I don't know about you but my walk as a blood washed born again devotee to The Anointed One has not been easy.
Following HIS WAY has pushed me into spiritual warfare to an extent that I never even knew existed. The greatest deception of The Devil in the 21st century is to make people believe that he does not exist, but fellow readers let me tell you, The Devil is real! Demons are real! Hell is real!
We do not wrestle against flesh and blood. Behind every attack a spirit(s/are) is attached. Wickedness is everywhere and on the rise daily. Narcissism, selfishness, self centredness, self love to the point of obsession, self empowerment and self actualization to the extent that individuals feel that all the abilities, gifts and skills they have, have come unto them through training and education (self achievements) and not of God, are all evident.
I feel ODD in this world, out of place, but I know it is a great place to be spiritually, intellectually and mentally. I see the madness and indeed God's word is true, his people are a peculiar people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a chosen generation.
( 1 Peter 2:9).
So how does one walk the path of righteousness in the 21st century?
" For our righteous acts are like filthy rags"
(Isaiah 64:6).
I must make mention of this scripture because some followers of Christ impute righteousness to good deeds. However, for all the good deeds you have done, if your motive was insincere, then it was for naught, as it was not accepted by God.
We may worship in church and perhaps as soon as we exit, a call comes in and before you know it, you have lost your temper.
You read the Holy Bible and then you pick up your phone and scroll through Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram and look and read absolute filth.We all sin and fall short of the glory of God, so never think too highly of your morality. We are only a "holier-than-thou" step away from being self-righteous and unrighteous.
*Walking the path of righteousness requires discipline. You must dedicate yourself daily to spending time with God. Intentional intimacy with your Creator keeps you grounded and better able to recognize and thus resist temptation.
Walking the path of righteousness requires sacrifice. If you want to get more from God, you have to give up more for God; you have to give up clubbing, drinking, friends that will pull you in the world and out of the favour of God. Anything, that is a hindrance to your altitude in Christ is a multitude of sins that must be washed in The Blood of The Lamb.
Walking the path of righteousness requires you to understand and admit that you have absolutely NO POWER outside of Christ to do anything worthwhile for the Kingdom. It means ABSOLUTE AND TOTAL DEPENDENCY ON GOD. In HIM we live, think, move, breathe and have our being, a sense of who we are, our purpose and destiny ( Acts 17:28).
Walking the path of righteousness requires DETERMINATION. Good, Great God Almighty! Like the song states: " I have decided to follow Jesus no turning back, no turning back." The road will get rocky but will you fight the good fight? Set your face like flint! (Isaiah 50:7).
* Walking the path of righteousness requires you to LOVE God. You must love God with all your heart, your soul, your strength and your mind ( (Luke 10:27). It is impossible to "try"and please someone you do not love completely.
Walking the path of righteousness requires you to have a "Reverential Fear" of God. If you do not fear God, then living sinfully will not prick your conscience. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 9:10), and a wise person takes actions to NOT deliberately partake in sin.
In October of last year, I had a vision and this scripture was deposited in me ,through The Holy Spirit, Psalm139:14: " I am fearfully and wonderfully made." To be fearfully made means you are created to fear God and to be wonderfully made means to be created to Love God.
Our best attempts at righteousness will always fall short, for we are imperfect after all, and God knows this, hence he sent Jesus, His Son. Thus, Grace, Mercy and Unmerited Favour are our portion. So never, ever stop trying to please God, if you desperately want to make Heaven your home the way that I do! The Holy Spirit will help you, if he sees you are willing.
"NOT BY WORKS LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST."
( Ephesians 2:9).
Blessings