I had a sin that I struggled with for many years. I'd "rededicate" and try harder, only to fall flat on my face over and over and over. When I began to realize that the Christian’s life isn’t about “living for God” but about “living in Christ” my walk was revolutionized. By living in Christ I now study my Bible not to know what I must do…but to know who I am in Christ Jesus. As I have been appropriating these truths I have experienced much blessing and peace. Realizing that I am one with Jesus has brought such comfort and conviction I cannot describe it. As I continued to struggle with this sin I simply gave in. I prayed to the Lord telling Him that I have tried to overcome this sin and that I am incapable of doing it. I’ve tried to do it by will power and I’ve tried to do it by imploring the Spirit’s help. And time and time again, I find myself falling. I told the Lord that “I give up trying” to fix myself. I “give up” trying to “help” you fix me. I told Him, I simply pray that “YOU change me”. And I surrendered resting in His infinite grace. After a few weeks I didn’t see any change. I only saw an even more intense desire to see the power of God manifest in my life through my deliverance. Then one night, as I was laying in bed sleeping, I found myself suddenly fully awake staring at the ceiling. I was free. Just like that. I got up and I sat on the edge of the bed silent, looking inward, searching for that which had temptation that tormented me for years. It was gone. I got up to get a drink of water and this Scripture came to mind…
Ephesians 2:8
{2:8} For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: {2:9} Not of works,
lest any man should boast. {2:10} For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in
them.
I realized that all those years I struggled to either fix myself or help Him fix me. And that’s why I struggled. I now know what it means to be “His workmanship”, His “masterpiece”. I don’t strive to work for my righteousness. I rest in His grace, believing that I am dead to the Law. I appropriate my identity in Christ, thereby appropriating His righteousness. Allowing His divine nature to live itself out through me. I reckon it to be so by faith. I have a few more issues I have to lay down before Him. He has taught me that I may give them to Him and rest in His grace. And He will indeed finish the work He began in me. All I have to do is rest in His grace, pray to Him regarding the change I need and…have faith.
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