A couple of weeks ago I attended a a minister’s retreat along with my husband. The retreat was sponsored by our church and the theme was entitled “Back To God.” The scriptures used for the conference were Daniel 9:3-23 and 2 Chronicles 7:14-16. Our leader made a call for our repentance and challenged us to look inwardly and take a full examination of our lives. Unfortunately, many of us had become complainers, unfaithful to the work that God has assigned for us, compromising to the ways of the world, lost our love and thirst for the Word of God, and/or unwilling to stand up for righteousness. It challenged my thinking and brought conviction to my heart.
Eventhough this conference was for a specific group of people, it spoke of common issues that many Christians are facing. My mind goes back to when I first got saved. Oh the joy! I told anyone that was willing to listen. I remember being so excited to go on my lunch break so I could sit and read my Word and hear what God had to say to me. I finally had peace in my heart and I knew I was right with God.
As time goes on, things happen and complacency sets in. We begin to feel uncomfortable with being different from the world or we begin to feel as if it “doesn’t take all that” to live a life set apart from the world regardless of the fact that this is the life that God requires for His children ( 2 Corinthians 6:14-18). Often times the enemy has deceived us into thinking that following Jesus from afar is okay when in fact it is the closeness and intimacy with Him that allows us to walk the straight and narrow path. We must remember that Satan’s plan is to sever our relationship with God. Whether he uses big or small things-he looks for any open door to shake our belief and pull us away from Christ. Sickness, lifes’ disapointments, hurt feelings, tragedy, our jobs and the people around us–ANYTHING to pull us from the body of Christ and eventually God himself. Life apart from Him equals eternal death. John 15:4-8 states:
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (NIV)
Often times the struggle is within. Those things within us that cause us to stray- pride, envy, strife, laziness, unforgiveness, sexual immorality, etc, our fleshly desires. There is a constant battle between the flesh and the Spirit. Galatians 5:17 says:
“For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do (Amplified).
More times than we want to admit, our flesh has taken over our thoughts, our actions, and our character. Our flesh has dominion in many of our lives because our spirit man has not been fed. Things that should not have been said begin to slip out without regret. We harbor unforgiveness in our heart when we would have forgiven a long time ago. Our old way of life begins to seem appealing again and last year we were testifying on the mountian top about our deliverance. We roll over during our prayer time because sleep is just so much more appealing. Sometimes we even wonder ourselves, “What went wrong?”
Getting back to God more often than not, requires repentance. God, who is constant and never changing has been there. It is us who have been enticed and distracted away from God and the plan He has for your life. Just like we tell our children to say they are sorry when they have done something wrong to someone else, we need to tell God we’re sorry. Next, get back on track. Don’t wallow in the wrong you’ve done. When you sincerely repent, believe that God has forgiven you, turn from what has drawn you away, and move forward.
Furthermore, make a daily commitment to meet God in prayer and study His Word. We need His guidance to help us through this journey and to die to the things of the world. Through Christ our spiritual eyes will be opened and we will be able to see the plots and devices of the enemy and we will be able to bring our flesh under subjection. Saints of God, we have to continue to fight to hold on. Getting back to God and the place that He has called us to be, will take sacrifice, but He will meet us there every time.
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