07/06/2025 How many times I have thought through this topic, because to me, in the Christian life there are many troubles, persecutions, and problems that arise. I see that in the world we do have trouble, in everyday things, and in our interactions; but spiritually – really! – have you ever stopped to think how crazy it is, that when we “go further on with Jesus”, sometimes it feels as though we’re really (inwardly) behaving badly, to the point of being in duress. Am I alone there? No, I’m not, I’ve read and spoken with other saints, and I am not alone. We can have bad dreams, emotional baggage, deaths in the family, friends leaving us/leaving the faith, and jobs/money, children or parents, husbands and wives, co-workers and acquaintances, ourselves, or anyone we know and love provoke us at a given time, because we are so vulnerable until we get to heaven. It seems like when we want to help others, we feel weak, and then when we’re strong, we’re likely to be rejected!? Some of these ebbs and flows are to be expected amongst all troubles. But am I the only one that wonders why in the world, do we find new vices in ourselves in progressed seasons, where we have REALLY walked with the Lord? Yet inwardly, we’re dark as the heathen. But its no laughing matter when you’re there. Feeling dirty never is. I know that I have struggled with this and by God’s grace, “Struggled” with this. I have overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of my testimony many times, and will today and tonight, but I have had some doozies. In the spiritual life, I think this is very well illustrated in regards to finding new obstacles all the way to heaven, in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. I mean that Pilgrim, who becomes “Christian” and get the born-again certificate, finds that he is met with demons, and comes very close to even giving up in His faith the “castle of doubt”.

He had come so far in the Christian life and faith, and walk, and even had communion and company in the dungeon cell with a great friend brother “Hopeful”, to have helped him in the duress. It seemed though, that there was NO way out. All their praying and their languishing, showed no profitablity, as if it were to no avail. And they both grew so weak in the dungeon, and the suffering became so severe, (and often suffering to a high boiling point can do this), that they became very inspired suddenly to get out with the “Key of Promise”. Wow! Imagine this now: It’s 2025, and we’re in America, in the blessed land of running water, Bibles plentiful, meetings for Jesus around the corners of the roads, plenty of air conditioning at times, and also resources to keep our spirits busy in the Word of God. How will we be attacked now? Will it be with a lack of running water? No. Will it be with the idea of shutting down churches? No – not right now, anyway. Will it be with the lack of internet in our homes so we cannot watch Ray Comfort or Paul Washer preach to us on Youtube? (No, actually we could technically still do so at the library, if it came to that). At least for right now, seasoned Christians have a ton of perk’s to living in the land and “still seeing God’s goodness in the land of the living”. Christians will be attacked always and in all ways until Jesus comes back. But one of the most sinister to today’s minister, which I think is an unsung thorn so to speak, is when a strong seasoned believer finds in them a sin that they did NOT struggle with before, nor would have had on their list of “preferred flaws”. I have had such temptations in wickedness that I have often needed a refresher in righteouness! And then when I remember Jesus said “For from within, out of men’s hearts comes evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils comes from inside and make a man “Unclean” (Mark 7:21-23), I am a bit more understanding that now, than when I first believed on the Lord. I know that we are getting more holy as we follow Jesus and obey His commands. However, we are not going to get to heaven with all sparkles and makeup perfect, and flawless health, and without some bruises and band-aids. It’s just not realistic to think that we are not going to sin again.

1 John 1:9 tells us in present tense that when we sin, we should confess it. THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE’RE NOT SAVED, IT JUST MEANS NEEDS WE STILL NEED SOME SAVING! Jesus wasn’t telling this line to the prisoners in the jail, but he was telling His disciples, who wanted to know MORE about God. To me, there is not much teaching on rebellion, that is a person finding themselves in a season of specific rebellion(s), after they have been born again. So, my hope is to find that one person who can relate, who needs a lift up, to know that there is NO thought that has been thought that is outside of the ablity of the blood of Jesus. No act is so gruesome that it’s going to put Jesus on the cross again! But we know Jesus died for us, to cover our sins. So we must repent, because if we do our best to be clean, we can feel good when we read verses like:

“For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begns with us, what will the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God” (1 Petr 4:17)

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Peter 5:10)

“We demolish every argument and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

“Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 4:8)

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

We have to be encouraged when we see a vice, not because of what it is, because sin is ugly. But there is reason to be thankful if we can identify a sin in our thoughts and hearts, because that shows we know God’s word, God’s expectation, and that God deals with us as a spirit. And we can worship in spirit and in truth once we’re washed and purified from our sins, and seek God hard after we’ve seen the ugliness of sin. Some of my best revivals have been within the same seasons as my most awful, even unmentionable downfalls. And someday I will tell of them all, so that I can glory in my weaknesses; for like Paul said, “when I am weak, its then that I’m truly strong!” 🙂