HOW TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS IN YOUR WALK WITH THE LORD ?
Do you sometimes feel like a mouse on a tread mile working hard but not getting anywhere, or like being on a rocking horse, lots of movement but no apparent progress?
How do we maintain freshness in our walk with the Lord ? The reality is there are times :
When God does feel far away
When the heavens seems like brass, and there is no response
When the Word of God does not speak to us
This is the time when the enemy wants to whisper in our ear and say:
There is unconfessed sin in our lives
That we are out of favour with God
That we are out of the will of God etc. etc. etc.
What do we do ?
Of course, we ask the Lord to search our hearts, and if there is any sin we seek the Lord’s forgiveness.
The reality is though that it is often not a sin problem at all, it is a flesh (feeling) problem. God has promised to be with us and whether we “feel” Him or not He is still there. That is one of the reasons why the Apostle Paul said “I beat my body and discipline it”. We love to feel the presence of God and it sure makes our intimacy with the Lord so much easier, but whether “feel” His presence or not, we need to not let our feelings stop us from pressing into God. It is then in these times that it is easy to get discouraged and slack and lazy, unmotivated and religious, going through the motions, saying and doing the right things, but without joy.
The Psalmist spoke to himself, and said “Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy name”. Whether we feel like it or not we need to press in.
I guess, the best way to illustrate this important truth is the picture of a married couple, there are many times and for many reasons you may not feel you love your spouse,(the world talks about falling out of love) but Christians do not walk away and divorce. but make AN ACT OF THEIR WILL and say I will love my spouse in every circumstance. So as Christians we must often make that act of our will and declare, whether I feel the Lord’s presence or not I will still spend time with the Lord. The reality is that as you meditate on the Word that :
We are chosen
We are blessed
We have access
We have forgiveness
We have peace
We have joy
We have eternal life,
It isn’t very long before His manifest presence returns.
So in 2015, let us make the decision that we will not listen to our bodies and emotions, but make a decision that any time I don’t feel the Lord’s presence, I will deliberately press in to the Lord, and meditate on my inheritance in Christ.
Be thankful when you don’t feel thankful
Praise the Lord when you don’t feel you have anything to praise the Lord for
Worship the Lord, tell Him you love Him, adore Him (kiss Him), even when you don’t feel anything.
I guarantee on the authority of the Word of God the freshness and vitality will return, and you will :say
I keep falling in love with Him over and over again
It gets sweeter and sweeter as the days go by
O what a love between my Lord and I
I keep falling in love with Him over and over again
There is a hand I can hold on to, through each valley and each trial
And there’s a shoulder I can lean upon when i face another mile
And there is a love I can depend upon, it’s fresh and new each day
And with love my heart is overflowing, this is what I say
I keep falling in love with Hom over and over again.
OR
Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before
Every day with Jesus I love Him more and more (Hallelujah)
Jesus saves and keeps me,and He’s the one I;m waiting for
Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.
So let me suggest you make part of your dream and vision for 2015
You will maintain a fresh vital relationship with the Lord
He will do a new thing in my life (Is.43.19)
And you will declare Jesus does everything wonderfully will AMEN
