Welcome to this month’s Vida and the final chapter on Getting the Roadblocks Out.
Can a Christian be oppressed? Note that I said “oppressed,” not processed. If you are a born-again Christian, you cannot be processed, for Christ abides in you via the Holy Spirit, but oppressed, yes. That means you are born again, seeking to love Jesus, but specific triggers go off, and then like a puppet, you do things that you hate. You don’t have the power to defeat it.
Crash and burn is another way to put it, and then the devil is there or our guilt, and this pervasive lie goes through our head, “What’s the point of trying to be a Christian, when it really counts, I blow it.” We become so discouraged and feel like giving up, yet the only one that is surprised is us, not the Lord. That’s good news; our sins and shortcomings have all been accounted for on the Cross. It’s not good news that we sin. Sinning is never good news. However, it is good news that we cannot disappoint our Dad. He is such a good Father and forgives us all our sins; we want to do everything to not sin.
Romans 8:13-15
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live (for every temptation we face, there is an equal and more significant promise of God for us to defeat it. He has not left us Fatherless, He’s there via His Word). For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear (or to fail); but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father (all these verses need to go deep inside of us, they should be memorized).
“The Spirit of Adoption;” The concept of adoption is a beautiful thought. He picked us, and that’s wonderful. In picking us, we had to agree; we had to say yes to Him picking us, and in so doing, we become His child with full rights. Just as a naturally born son or daughter would have, and yet He is under no obligation to have us. He is choosing to be our parent, and in so choosing, He chooses to love us, and correction and discipline are part of that, just as we do with our kids. If they stray and rebel, they will receive the consequences of their action, just like the Prodigal. He lost all his inheritance… but regained his relationship with his father. God is represented as the Father in this story.
Luke 15:16-22
And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him (the Father spent time daily looking at the horizon in hopes that he would see the familiar figure of his son. His heart yearned for his son) and had compassion, and ran (the Father ran to him, very undignified for the father to run but the father did not care), and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
Luke 15:24
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to make merry.
The Father could not have been more overjoyed because he understood that his son was back on his terms. He learned the lessons needed; when we repent, it’s like a homecoming. Repentance is the way home from whatever crime, sin, or evil we have done.
The son could not be more repentant, requesting to be a servant, willing to give up his sonship rights because of how ashamed he was of his behavior, but his Father would have none of it. We must understand this, our view of our Heavenly Father is critical to our relationship with Him and how we live life. If you struggle in seeing God this way because you had a harsh father or maybe lack of a father, I would strongly suggest that you meditate on this parable. Meditate until your heart warms up and believes that your Heavenly Father is exactly like the Father in the parable. To see our Heavenly Father as Jesus portrays him will revolutionize your walk with Him. You will fear less, be more consistent in your devotional time, have greater joy and self-confidence, and overall enjoy life more and respond with more confidence to life’s problems. You will begin to become a beacon of His love. You are receiving His love for you and now will find in yourself the ability to love others (this is a crucial truth).
We are never worthy of His Love and Grace, but it is given to us. To not receive it is pride. Pride works two ways; I’m too good to stoop that low and apologize is one example of pride, or I can’t get off that easy; I need to do something to earn my way back is often an unrecognized example of pride. To believe I can do something to right my wrong before God is pride, but it is also a blindness, an ignorance of the Holiness of God. To understand that there is nothing I can do to cancel my sins but repent is to understand that “God is High and Lifted up,” Holy and completely unapproachable except by Grace, to begin to understand His Holiness and Greatness.
Isaiah 57:15
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones (contrite, picture a clay vessel crushed so that all that remains of it is the dust from which it was made from and now in the hands of God will be made anew).
A contrite heart is a gift, something every serious believer should pray for. It is the best security and armor against the wiles of the devil. All the devil’s schemes and temptations are embedded in our human pride, and to fear God as such is to give the enemy very little to work with. Amen
Isaiah 6:1-5
God Calls Isaiah
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also — the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled — the temple.
Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
And one cried unto another and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen — the King, the LORD of hosts.
Now hold that and interject the Cross. The Great King, the Second Person of the Trinity, coming down from His throne, as a babe in the womb of Mary, to be born and to live a normal life and then to dwell, teach and suffer and die on the Cross for His creation.
This then is choosing to live in the Truth and allow the Truth to change us. And in His love for us, He changes us into His image, and we begin to get the victory over sin, depression, hopelessness, temptation, fear, etc., all the disorders common to man and all a result of the fall. All this is contrary to God’s purpose for us, for His Word says that…
Nehemiah 8:10
Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry (depressed, or fretful) for the joy of the Lord is your strength (refuge, shelter, or a place of safety, a stronghold which the human soul craves and requires).
***This verse brings out a critical comment about the human soul. When sin entered, God’s Spirit left man. God made no provision for man to live absent of His presence, the connection that brought us joy. Therefore, in place of His joy came all the disorders we just mentioned, fear, insecurities, worries, anger, hatred, greed, jealousy, envy, etc., all resulting from disobedience. However, now because of Christ, we can respond with trust and choose joy because God is our refuge, shelter, and place of safety*** (let that sink in).
*(*), What example did Jesus leave us in dealing with satan’s lies and temptations, and are we in the Word enough to know when we are being lied to? Our two enemies are our flesh and satan, and the good news is they lessen as we become more connected to Jesus and know the Word. We can identify the lies more readily. Here are three key verses to memorize that fortify our intimacy with Him.
John 14:23
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him (the same security we had before the fall).,
John 14:26-27
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (fearful or fretful, so if this a direct promise from Jesus, why are so many of us absent of His peace? Peace arises and is kept by purposely meditating upon His promises).
As we reconcile with God, a sense of divine favor is felt.
John 15:7-8
If ye abide (dwell with or in) in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
So when temptation or trials become manifested in our emotions, we feel depression or temptation or anger, but then we have the choice to believe our fear, etc., or defeat them with God’s Truth. We use our minds to recall His Words. This is the battleground; it starts in the soul as the flesh seeks one thing and our mind seeks another. We must defeat it before it controls us, just as Jesus did.
Matthew 4:3-4
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
And King David said
Psalms 119:11
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Therefore reading or not reading the scriptures is not an option. It is a necessity.
The struggle is real and complex, especially early on as we grow to trust Him.
Romans 7:14-18 (this is the most brutal truth for us to grasp. If and when we forget it, then guilt plagues us).
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I
If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Paul, the apostle, is being so candidly honest that we may not fully grasp what he is saying. He is simply saying I struggle with sin, and sometimes I lose. I do things or think things that I don’t want to do. Paul wrote half the New Testament, and the flesh was a struggle for him. Why is the flesh such a struggle? We can see it in our children, even the youngest ones. We do not need to teach them to take for themselves, to put themselves first; that comes naturally. Teaching them to share or be considerate of others needs to be learned.
Since man’s fall, we have dwelt with a self-aware nature called pride. Pride’s chief and foremost concern is to take care of number one. It is entirely against the laws of God to love the Lord your God with ALL your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself… It’s impossible without a changed nature, and even so, it takes time to mature and grow to that point. Have you ever worked with food color? You put several drops in a glass of water, and shortly after stirring, the water has thoroughly become the color of the dye. There is no part of the water that has remained clear. That is our sinful nature, it completely taints us, but we are never without hope, ever.
Psalms 119:9-12
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse — his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statues ( the power of God’s Word to listening ears and a yielding heart is undeniable).
However, I think it is essential that we understand the cloth we have been cut from. We must all appreciate the victory Christ paid for us, especially as we celebrate Easter. Without His sacrifice, the Word of God would not have the power it has. It has this power over us because we have accepted Christ as our Savior, and now the Holy Spirit, the power for all changes, can indwell us, the reason for the change. So we must cling to God’s provision for us. Our weaknesses and concerns may vary, but in our flesh, it all exalts our sinful nature, not God’s sinless nature.
Romans 7:23-25
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
How do we serve God with our minds by choosing to be obedient to what the Word says? Agree with God that whatever conviction He’s bringing to mind is a sin, don’t justify it. That’s the worst thing you can do. God knows the why and how, but the response God wants is for you to agree with His Word that it is a sin and ask for forgiveness. And why is it a sin? As with all sins, it creates a divide between Him and us. Our sin seeks to replace Him, which He doesn’t want. Maybe initially, it isn’t a big deal, but sin is like a small fire, always seeking to consume more, grow, and become more dominant.
In our hearts, we have a throne (as in a king), and our sins seek to sit there, but no one must sit there except God Alone. If anything or anyone sits there, then that’s the definition of an idol. It can be a thought, a belief, a person or our jobs, or anything we put before Christ. That is what a stronghold is made of, and it needs to come down. As the walls of Jericho had to come down, so do any walls around our hearts that keep Him out and the lie in.
And with each idol torn down, we gain more freedom as we confess. He may take the desire right away and heal the hurt or the weakness that gave it permission into your life, or once repented of, He may use it as a means to drive you into the Word to build up your faith or both. I’ve had both things happen to me, had the issue instantly gone, and have memorized specific verses for my concerns and found it chip away at the stronghold till it was gone. It’s like lifting weights; you are putting on spiritual muscle with each new verse learned. Soon saying no is not tricky. The yoke of bondage doesn’t fit anymore because of our growth. We are overcoming the weaknesses and lies that have held us captive( Amen).
Galatians 5:1
Stand fast (steady, anchored, rooted, unmovable) in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled (to be ensnared) again with the yoke of bondage.
Another translation says
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free, therefore stand-fast being not entangled again with the yoke of slavery.
Sometimes we can feel like a marionette puppet with all its strings tangled. We need to have an urgency in dealing with known sins. We can’t be kind to it but decided to break its influence over us before it affects us more than our home. Just as physical characteristics come from our parents, so do specific sins. I may be bulletproof against a hundred different sins, but there is one or two that always get me, and more than likely, my parents struggled with them as well. Repentance is critical, for it brings God’s power to our defense.
James 4:6-8
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded (to have one foot on the dock and one foot in the boat, very unstable, and as long as we maintain that stance, we are ineffective for either side. That’s double-minded, two minds opposing the other).
In reading the above verse, if you are like me, I see the word resist and emphasize that but the power to resist is found in submission. Submission speaks of our union with Christ, of our relationship and fellowship with Him, without which we have no power. In Greek, submit is Hupotasso; it means to place myself under, to become subject to. Therefore my job is to walk in union with God by placing myself under His authority, and then I can receive His Grace, and the Word becomes powerful in my life and in my mouth, defeating the lies and temptations of the world and my flesh. This is my position of strength, and I can, we can wrestle and defeat anything in me or outside of me. The rebellion is my carnal nature, and it won’t change until I get a glorified body. Therefore it must continually be defeated via my mind.
Romans 8:7-9
Because the carnal mind (or the flesh as it is known in other areas of The Word) is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God d0well in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
This is where it can get confusing; let me explain. Believing in Christ is like having three people in the same body. Just like God is a Triune Being, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, we too are a triune being when we have Christ in us. It is God the Holy Spirit, our soul (our person), and the flesh, or the carnal man who, as we just read, cannot please God. It is unable to subject itself to Him, and hence our battle. It is impossible to train the flesh to love Jesus, period.
Therefore assuming the Spirit of God does dwell in us, the next critical step is to know specific portions of God’s Word that deal with our struggles. We must learn to rethink life. For men, lust towards women may be natural; it’s built into our carnal man, but natural is not Holy, and God wants His men to be Holy. Proverbs 5-8 became my go-to as a younger man. It was so helpful, and I was in it so frequently that I retained a good percentage of it today. For women, jealousy, and insecurities seem to be the main struggles. You must realize your value to Christ and His love for you. Realizing that will minimize your jealousies which are fueled by your insecurities. These will decrease as you increase your knowledge of God’s love for you.
Psalms 139:17-18
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. Amen
Father GOD,
Take this wonderful study and its truths, and as a cowboy brands his Cattle, which is both painful as it impresses its ownership unto the hide of the cow or bull but shows and guarantees ownership and provision, so brand us with a fullness of your Holy Spirit. Let us defeat the strongholds and the oppression the enemy wants to keep us in. With each stronghold that comes down, let your joy increase, a sure sign of your growing presence in our life.
Love you,
Arthur and family (brothers and sisters)
P.S. If you’ve come this far, take a look at my book on Amazon. It’s a wonderful collection of messages just like these.
Arthur NavarretteVida4U.com is the website where all past Vida’s are archived. In addition to the weekly devotionals, the yearly inspirational writings featured in December’s House2Home Magazine are archived under “Faith Talk.” Please use this site for your benefit and refer your friends to it as well. If they would like the weekly series emailed to them, they can send their requests to Arthur@Vida4U.com.