“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16).
Despite this advice from the Bible sometimes as Christians we seem to forget this beautiful promise. Jesus came to live as man. He knows and understands our struggles. He can relate to them as no other can. He has done this so that we can trust in Him in times where we think “nobody understands me”. But Jesus does. And the first step to get help when in need, is to come boldly to the throne of grace.
How does one come boldly?
We must take God at His word and not be afraid to remind Him of the promises He has given us and claim them. God’s honor would then be at stake because God is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19) which means He must fulfil His promise. However, this can only be done by claiming them. One verse of the Bible that I have been claiming recently is this: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13. I thought to myself this is why it is so difficult to do God’s will. It’s because it’s not me that has to work that miracle within myself but God. And so, I started asking God to work in me to both will and to do of His good pleasure. And He has answered MIGHTILY by helping me doing His will after months of convicting me of letting go of a sin of mine.
A lie from the devil is often something like “you are too weak” “you can never do this” “you’ve gone too far” “you will never be able to get out of this”. And technically, he is right – we human beings are weak and incapable of anything – on our own! But the word of God tells us “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13. So claim this promise believing that it is not you who is doing the work but Jesus who is making your weakness His strength (2 Corinthians 12:9)
God wants to help but sometimes we forget the most basic thing that is required to be helped: asking for it. “Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.” Jeremiah 17:14. Claim this and God will answer in due time!
I had often read the following verse before but only a few weeks ago did something strike me from it. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” 1 Corinthians 10:13-14. Once I noticed this, when I was tempted to eat or do something wrong, I would pray that God would provide a way of escape for me as He promised. He worked sometimes by reasoning with me in my mind or physically providing a way of escape such as being at my grand-mothers and my sister says we have to go (so I can’t eat anymore). God is truly good and cares even for the little things, miracles happen in days once we start remembering all these promises.
Psalm 119:11 says “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Human beings are forgetful creatures. Sometimes to the point where we forget God’s word. However, it is vital to have His word hidden in our hearts. I believe human nature cannot do this on their own. We need God to help us. But what we can do is read His word daily that when temptation comes, we can remember what we were told. We must pray that He engrains His word in our hearts that out of love for Him we may not sin. Examples of verses to hide in our hearts:
o Ephesians 4:22-24 “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
o Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
o James 1:21-25 “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
Proverbs 28:13 says “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” We are not perfect and so during our sanctification journey we will fall. But we have a Great High Priest that is advocating for our sins. So, we need to start confessing when we do wrong instead of feeling beaten down. Jesus died exactly for that! To forgive us. Of course, once that is done, we must pray for His help to forsake our sins. But we must move forward and believe He has forgiven us and work towards bettering ourselves, not looking behind:
“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.” Philippians 3:13-15
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
Finally, as Jesus, our daily prayer should be: “And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” Matthew 6:13
God loves you, may He bless you abundantly!
Much love and smiles,
Nahisha :)
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