November 10th
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 NKJV
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” John 8:12 NIV
When we tolerate sin in our lives, it can cause a hardened shell to form over our hearts (Hebrews 3:13). This shell can cause us to lose our sensitivity to God and his presence. It can feel like we’ve come under a cloud of spiritual darkness and that God has abandoned us.
We know from the scriptures that in Christ, God will never leave us nor abandon us (Hebrews 13:5, 2 Corinthians 1:20, Deuteronomy 31:6). We can take courage that he is still with us and will help us dispel the clouds of darkness and break off the hardened shells of sin from our lives. Jesus provides the light we need to break through the clouds of darkness. He also is the source of the truth that breaks the hardened shells of sin’s deceitfulness.
The recovery process begins with repentance and is carried out through our daily walk with Christ where we learn God’s word, apply it to our circumstances and submit ourselves to Christ’s authority. Our submission to God is proven by our obedience to his word and it ultimately ensures our freedom from bondage. Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:31-36 NIV excerpts)
We can stand on these wonderful promises and make real progress in yielding our lives to God. As we walk in a daily relationship with God, the Holy Spirit will help us resist temptations and cling to the truth. He will help us renew our minds, cleanse our thoughts and empower us to live in righteousness. We can extinguish the fires of lust. We can gain control of our eyes and thoughts. We can live in purity!
Questions for further thought:
Do your daily habits suggest that you are a son of God or a slave of sin?
What are some practical ways to submit to God?
How is submitting to God linked to successful spiritual warfare? (James 4:7)
Is Jesus the only way to God? (John 14:6)
Prayer:
“Lord Jesus, I worship and serve you as the light of the world. Thank you that your light dispels the darkness. Thank you that your words are the truth that breaks the lies of sin. Please forgive me for any sin I’ve tolerated and practiced. Please cleanse my conscience with your blood and shine your heavenly light into my soul. I commit to following your commands, obeying the Spirit’s promptings and using my body and mind as instruments for righteousness and not for sin. Please help me discover the truth that sets me free. Thank you, Lord! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”