I can be very stubborn most of the time. I find myself pressing forward in many ways! Yet other areas of my life I just don't have that same steadfastness that I would like. Today I woke up with a vengeance against the enemy and determination for myself. I'm fed up with what I am doing to myself and the door I opened for him to do to me, against my body and my mind. I woke up with the determination to hear from my heavenly father more than I ever have. I am determined to have victory not in just some areas of my life but in every area.

What if we approached every situation with the same determination we have when we want to go on that vacation and we start saving for it, or when you are determined that you are going to get that thing accomplished you want, or do something special for your child? We have a diligence or perseverance for things that we want to enjoy more than we have a determination for getting so close to the one who offers us so much more!

We have a God who we go to for our desires more than we want to go to Him for our needs. Sure his word says he will give us the desires of our heart, but he also says he will supply our every need. Some of us tend to not ask Him for what we really have need of. Why is that? Probably because we know ourselves so much better than we think. We know that most of our problems we have were brought on by ourselves. We open all these doors by fulfilling every want and desire we have instead of disciplining ourselves and seeking Him. We want it all now. But He wants to help us even when we have caused it.

Yesterday, I decided I was going to discipline myself to yet again stop snacking. "You ate your breakfast, you don't need a few crackers to get by until lunch." I coached myself. I made it! Lunch came and I had a small sandwich. Then the snack tormentor whispered in my ear, "that brownie looks so good, go ahead and have it! After all it is the last bit of sweet treats you have left in the house. You may as well get rid of it." Needless to say, I once again gave in to the temptation and devoured the brownie. Which set the precedence for the rest of the day for a downward spiral of justification as to why I am eating this or that. "I ate the apple." Yet we always blame Eve! We eat those apples often and don't even realize it.

When we give in and justify it opens a door wide open saying "come on in devil and help me sabotage my life." We have to learn to resist, we have to be determined that we want to walk in the goodness of God more than we want to satisfy our flesh. We give the devil too much credit. He didn't make me overweight, I did! When I opened the door of lacking self-discipline in my life I invited him in with welcoming arms to attach pain, lack of energy and many other things in my life that can go wrong from overindulgence. These things can only come when we allow it. We know they are wrong choices yet we do it anyway!

We somehow want to make it sound okay so we say things like "we all battle something, or my only struggle is…." These are all excuses to make us feel better about our poor decisions. Now society wants to label our poor decisions and lack of discipline as "diseases"! No it's not a disease it's putting our selfish desires before discipline. We say "we can't", but in actuality we can, we just won't.

Our proof of desire is in our pursuit! What do you want more? The Bible speaks strongly about determination. Determination uses words like perseverance, steadfastness, endurance, diligence, and pressing forward. In the word of God it is not just stubborn effort- it's faith-filled persistence that trusts God and refuses to quit.

Heb 12:11 "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." What race are you trying to win? In order to win, you have push through the pain and difficulty that comes in becoming stronger. When you want to become a runner you don't wake up one day and run a 5k. Unless you are a freak of nature, you train! You put in work, educate yourself, practice to accomplish that.

My son sent us an adorable video of our granddaughter walking. She would balance herself and start with a wiggle and a step. She was so wobbly and off balance. She balanced out her arms for the leverage she needed and took those first steps. One step, two, three and then on the forth down she went. She stood back up and started over again. One step, two steps, three, four and on the fifth step back onto the floor. I watched as she did this several times. With each time the steps became more purposeful and faster. Her little body gained memory and her confidence grew! All of a sudden she was walking, not just stepping. It was her determination that brought her to her victory.

Victory does not come without discipline!  Just like my granddaughter when we fall we need to pick ourselves back up and try again and again until we get it. Then it will be second nature. We won't have to concentrate on it as much. We just do it because it's our nature!

I like how Paul describes determination like an athlete pressing toward a goal. Philippians 3:13-14 "Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize."

So often we focus on the past failures to justify why we don't try anymore. Friends don't look back press toward the future. I can't recall the preacher but I remember he removed his rear view mirror from his car because he wanted to remind himself to never look back. When we dwell on the past failures we won't ever move forward. My father in law always said "if you are not moving forward you are backsliding!" If you are focusing on what was you will never see what will be.

 

I don't know the areas you lack discipline in but I do know that the Lord is there waiting to help us with each area as we lean on Him. Going to Him for everything asking Him to help us.

There is an old battle song our church used to sing often. My husband will bring it out under the tent sometimes and the encouragement that comes from those lyrics will build faith into anyone!

 

"We are going forth into battle with our praise as a weapon of war

Binding up that strongman, Claiming the captives spoil

Our God is a God of vengeance, making war with our praise

With one voice His powers extended as we magnify His name

I refuse to be refused and I deny to be denied, Satan we are coming after you

We are going to stand our ground and take back what is ours!"

 

This song is exciting to me! "I refuse to be refused and I deny to be denied!"  But as I always say "I have a part to play in this!" Friends we need to stand our ground today and take our lives back!

Why do we praise? Why do we worship? Why sing the songs? When I praise it shifts my focus off of my problem and glorifies the only one who can deliver me out of it! When I worship it is saying to Him I trust that he is delivering me out of the problem and I know my peace only comes from Him no matter what is going on in my life. When I sing these "battle songs" I am building my faith with His word!

His word is his voice that expels the darkness. It's the truth no matter what the fact around me is. It is time to take control once and for all, say no to the flesh and press on towards the things God has for us. Our victory over many situations lies in our willingness to discipline ourselves and get closer to Him. We have to be determined to overcome. That is our part, determination, seeking Him, praising Him and worshipping him while He works!

Your hear me say it often dear brothers and sisters, it's a choice we have to be determined to make! There is no room for failure! Don't bite the apple and press on!