You might be surprised by the bold title I have put on this post, and yet I assure you it is true in every way. If you can let what I am about to share with you sink into your heart, and apply it, anything in that list and far beyond can be resolved. You can literally be free from any addiction or sin instantly. This is no joke, trick, or scam. Just read on.
First of all, I should clarify that this is mostly written for the millions of struggling Christians around the world who have been told that by the blood of Jesus and the cross they have been set free from sin, and yet don't seem to be at all. This is not because there is a lack of strength in the name of Jesus, but it is because of a lack of understanding.
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." Hosea 4:6
If you are not a Christian and are reading this, you need Jesus. You are obviously seeking help because of an addiction or other problem, and the only sure answer to that is trusting in Jesus. Psychologists, ten step programs, and other solutions are not solutions at all, they are just band aids. You need a true, deep freedom, and that can only be found in the living God.
That said, let's get on with the answer to all these problems.
It is quite simple, and it is all founded on this verse:
"Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength." - Nehemiah 8:10
Most seasoned Christians know this phrase, "The joy of the Lord is my strength." I imagine someone is quoting it around the world every minute of the day, because every minute of the day someone is having problems.
Here is my question: "If this is true, and the joy of the Lord is my strength, why can't we overcome?" I believe God has whispered the answer in my ear today, and it might be the most powerful truth I have ever preached other than the salvation message itself, but it is also one of the most complicated I have ever tried to explain.
Scripture never ever lies, it is 100% pure, sovereign truth, so the problem is not Him, it is us. For my entire life, and I know this to be true for most other Christians, when we read this verse it translates into this in our brains: "There is some kind of happiness that God gives us, and that happiness makes us strong." But what happens is this: we are happy happy happy until the problem hits us. It could be temptation, someone cuts us off on the road, someone doesn't put down the toilet seat, etc... That happens and whack! the blissful happiness that has been holding you up all this time gets smacked away and you "lose" your strength and fall into the problem again.
Our interpretation for all this time has been wrong. God has not placed freedom just beyond our grasp, it is right in front of us, but we need the veil ripped away from our faces so we can see the truth.
It isn't that some whimsical "happiness" gives us supernatural strength to overcome, it is that the "joy of the Lord," or perhaps a better way to translate it would be, "the enjoyment of the Lord is your strength." The idea and requirement for freedom here is not based on an emotion, faith has never been based on emotions. It is based on setting your eyes on Jesus. That is where all the power of the universe is to be found.
If my interpretation isn't enough, here are some observations on this verse from famous commentaries, paying particular attention to Adam Clarke's note:
"Rejoicing in God in serving him with cheerfulness, and thankfulness, which is your duty always, but now especially, will give you that strength both of mind and body, which you greatly need, both to perform all the duties required of you, and to oppose all the designs of your enemies."
- John Wesley's Notes on the Bible
"Rejoice in the Lord, and he will give you strength."
- Geneva Translation Bible Notes
"Because the day is holy to the Lord, they are to desire it with holy joy. יהוה חֶדְוַת is a joy founded on the feeling of communion with the Lord, on the consciousness that we have in the Lord a God long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth (Exo_34:6). This joy is to be to them מָעֹוז, a strong citadel or refuge, because the Almighty is their God."
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
"Do His will, and to do it cheerfully. Religious joy, properly tempered with continual dependence on the help of God, meekness of mind, and self-diffidence, is a powerful means of strengthening the soul. In such a state every duty is practicable, and every duty delightful. In such a frame of mind no man ever fell, and in such a state of mind the general health of the body is much improved; a cheerful heart is not only a continual feast, but also a continual medicine."
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible
John Wesley struggled to find a peace that eluded him for some fifteen years. Even though he was a pastor, fasting twice a week, doing everything he knew to do to please God, he was a miserable failure. Then he had a revelation that ended up being his message and the entire basis of the revival that turned England upside down.
"The moment I awakened, "Jesus, Master," was in my heart and in my mouth; and I found all my strength lay in keeping my eye fixed upon Him and my soul waiting on Him continually."
That is literally the answer to all of our problems. Please listen, this all goes back to the same consecration message I've been hammering out for the past month. Here is what usually happens:
We fall into that same old problem we've had forever and ever, then we make a declaration never to do it again, then some time passes and we do okay. We fight off the urge to say some mean things to the guy who cut us off. We pray harder, spend more time in the Word, and it works! Then we start to feel confident that the change is permanent, and we start to slip slowly back into the lifestyle of before, and the next thing we know we're cursing the cut off guy again.
We slap ourselves across the face, and hate ourselves for doing the same old thing again, let the enemy tell us how useless we are for a day or two, and then make the declaration again. The cycle continues.
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| The Horrible Cycle |
The error is thinking that you can overcome an addiction by continuing the same lifestyle as before. You need more of Jesus! All of your strength comes from enjoying God, from pursuing Him. If you are skeptical, I challenge you to test this and see if I'm wrong.
Consecrate yourself and you will see it to be true. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself." The Apostles had two focuses in their lives:
"We will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word." Acts 6:4
You will find that Jesus had this same lifestyle.
Do not neglect your family, your job, or any other responsibilities. Instead, follow this:
"Our sanctification does not depend on changing our works, but in doing that for God's sake which we commonly do for our own. The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer. Prayer is nothing else but a sense of the presence of God."
- Brother Lawrence
If you will abandon everything, and dedicate yourself entirely to Jesus in every minute of the day, if you will "rejoice evermore", and "pray without ceasing."(1 Thessalonians 5:16-17), if you will repent of all dead works (Hebrews 6:1), and lean upon the Lord with all of your being, you will experience a freedom and the power of God like you never thought imaginable.
So here is the whole program:
Step 1: Set your eyes on Jesus.
I hate to have to constantly be explaining this, because with the doctrine of absolute freedom and ultra grace sweeping through the church like a forest fire right now, any time someone like me starts talking about having some discipline and structure in our lives, people immediately start thinking this is some kind of religious spirit talking.
So let me say this one more time. You can be as disciplined and strict as you like, just like John Wesley tried, but without a true relationship with Jesus none of this stuff will work. Dead religion is useless. You have to move in love.
That being said, I challenge you to look at any man or woman of God in the Bible and prove to me they weren't disciplined, faithful, even methodical people.
This whole sloppy, undisciplined way the church is going right now isn't right or Biblical. Daniel prayed faithfully three times a day, the Apostles were out preaching daily, Jesus was known to pray all night on multiple occasions, and He rose early often, if not daily to pray. King David said he would daily perform his vows to the Lord. The list goes on and on all throughout the Bible.
Let us not forget God Himself, the one we are supposed to be imitating. He is very disciplined., you might even say He is strict. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Again. Discipline without love makes a Pharisee, but discipline with love makes a disciple.
"Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all."
- George Washington
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