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From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

 

Dear Rev. Graham: It’s discouraging to try to live the Christian life. Devotionals say we must exercise discipline. I’m not a person of discipline. I live for the moment and think about it all later. This is the way I was made. I wasn’t made to brood over decisions but simply to live. Yet I do find myself troubled over the consequences and feel a failure as a Christian and that the power God gives has failed in my life. – V.S.

 

Dear V.S.: God intends for us to have victory over sin. When we don’t, it’s not because God’s power has failed. By His Holy Spirit, He is able to give us the power to live just as good a life as His disciples. However, we need to do our part and, by prayer, appropriate the Holy Spirit’s power.

We also need to flee things that God has labeled wrong. We need to flee pride – that tendency to think of ourselves more highly than we ought – and instead live with humility. We need to flee envy and jealousy. We need to avoid causing strife and the self-centeredness that prompts it. We need to avoid abusive language and instead develop a Spirit-controlled tongue. We should flee evil thoughts about other people. This is possible by the power of God’s Spirit. Don’t depend on yourself and your ability to fight sin, but ask God to fill you with His Spirit – and He will. “Flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11, NKJV).

Without the Lord, we could not pursue the things of the Spirit as we ought. We need to cast our care on Jesus and ask Him to give us a healthy fear of the desires of the flesh and a passion for discipline that leads to godliness.

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)