Spiritual Victory depends on several things:
1) Salvation,
2) Knowledge of God’s Word,
3) Faith, and
4) Commitment.
Do you have what it takes to be victorious? Let’s see . . . “Yes, I’m saved.” Check! My knowledge of God’s Word, though isn’t 100%, is good and I do read my Bible every day.” Check! I believe God’s Word. Check! Am I fully committed top God?? Hummmm? Put it this way, if you’ve responded to our Heavenly Father's call of action after a sermon with “Lord, I’ll try to do better” or your prayer is, “Lord, HELP me to do _____________,” number 4 needs some work.
<<People who fail to achieve goals almost always signal their intent to fail by using three little words: "I will try." There are no three words in the English language that are more deceptive, both to the person who says them and the person who hears them. People who say "I will try" have given themselves permission to fail. No matter what happens, they can always claim that they "tried." People who hear "I will try" and don't realize what it really means are fooling themselves, by thinking there's a chance that the speaker will actually succeed. People who really and truly achieve goals never say "I will try." Instead, they always say "I will do" something or, better yet, "I must do" whatever the task is.” (Excerpt from “This phrase destroys your credibility” by Geoffrey James.)>>
“I’ll try” are words that end up in sabotage. “I will” is an act of YOUR will. “I’ll try” is non-committal and also speaks to lack of faith. God gives us free will—the option to choose whether: to accept His Son as our personal Lord and Savior, to daily pray, to daily read His Word, to obey, etc. God will not and does not “make” us do anything against our will. So praying like this: “Lord, please help me to ____________” is another way of saying, “Lord MAKE ME __________,” which is not scriptural. If we say “I’ll try” to another person, they might buy it. God, on the other hand, knows our hearts.
Revelation 3:15-16 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”
Those of you who follow my posts know that I talk a lot about being active instead of passive. This passage from Revelation speaks to just that ... non-committal. We can’t be “all in” and “hold back” anything from the Lord. Who says, “I will try” if it’s something they WANT to do? It’s what I call the “WANT TO.” Let us fully commit to God, aligning our “want to” with His Will for our lives, so we finish the race set before us. God does not ask us to do anything that we are unable to do.
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Hebrews 12:1-3 KVJ "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."
“I will” is a declaration of our will. The free will God gives each of us is always active. God doesn’t step in and “make us” do one thing or another because it’s what He wants us to do. His desire is that we choose to obey Him because we love Him.
John 14:21, 23-25 KVJ "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. ... Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you."
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Where God desires obedience, respond with, “Lord I WILL.” Don't give yourself permission to fail by responding with "I'll try." Commit to put in the effort and perseverance to finish what God has called us to. Let us commit to delete the words, “I’ll try” from our vocabulary and replace them with “I WILL.” Amen!!
Hebrews 12:1-3 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Running the Race with our Captain in Battle,
Delann Conrad
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