AN UPDATE AND A TESTIMONY
It is 22 days since my last blog, “The foxes that spoil the vines” which produced a tremendous response. Three weeks ago, we left home to travel to Sydney to visit our family there, and to see our eldest son sing in a production of Godspell, which we thoroughly enjoyed. We went to Hillsong church with them on the Sunday, and the ministry of the Word was excellent. Charles Nieman from Texas spoke in the morning, and Peter Togs (Brian Houston”s son in law) and Global Youth Pastor spoke in the evening.
We then started to head for home but went via the Coast road and spent a few nights on the South Coast for a brief holiday. Last Monday (20/11) I underwent Carpel Tunnel repair surgery on my right hand. It is minor surgery, but there is often considerable pain following the surgery, (which I experienced) painkillers are prescribed which I used, I guess they relieved the pain, but my body did not enjoy using them and I started to feel lousy and depressed. Fortunately the medication quickly ran out, but I still felt lousy. I started to cry out to the Lord, I was reading Psalm 34 and verse 17 stood out to me,
THE RIGHTEOUS CRY OUT, AND THE LORD HEARS, AND DELIVERS THEM OUT OF ALL THEIR TROUBLES. NKJV.
I expected the Lord to heal me, but that did not happen, and this added to my discouragement, and negative fearful thoughts began to fill my mind. Then the Lord very clearly spoke to me, you know I see some important truths when it comes to our daily Quiet Time, and one truth that goes back to even before we were born again . As a result of hearing the Word, the Holy Spirit begins to convict us of our sin and sinfulness, and begins to woo and draw us to Himself, Eph. 2:8-9 tells us He puts grace and faith in our hearts and we YIELD to the Lord and the burden of sin rolled away and the Holy Spirit comes into our life we receive the gift of eternal life. But we learn through Biblical Discipleship that is just the start.
SURRENDER MUST BECOME A LIFESTYLE.
I believe when the Holy Spirit got the 120 in the upper room to that place of total surrender, then as Jesus promised they were all baptised in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. But the biggest challenge for every believer is to learn to remain in that place of complete surrender. We all inherited a sinful nature from Adam, and sadly it is our constant companion until the day we die, or receive our new bodies at the Rapture if we are sill alive when Jesus returns for His Church. That is why Paul challenged the Romans and us to do something, which I think is the KEY TO OUR ONGOING SUCCESSFUL, VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIFE.
I BESEECH YOU BRETHREN BY THE MERCIES OF GOD THAT YOU (constantly) PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE AND SPIRITUAL WORSHIP NKJV & AMP.
This constant companion (our sinful nature, our bias to sin) is always wanting us to roll off the altar of surrender. Our sinful nature is only “rendered powerless” when we are in that place of surrender.
In the midst of crying out to the Lord He dropped a Scripture into my heart from James 4:7
THERE SUBMIT TO GOD, RESIST THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU NKJV
I think you know I am not a demon or devil chaser, but I felt the Lord say to me that my unwellness was not exclusively related to the medication but that the enemy had seen a chink in my armour and took full advantage of it. Paul reminds us in Eph. 4:27 not to give place to the devil NKJV and in chapter 6:11 to put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
So I confessed my sin and reaffirmed He was the Lord, the King, the Boss, the Master, the Ruler and Owner of my life and did some resisting.
I took authority over the oppression IN THE NAME OF JESUS
I confessed the Word of God John 4:4 GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME THAN he THAT IS IN THE WORLD
I claimed afresh the protection of the blood of Jesus over my life, and guess what. The enemy had no choice but to flee hallelujah.
I did my part I submitted to God, and resisted with the keys, the tools the armour God has given every believer, and the enemy had no choice but to run away Hallelujah.
In hindsight, I was slow to recognise the source of my problem (I won’t blame the drugs) the enemy is subtle and a deceiver from the beginning, but I have learnt afresh a very valuable lesson, that is to:
TO WORK HARDER AT MAKING SURRENDER A LIFERSTYLE.
I share the above testimony not to boast, but trust it will be an encouragement to you, not to look for demons in every corner, but seek to daily (constantly) reaffirm Christ’s Lordship over your life.
Can I ask you to respond to my blog, and give me your comments please ?
