Which Path Have you Been Taking Lately?

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  John 8.12


             Every day when we wake up and every time we are in a tough situation we have two choices. We will either walk in light, or darkness. Some people have told me they are neutral or "in the middle" however, with God there is no middle or neutral. You are either walking with Him, or away from Him. The verse says that Jesus is the light of the world and when we follow Him we do not walk in darkness. How do we know if we are walking in darkness? Darkness is everything opposite from light. This can include walking in lies, deceit, doubts, fear, hate, depression, etc. On the other hand when we walk in light, we are walking in truth, love, joy, hope, trust, and all of the things that the devil despises.

If walking in light is so wonderful, then why are many, if not most, people walking in darkness? The answer is simple, to follow Jesus will require effort and sacrifice. When you decided to follow Jesus it is like climbing up a steep rocky mountain, its going to be hard work and you will have to sacrifice many things to get to the top. Why? Because the more things you try to take with you on the journey, the more likely they will tire you down and try to hold you back from getting to the top. To climb this mountain you will need to sacrifice your will, people around you that you know will be trying to pull you down, bad habits, etc. However, this path leads to happiness, salvation and the abundant life God promises to His children.

On the other hand, the path of darkness is so much more easier. The devil's path is designed so you don't have to put in the slightest effort. No effort or sacrifice is required.You can carry all you want, you can be what your heart tells you to be and do, you don't need to sacrifice anything. This mountain is not steep at all, its like a flat path. In this path you will do whatever you want and whenever you want. You will find happiness in many things on this path, but it wont last. You will find riches and pleasures but they will consume you. Although this path is very popular it only leads to hell.

So, which path sounds more appealing?

Which path have you been walking on?

Proverbs 24.3

"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established"
                                                                                    Proverbs 24.3

What does this verse speak to you? When I read this verse, I found myself reading it over and over again and thinking about it all day because I wanted to see what God was trying to show me. I was watching the program for the assistants of the church and the demon said something very interesting. It said "He had faith to conquer but not to establish". When the demon said that, I did not understand what he meant by establish.

Many times when ask God for something such as a change in a family member, the healing of someone sick. or any other thing, we have faith to conquer that dream. With Gods help, we have wisdom and strength to conquer what we want. We persevere until we see the result.

However, what happens a lot is that the person will conquer something with God or build their house, spiritually talking, and then the person relaxes. The person prayed, fasted, sacrificed, and anything else necessary to conquer their goal, but once they have it, many times, the person sits down and relaxes and thinks the battle is over. However, once we conquer something, we have to establish it. Maintain our blessing.

Once you get healed from a bad cold, you can't put your guard down, you have to maintain yourself healthy. In the same way we cannot just have to be blessed but also to maintain and multiply our blessing.

Genesis 38

6 Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death.

8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. 10 What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death also.

11 Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s household until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, just like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s household.

After I meditated on this chapter, I realized what God was trying to show me. Tamar was a widow living in her father's house. Waiting and waiting for her father in law's son to grow up so she could be given to him as his wife. However, not even the father of Shelah that he would live much less grow up to have children because his other brothers had died. 

This woman however, persevered because she knew what she wanted, and regardless of the past situations or events, she acted so that she could receive her blessing.

She was independent in her faith. She didn't wait on nobody any longer. Imagine if she would have just kept waiting? She would have grown old and died in her father's house PLUS, her father in law would have no descendants. 

How about us? Are we independent in our faith? Do we rely on others or objects for what we want to accomplish? How much longer will you depend on others to receive your blessing?

When we are independent in our faith with God and we act, then we are guaranteed to receive what He has promised.

Faith

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
                                                                                                     Hebrews 11:6

Some people have told me that they don't have faith or that their faith is too small. However, I disagree. When you set your alarm for school, you have faith that it will wake you up in the morning. When you fly on an air plane, you have faith that the pilot will take you to your destination safely. So, the problem is not that you don't have faith, it's where your putting it. Sadly, people find it so much easier to trust their alarm clock or a person, than trust God.

When I was reading this verse, the last part of it really caught my attention: "AND that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him". There are some who say they do have faith in God, they believe in Him, they pray, they try to have a relationship with Him, BUT they don't believe that God will reward them and bless them. They start believing in words that the devil whispers in their ears "You don't deserve God's Spirit, or any other blessing" "why would God bless you, if you let Him down so much?" "Just give up, you know it's never going to change" etc. etc. etc.

When I was seeking the Holy Spirit, for God's Spirit to be inside of me, those voices would come to my head and many times I would give ear to them. I would tell myself, "who am I kidding? Why would God ever come inside me? I'm so flawed. I let Him down all the time. I'm not good enough to receive Him".  However,  when I realized that God does not bless Him people, based on merit, or by how perfect you are, I started to use my faith. You, Me, noone will ever deserve God's Spirit, or anything that comes from God, BUT we receive Him and His blessings, when we you use our faith that God will be faithful in what He promised. God promised His Spirit to those who seek Him. God promises a life with abundance.

Put your trust in Him, with all your heart. Trust Him to Guide you. Picture yourself blindfolded and letting God lead you by the hand. You wont see where you are going, but if your faith is in God, you know that God will protect you, and lead you to His Promises.

The Intersection