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Losing the Holy Spirit
John from Kentucky:
Yes, it is important to be hot rather than lukewarm.
However, if we are hot, then we didn't have anything to do with it. It came from God, from above. It all comes from above.
We cannot decide to do good, or work ourselves up. All good works come from God and God alone.
For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Eph 2:8
Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the LORD Almighty. Zech 4:6
Terry:
Hello all
This is a subject i think about daily i don't know why God waited so long to allow me to see spiritual things,it seems i grow so slow, it seems that God moves in my life as slow as winter molasses the temptaions of some sins from the past seems to not bother me as before but still i battle daily with the flesh i'll be 63 in Jan. i thought sin would lighten up as i get older or rather my desire for sin i guess i'm not old enough yet,
The thing is now i hate my sins, i truly do, before i never really thought about it, i would love to be as close to God as some of you i feel something must be wrong with me, if i could change my life i would have done it 40 yrs. ago i couldn't do it then i can't do it now if i could i would but with God's help i know i will make it,the scripture that comes to me while i'm on this journey is He is the potter and i am the clay i know i'm not much to look at now but when i come out of the fire i know i'll be beautiful how could i not be,
I know the things i go through now i hate but it must have needed to be this way i don't question his will i just try to roll with it,i love all of you so much, i wish i felt stronger that i might feel better posting. but i love reading here and reading ya'll's posts it really helps,my mind and heart is on that far away country.
God Bless
Terry
,
Kat:
Hi terry, it is a slow process and we live our life in the world what seems like a really long time. When our eyes are open then we are being made into a new creation, there's a lot that goes into that, but the more you put into it the more you get out of it, until we bring "every thought into captivity" (2 Cor 10:5), so "that we should no longer be slaves of sin" (Rom 6:6). All we can do is keep on doing the best we can.
John, it is a well established fact here that God is sovereign and in control of all things... to keep repeating that can not make it more so. Yes those Scripture you brought are very true, it all comes from the Father through Christ and is working in us by the Holy Spirit.
Php 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
But you know John, that the rest of what is in the Scripture must always be considered as well, like what it says elsewhere in Philippians.
Php 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Entering into God's 'rest' does not mean you don't have to do anything. Why would somebody want to keep saying, "we cannot decide to do good, or work ourselves up"? I happen to think that it can be a cop out... the surface of it is true, but there is much more to it, it's like an excuse to fall back on for not doing more. Paul analogy of running a race, is not sitting on the sidelines, running is an expression that implies doing something. What about what Christ said to the servant that hid his gift in a napkin?
Our struggle is daily to overcome the flesh, to enter the narrow gate, of course by the Holy Spirit. This overcoming is not done to us, but in us, it requires our effort, it requires our putting on the whole armor of God.
Eph 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
v. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
v. 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
v. 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
v. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
v. 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
mercy, peace and love
Kat
John from Kentucky:
Yes Kat, Ray has discussed Philippians 2 verses 12 and 13.
Ray said the emphasis is not so much on verse 12---"work out you own salvation", but rather on verse 13---"it is God Who works in you both to will and do."
We work with fear and trembling because it is God Who does the works, it all depends on God.
Give all the glory to God. All the works are from Jesus, the Hope of Glory.
I am not saying we do not have to do anything. It is you who are implying that is what I am saying.
All the works, all the effort, come from God. I emphasize God as opposed to the false idea of human good works or effort.
And I will continue to repeat and put the emphasis on God, which is where all the credit goes.
John from Kentucky:
Terry,
God will work everything out and bless you in the end.
We are all in the same boat. We all sin.
Jesus said there is only one Who is good, that is God.
The rest of us are just toads beneath the plow. But there is great happiness for us because God will save all of us in the end.
Take care friend.
John
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