Premise: Modern christianity is in competition with New Testament discipleship. Believers today have become accustomed to this present norm. Working hard to not sin or pleasing God and others is futile. You cannot do it! It is not based upon human strength and ingenuity. In fact, many that come on Sunday’s hear the sermon and genuinely desire to change; they leave promising themselves they will ‘do better’; then fall flat on their face! This is the new norm… crazy! Stop trying so hard! This is not the New Testament way of living in the Spirit. We should be in 24/7 continual connection with the Spirit’s voice. As with the last post [proof]— If you are not bearing fruit with unexplainable power over your flesh’s tendencies, then you are not Spirit-filled.
It is a New Testament reality that we will make mistakes, sin, and even fail horribly at times (1 John). But effective discipleship is our answer, not working harder at doing something inhuman. Effective discipleship allows the disciple to have the skills and know-how to bear the fruit of the Spirit. By so doing, we give way to the Spirit to tackle those things impossible for us to do. In this yielded state, we please the Lord and simultaneously reduce sin.
To illustrate, let us take one of the listed fruit and expound; Peace. If you are consumed with anxiety with others actions, or worse, from within yourself— you are not Spirit-filled. Is this a problem? Do excuses immediately come to mind, or do you feel unceasing conviction? The need to explain yourself to God, your own conscience, or to others, is a demonstration of a lack of Jesus-peace. The felt need to excuse actions and the ‘way things are’ is also a demonstration of a lack of peace. It is self-robbing. Although modernized, traditional-christianity is producing books by the thousands to convince believers that they have an out. That out is: a diagnosis. You see, all you need is a diagnosis. All you need is an excuse, and these books are laden with them. I have heard people say things like, ‘I feel robbed of peace in a group of believers because I have social anxiety’. That is indeed a problem since Jesus commanded us to assemble and do so more often! I am in no way casting doubt on a person’s difficulties with social pressures and groups. In fact, I too have those same feelings. In fact, it seems scripturally sound to say that all humans have this ‘disorder’. But, I believe scripture also declares that there are no labels or excuses good enough to excuse disobedience. To have anxiety in any environment, no matter how specific, is human, but the scripture teaches you can have victory over it! Stop trying so hard! Ask and allow the Holy Spirit to give you His peace. This peace is from God, so it is infinite in power and effectiveness. Therefore there are no excuses. Personally, I say in those situations, “He is able and I am not.” This alone should take your temperature down and allow you to take a breath. He is able… and… I am not! That should be refreshing. In other words, it cannot be done in or by my power.
How about an expounded view of Power? Do you feel the need to control your situations? Set blockades? Manipulate situations so that they work in your favor? Isolate yourself from what may make you feel uncomfortable? Cringe when any subject or intimidating person walks in the room? These all indicate a lack of follow-through on what the scripture says. It is the indicator we must use to make a decision. Will I do this in His power, or mine? Remember that excuses and self-diagnoses are just handicapping our ability to grow. We are stunting our ability to be His disciple. Drop the crutch, stop trying so hard, and lean in on the One and Only who can enable you to bust through the cringe factors. It has to be done in His power, by His Spirit, and not in ours. Stop trying so hard!
Believers still try way too hard to please God. What pleases Him is living by faith (Hebrews 11.6). We cannot have faith apart from His Word (Romans 10.17), and we cannot demonstrate said faith moment-by-moment without being maneuvered by His Spirit on a moment-by-moment basis (Romans 8). Living in this loving relationship is what it’s all about. Live it and stop trying so hard!