being thirsty" lol)
Genesis 24:17
The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”

Watching/Waiting

Genesis 24:18-21
18 “Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him to drink. 19 After she had given him to drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. 21 Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.

Seeking
Genesis 24:22-23
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. 23 Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”

Watching/Waiting
Genesis 24:24-25
24 She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.” 25 And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night.”

Praising God for the opened door
Genesis 24:26-27
26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, 27 saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord ***has led me*** on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”

Conclusion
Seeking to find is not contrary to asking to receive, but rather is complementary. It is done in the context of a prayer with the faith that one will be led the right way. The seeking must be done in faith. It must be guided by one's faith and cannot involve anything that is outside of God's will (sin/disobedience).

Matthew 7:7-11
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.



Topics related to this post: prayer, faith, patience, perseverance, finding spouse, finding wife, finding husband, relationships, Christian, dating, matchmaking, marriage.

 

See also:
How To Pray

 

 

 

 

 

Cryptic note: Adam goes to sleep (Genesis 2:21) 🙂🤣😇 #toomuchwork

Speak To Your Mountains

James 1:2-4
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

1 Peter 4:12-13
12 Beloved, do not be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you. 13 But because you are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy.

Acts 14:21-22
21 When they had preached the Good News to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God.

John 16:33 (English Standard Version)
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
You will face situations to which you must bring solutions by exercising your faith. Mountains will be on your way. Speak to them.

Mark 11:23
Truly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

Jesus spoke those words, friends. So, have faith, open your mouth and speak to your mountains; and be praying according to the will of God until you see what you have prayed for be done.

1 John 5:14-15
14 This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us. 15 And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.

Do you believe that you are able to move a mountain, or rather that it will be done for you (Mark 11:23) because you have believed it? Reminder: "apart from me you can do nothing," Jesus said (John 15:5).

Matthew 9:29 (Berean Literal Bible)
"... According to your faith be it to you."

O you of little faith, when the Son of Man comes, will he find the faith on the earth? (cf. Matthew 6:30; Luke 18:8).

Hebrews 11:1 (King James Version)
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Mark 11:22-26
22 Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. 23 Truly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions."

You must “go up against” your mountains
Consider this:
1 Chronicles 14:10
David inquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?" The LORD said to him, "Go up; for I will deliver them into your hand."

God allowed the Philistines to rise as a threat against king David so you can count on contrary things to form against you in this world. But whatever those things may be, you go with God against them. The assurance of his deliverance is with you if you have believed his word concerning the matter at hand. You don’t just go and hope to be a hero but seek God rather until you hear from Him how you should address your challenges. He will show you his way of securing you the victory that shall also glorify Him. But note that it is necessary, even as you are relying upon God for the victory, that you get out of your comfort zone and even move into a place where you may feel weak, vulnerable, afraid and in need of comfort. God knows that, and so He says, “Be courageous” (cf. Joshua 1:6-7, 9). Your faith is being tested and your mind is being renewed about what you may be tempted to call impossible as you walk with God (Luke 1:37; Matthew 17:20). And it’s in your reliance upon God that you will confront what is coming at you or is acting against you and will see his deliverance. The getting up and going may come with its fears, but this is where you prove your faith in that God’s word has more weight to you than your fears.

1 John 4:4
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.

The apostle John said that concerning false prophets; so, make sure you aren’t following any. But the understanding applies to any circumstance that would come to overcome you in some way and keep you from any goodness you hold as a promise of your Father to you and towards which you march with faith and patience (Hebrews 6:11-12). He who is in you is greater!

●    Have faith and not doubt (Mark 11:22-23) ✔️

●    Speak to the burden in question, the mountain that you need to be moved (Mark 11:23) ✔️

●    Ask in prayer and be praying as you have learned from Jesus (Luke 11:5-13; Luke 18:1-8) ✔️

●    Have no unforgiveness in your heart (Mark 11:25; Matthew 6:14-15) ✔️

●    Be and remain in a relationship with God (John 15:4-14; John 9:31; 2 Timothy 2:19) ✔️

Read the scripture passages and meditate on them. Put audio versions on repeat if you can. You have no chance of walking by faith the way God wants you to without having his word firmly settled in you. It’s harder then for lies that would feed your fears and cast doubts in you to get into your mind and trouble your heart.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Finally, brethren, remember that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12):

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh; 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty in God for the tearing down of strongholds, 5 throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…

May Jesus bless you!




"Speak To Your Mountains" is a chapter of the book The Day I Shouted "HalleluYah!" by Giscard Nazon.

  

 
See also:
How To Pray

Standing In Position To Receive By Faith

Praying Is like Hammering

It implies you are fit (in shape) to be swinging a hammer — in this case, the hammer of faith. And your fitness means, for instance, that you don't have a twisted idea of God's character, you have a relationship with Him that you have maintained (you have been faithful to walk in obedience to Him), you have the faith, you have a basis for your prayer according to God's will (his word), and you carry no unforgiveness towards people who have done you wrong. Praying implies also a commitment on your part to persevere and not give up (Luke 18:1) until you see something get revealed (e.g. God’s precise will, the truth about a yoke in your life or a wrong mindset), or until you see something take shape, break or get in place.

Fasting can accentuate your hammer swinging, especially when you know that God is leading you to do it by saying, "Fast, my son/daughter," even precisely when you had been contemplating some food to eat. You may fast also when you are in full agreement in your heart to fast along with someone or a group according to a set schedule and purpose — under God's direction, still. The accent that fasting brings to prayer has the potential to shape your situation and/or your relationship with God profoundly, and also even to shape your prayer. And that shaping of your prayer will be to lead you to pray in the will of God for right things, with no underlying fears. For a prayer that is less than perfectly formulated can mask a real need that you are afraid to admit and so don’t think to bring to God (Philippians 4:6). But being a dynamic and personal exchange, prayer also has room for a correction of its expression through its own process (the direction to take will be given). You must not be shy when you pray or unduly modest and get tempted to go and find your own "satisfactory" solutions, apart from God's direction, to issues that you face. Because He is the Father “who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). He can confirm our every step. May we be willing also to ask Him to!

The implication of not praying for the right things is among others to be seeing God as smaller and less able than He is, through a twisted lens feeding you imaginations that you must cast down (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). And the effect is that it diminishes God's glory to be revealed in your life as you bear fruit and He makes your joy full (John 15:7-8; John 16:24).

Lastly, as you fast and shut off interferences from your flesh, you can get the clarity you need to fight your battles in the right order. Nothing is random with God; and things are done gradually. So, if an order applies to the many complex things you may be facing in your life, you need to get clarity on that so you can march towards the victories that you seek, and not be stuck on step B and agonizing about it when you have neglected step A instructions. Be watching and be praying always and you shall walk under precise direction.

Matthew 7:7-11 (World English Bible)
7 "Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

John 16:22-24
22 Therefore you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. 23 "And in that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly I tell you, whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.

Luke 11:5-13 (World English Bible)
5 He said to them, "Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,' 7 and he from within will answer and say, 'Don't bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give it to you'? 8 I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs. 9 "I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.     11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won't give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, he won't give him a scorpion, will he? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

Luke 18:1-8
1 He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up, 2 saying, "There was a judge in a certain city who did not fear God, and did not respect man. 3 A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.' 4 He would not for a while, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God, nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her justice, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.'" 6 The Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says. 7 Won't God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find [the] faith on the earth?"

May Jesus bless you!




Praying Is Like Hammering is a chapter of the book The Day I Shouted "HalleluYah!" by Giscard Nazon.

  

 
See also:
How To Pray

Standing In Position To Receive By Faith

 

 

 Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

 

 

 

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