DELIVERANCE OR DISCIPLINE

There is so much hype today about deliverance. Everybody wants to jump on the "deliverance" band wagon. Many times we do NOT need deliverance-- but what we DO need is DISCIPLINE. Not EVERYTHING wreaking havoc in your life is from Satan- many times it's poor choices that have caught up with us. Discipline has become a "dirty" word in our world today. You cannot live your life any way you want and not reap the consequences of your actions. Period!! The thought of "I got away with it today, I will see what I can get away with tomorrow" will eventually catch up with you. Yes, Sin opens doors or gates in our spiritual hedge, allowing spiritual pollution to enter, thereby causing spiritual as well as physical problems. Yes I am a big believer in Deliverance. I have taught it- I have done it- but there are times in a believer's life where you just need to discipline yourself.

Here is an excerpt from my book Inner(Heart) Healing and Freedom that might explain things a little better:

Romans 7:15-20: [15] I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. [16] And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. [17] As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. [18] For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. [19] For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. [20] Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

Have you ever found yourself saying those exact things to yourself?? Have you found yourself doing things that you don’t want to do and those things you do want to do, you can’t or won’t do? Sometimes it just takes discipline. Renewing your mind to God's Word is a great place to start.

Never forget these 2 scriptures:

Proverbs 25:28 – A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.

Hebrews 12:11 – For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Don't be that city ....broken into and without walls (walls protect!!!) You are left without the protection that you need from God. Discipline may be very unpleasant to you temporarily but you will reap righteousness if you continue to discipline yourself. Press through the pain of the discipline.

Just something to think about today. We will discuss this more in the next Blog