God keeps you

Father God, we thank you that the entrance of Your Word brings light. May that light be made to shine forth in the lives of Your sons and daughters in the name of Jesus, Amen. Thank you LORD.

I love that God is a Keeper. When you give your life to God by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, God desires to keep you until He receives you in glory in heaven. 1 Peter 2:25 NKJV says, "For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."

However, I would like to share on some of the ways that God keeps you. In my previous post titled "God makes clean" I shared on how God cleanses and makes you clean by the washing away of your sins and also by the water of the Word (Ephesians 5:26). I also touched on an aspect concerning God's holiness.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 NKJV cautions us, "For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit."

When you receive Jesus, you receive His righteousness, holiness and purity as well. It is absurd to know the grace message and use it as a licence to justify sin yet God has delivered and set you free from every power of sin and darkness through His Son, Christ. Take for instance, Apostle Paul who persecuted the early church and in 1 Timothy 1:15 he says, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came to the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."

I believe this is one of the reasons Apostle Paul understood the mystery of God's grace so well because his sins which were many were all forgiven by God's love found in Christ. He continues to say, "although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 1:1:13-14 NKJV).

Apostle Paul's story also shows us the importance of allowing the grace of God to work in you. For instance, when his eyes were open by Ananias, he received the Holy Spirit and got water baptized (Acts 9:16-18), he clearly changed his old company to forming relationships in God's church and with the early apostles (Galatians 1:18). Paul also sought the LORD by prayer concerning God's plans and purposes for his life. As he walked in God's plans and purposes for his life, the LORD changed his name as well from Saul to Paul (Acts 13:9).

So we see God's grace was in full operation in Paul's life and he created room for it as well. Often times, the challenge is when one loves Jesus but they also want a little bit of the world. Friend, God wants you whole. The truth is you cannot be whole with bits and pieces of you from the past old life Jesus has redeemed you from while at the same time God's child.

You are already loved, blessed and righteous in Christ Jesus and Romans 6:6 NKJV says, "knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." Always know that God by His grace has blessed you with the power and ability to live a godly life when you receive His Son, Christ Jesus.

To live a life set apart and consecrated empowered by the power of God, I suggest:

1. Surrender to the Holy Spirit: Surrender your will and allow God to do a work in you by His power and grace in you. As you surrender to God, He changes your tastes and preferences to who He created you to be. God knows you best because He created you and this is the reason you can trust His purpose concerning you. God knows what would make you happy or sad before you do, so when He leads you by His grace, trust Him. Personally, I have found this happens best through the reading of His Word. As you read God's Word, the Word paints a picture of your true identity of who God has created you to be in Christ Jesus. As you read the Word you are able to behold Jesus and see the truth that you are already holy, righteous and pure because of His finished works on the cross.

   Pro-tip: If you still building a daily rhythm of reading God's Word, I would highly recommend you start with reading the New Testament and then the Old Testament.

   
   

2. Prayer and fasting: Communing in the place of prayer with God is important. If there are areas you are struggling with, bring them to God in prayer and the power of His grace ensures you are an overcomer over that situation. Fasting is not for you to get or obtain anything because as a child of God, "God's divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue," (2 Peter 1:3). Just like prayer, fasting helps you to receive the spiritual blessings that God has for you.

   
   

3. Environment: Stay true to your call as you are led by the Holy Spirit. Keep away from environments that are a hinderance to your calling and who God has called you to be. These environments may not always be limited to the world or old environments you used to hang around but it is anything that is outside your where Jesus wants you to be.

   
   

4. Serve God wholeheartedly: I always highly recommend becoming a member of a church community and serving in the house you are planted in. Grow with other believers as you are led by God's grace. Colossians 3:23 says, "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men." As, you serve God, your character is developed and other times God may use this service to order your steps into His plans concerning you.

   
   

5. When you miss the mark, be quick to repent before God, make the necessary adjusments and be quick to forgive others as well.

   
   

6. Continue seeking God: This is the most important part - continuing to seek God and the righteousness of His Kingdom. Continue to surrender to the leading of the LORD, continue to read the Word of God, continue to pray and fast, continue to serve the LORD, continue to be in community with other believers and stay the course where God has called you, continue seeking God. Just when you think you have "arrived", begin again. Apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:12 NKJV "Not that I have already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me." Apostle Paul also encouraged his disciple, Timothy, concerning his ministry to continue in doctrine and be an example to believers both in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity, and in spirit (1 Timothy 12-15).

Invitation to salvation: God wants to make you clean. However, you have to receive His love for you found in His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. So if this sounds like you, I invite you to believe with your heart and confess with your mouth the words below;

"I believe with my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came to die for my sins. Today, I receive Jesus as the Lord and Saviour of my life who has delivered me from every power of darkness into the Kingdom of God's love. I am now a new creation in Christ Jesus. I am clean where my past trespasses and all my sins are forgiven by my Father God. AMEN."

If you just said this prayer, glory to God you are redeemed. Please become a member of church community and get water baptized!