The thought life of a follower

The greatest weapon in the fight against sin is an ardent love affair with King Jesus!

part 1

This ardent love means two things:

I know what I am because what you say is true

1. We humbly agree with the proclamations of God concerning who we are; sinners. For me it sounds like this, “Because I know what I would do with these lust fostering things. I must live as if making a covenant with my eyes. I must live in my knowledge of  the power of Sin, the nature I HAVE cultivated for so long. I will as far as I am able not allow sensuality to remain before my eyes or occupy my thoughts.” This is being honest about who you and I were and the sinfulness yet in our unperfected flesh. It also lays an important ground work for how we battle.
2. We love of the King of all creation our very own creator in a passionate, and intoxicating way with the knowledge that the sinfulness of our flesh rebels against Him. So what you would do to protect this ardent love affair with Christ? Develop means by which we fight sin.
1. As far as I am able I guard my eye, mind and heart. I yet live in the world and that is very important; I cannot create a false world with out temptations that would be to leave the world. I must live in the world but increasing not be of it. As far you are able guard you eyes, mind and heart, physically you must do so. You develop some way of turning from, avoiding known and unnecessary temptations while still living in the world. This system is not you protection but more on this later.
2. We must realize that the battle is won. Each skirmish, the number won or lost matters not for this present skirmish threatens to take away you treasure, you fall on Christ’s grace and power to do battle for you. This is done through prayer.

Your system or shields or defenses or castle walls or rules have no power. They are powerless in this fight. They are an expression of humble honesty about who you are and they are an expression of your desire for God to come and help. Prayer to him to deliver power through Christ within you is your only hope. I will expand on my view of the means of turning from temptation and their relationship to the grace of Christ in a later post. For now I will say, our protections and turning from temptations are evidence of repentance from what we are and ARE critical evidence of grace in our hearts. I think this is clearly seen in Luke 17 where a pharisee and a sin offer their prayers. The pharisee trusting in what he is for righteousness leaves unjustified while the sinner, having nothing to trust but God’s mercy, leaves justified. Our tools are not our trust. Our trust is Romans 8:29, God’s promise and electing purpose to conform us to the image of His Son, the Christ!

This is the battle. Temptations will not rule you. You are not fighting for victory you are fighting to see and know Christ and your rock of refuge your mighty castle your tower of defense. In fighting thus you are experiencing eternal life john 17:3. The spirit is undoing Romans 12:1 and performing humble dependence of Christ on God Romans 8:29 this is our glorious privilege, not a heavy burden, as adopted sons and daughters of the Father the many brethren of the first born Son- this verse is my fighter verse.