As I began to listen to a sermon by Paul Washer, I realized how wretched I am. I realized all of the thoughts that come into my mind and the things that come from this mouth are filthy and worthless. The holiness of God is on the fore front of my heart right now. Conviction has consumed me.
I have been dealing with defeat for the past few days. Feeling like I'm worthless, even though Christ has given me a new heart and a new mind, these thoughts aren't easy to shake.
Have you ever examined the things you've spoken to others and look back on them and realized how foul they actually are? Ever listened to the word of God preached and the phrase from Isaiah spoke,” And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” .” This is what has been going on inside of me for the past hour.
Being reminded of our sinful nature is something that should humble us and make us beg God for mercy. We must submit ourselves to God for it says in Romans 12 : 1-2,“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. [2] Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
God is calling us, His people to honestly submit ourselves to the workmanship of Christ. Only when His children submit to his word and his truth, are we able to expect anything worthy of praise to come forth.
The thing about this verse is that we are a living sacrifice that has been placed on the altar for to be a sweet smelling aroma to God. It is only when we submit our minds to God and daily reading His word are we (our minds) able to be transformed. The world beckons with every ounce of spiritual darkness to hinder and war against the work that God desires for us.
The apostle Paul tells us not to think of ourselves any higher than we ought but to be soberly minded.
There is also a thought process that wars against our spirits to make us feel that we are totally worthless and that God isn't able to use us.
[37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:37-39)
The enemy so badly wants for us to forget that God loves us, because we have been raised from death to life in Christ. Keeping your minds set on the words of God will cause us to remember who we truly are. We have been called to a task that is greater than we could have ever planned on our own accord.
The Apostle Paul gives us a charge, “ [12] Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. [13] Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14ESV)
