Disregard The Dust

Resisting evil is not a passive avoidance or coercion of distasteful circumstances. Nor is it an emotional appeal toward people, spawned by anger, frustration or fear. It is a direct confrontation of Satan by the Sword of the Spirit, which is Christ in us.

If we should cultivate an intentional relationship with the Son of God, not compromising with the pattern and wisdom of the god of this world, then the blood of Christ would be flowing through our own veins. Jesus has overcome the world; but if this Spiritual Authority that lives in us lies dormant due to our neglect of so great a salvation, we will never know Abundant Life this side of death. Jesus has already conquered the principalities and ruling authorities in the heavenlies, but the demons will not succumb to an earthen vessel that does not have the Spirit of Christ wrought within them.

Further considerations of the "thorn in the flesh".

"So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭7-10‬ ESV)

We immediately assume that this thorn was given to Paul after he received the revelations from Christ. But looking at verse 10, we can see what Paul considers to be the product of the thorn's presence that causes God's strength to become perfect in us; weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; these are indeed the products of the messengers of Satan. They are everything inherent to all human nature since the Spiritual separation from God in Garden.

Reconciliation Is The Fruit of Grace

 

Of what value is a saint that has carnally ascended into a form of godliness that prevents them from presenting the 'good news' of grace to the lost world around them?

 

"For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned." (Romans 12:3)

Grace is received but once, and the Holy Spirit has sealed it within us. Its manifestation is seen in the form of faith, and both grace and faith are a gift from God. We could no more believe in Jesus than we could create ourselves. And grace is not found by asking for it, but by living in it, for He lives within us. It is indeed sought after, but only in the person and power of Jesus. We know this because He ascended from the grave and is now seated at the right hand of our Heavenly Father.

Grace: The Offspring of Love

It is the intelligent Christians that are afraid to embrace a doctrine of grace alone, thinking it would cause many to become complacent in their faith. On the contrary, it is the intelligent mind that tends to avoid the intimacy necessary for the life of grace to become the power flowing from within them. They are the Spiritual lethargy of the church,

Permissive Will

You have likely heard the theology explaining God's perfect and permissive will: the perfect being our choices in life that agree with God completely; the permissive being choices that may not be the best God wants for us, but that He will permit anyway. If God's sovereignty is to be fully embraced, then the belief of a permissive will cannot be accepted, as this goes against God's character. He does not compromise His holiness or sovereignty in order to deal compassionately with His chosen ones. It is His grace, not permissiveness, that we experience. Jesus has accomplished the sacrifice needed in order for God's Spirit to dwell alongside our sinful nature. This is how grace has been provided and purposed, so that the process of sanctification might be accomplished. All that God allows is His perfect will. We make no mistakes or bad choices. We only lack the ability to choose what is good and wise until His Spirit has enlightened us to the depravity of our own perception of what is good and wise against the holiness of His life. To embrace the permissive will theology reveals an incomplete understanding of God's amazing grace upon His children.

PJR

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works." (Titus 2:11-14)

Grace Enough For The Fire

"According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw-each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

Where there are areas of your life that just don't seem to be bearing the fruit of sanctification, and you continually seek God in humility, then this is a season to recognize and embrace His heartbreaking gift of grace upon your life; the grace that made it possible for your redemption to God by the sacrifice of Jesus. It is paramount that the gift of grace be the foundation to your understanding of salvation, for this should remove any self confidence you may have, thinking that by your own efforts or goodness you play a part in it.

There is also a season for all things and the timing of these matters belongs to Him. Jesus even told the disciples that there were many things He wanted to tell them, but they weren't ready for them. So when the frailty of your flesh tends to have its way more than not, consider carefully; do you truly understand His grace enough to wait patiently for this foundational season to lay hold of your heart, that you may become purged and purified for the work He has assigned you? It is the Holy Spirit that guides the work that comes from the Father and it is this work that will receive a reward.

However, should you be repeatedly convicted on a matter by the Holy Spirit and never once authentically ask God to give you His character to replace your covetousness, you will ultimately find this matter addressed at the end of your days. Every conviction and challenge you refuse to meet with God on becomes your ash heap. Whatever is left after going through His refining fire will be the only part of you to enter into His presence.

"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it, labor in vain."
(Psalm 127:1)

PJR

"Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. For there is a time and a way for everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him. For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be?" (Ecclesiastes 8:5-7)