Finding Strength

(Luke 22:32) “But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."

How often do we all imagine, in one way or another, what we could be doing for God’s kingdom here on earth. I know I would love to be like Peter and through my failures find strength to strengthen my brothers.

Satan goes around walking to and fro on the earth, we are told by Peter “like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.” Interestingly the Lord Jesus addresses Peter like this, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat.” I can to some extent understand what that means and unfortunately it is not a one off occasion. It is not as if we are tested once only in a certain area. It is nothing like a driver’s license, we pass and the license is then ours for life, we are never tested again. Yet life and its high calling is not like that, daily we need to pick up our cross and follow Jesus. That means each and every single day we may be tested in the same area of our lives and when we do not find victory our burden becomes heavy and it should be light.

We have been commanded to walk in joy; it was unbelief and sin that kept the children of Israel out of the Promised Land. It is sin that keeps us from walking in joy. Listen carefully to what I am saying. Sure the trail of our faith does cause an atmosphere of pressure that at times seems to engulf us. But even if we don’t fall victim to it, we may still feel heavy from its test, but when we come through it victoriously, joy is its fruit. I have no doubt about that. It is only when we fail the test that we are downcast and carry the heavy burden that the Lord Himself has carried on our behalf. So we carry something that does not need to be carried.

I suppose that is how it will be until we put off our bodies of corrupting flesh.

So let us remember the basic fruit’s of repentance. “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”

Every day then we must make a conscious decision to examine our hearts before God remembering that He see everything, we can hide nothing from Him. Do not let Satan or his ministering demons of darkness get you to believe a lie. That is his way; remember the Garden of Eden and how he beguiled Eve. He still goes around roaring speaking lies into the minds of the weak, stand on the truth of God’s word and he we depart from you, until the next time. This is the way it is and this is the way God intended it to be. “Father may you give you children strength to stand, I pray.”

A bind eye we must not turn to this truth but rather look to the author and the finisher of our faith, even Jesus Christ our Lord for grace to overcome, and where we do fall let us repent and search out God’s forgiveness, for He will forgive us if we are sincere . Yes, even if it is asking for forgiveness every day for the same sin. The hope we all have, is that one day we may be victorious in whatever area we struggle, it may be more than just one area but the principle remains the same, acknowledge our sin, repent and stand on God’s word and then put our minds to overcoming and this must be done on a daily basis. (Matthew 6:34) "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” It must be done daily for this exact reason. It is hard enough just getting through one day at a time, if and when we try and take on more than one day at a time we are soon swallowed up by failure.

The very first fruit of repentance is carefulness; if I am weak in a particular area then I must avoid that place, I must!

Let me be personal; yesterday was a particular difficult day for me as all my furniture arrived with a delivery note from my wife that read Ashman (maiden name) instead of Arthur and I still haven’t received the summons. It is now the actual realisation of closing a chapter of my life and beginning a new one. Volatility is something of a character flaw that lives with me. In times pass I have said blow it and gone out on the town forgetting God mercy and my Saviour’s sacrifice and let rip. A friend informed me that all my old acquaintances were gathering to celebrate a birthday and asked me if I was coming? My frame of mind was racing with thoughts of a failed marriage, disappointment and anger wanting to raise its head. It was a perfect trap setup just to lure me. But by God’s grace I am able to say, life has taught me some profitable lessons; “fear God and keep His commandments for this is the soul duty of man.” If I had succumbed to the invitation the probability of me drinking and drugging were on the cards. My point! Be careful and do not venture into places you know you will potentially fall, that would not be the fruit of carefulness.

“But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." I think when Peter denied the Lord three times it taught him his own volatility and this in turn helped him help others.

Our particular struggle and more so when we find victory in it I believe it will equip us to have compassion on others and then we will be capable of fortifying others.

May we all be resolved to lay our lives down for one another just as Christ laid down His life for us.

Signing off

Tyrone