Be Encouraged.................

For the first time in my life I finally understand how people who claimed to be so saved fall. I'm NOT talking about the people who left church because their pastor did something shady or because someone in their church hurt them. I'm NOT talking about the people who were raised in church and went for tradition and then stopped going. I mean this is the South, who didn't go to church at one point in their life?

I'm talking about the people who made sure everyone knew they were saved. They were the people who knew and followed the Word, active in their churches, and had no problem worshiping the Lord. They treated everyone well and were always willing to give someone spiritual guidance. Others admired how they could be so "good" in a world full of temptation. They didn't club, drink, or get down with violence of any kind, and always found other ways to have fun. I'm sure you can think of someone like that. However, one day they snapped.

Then you see them doing everything they claimed they wouldn't do because they were saved. They're drunk and crunk acting a fool in the club, sleeping with people the old them would have never thought about being with, stopped going to church, and pretty much seem just a little off or crazy. They are wilder and crazier than that wild person you knew who wasn't claiming to be a person of Lord. What happened to this person?

So as you know I'm fasting and taking more time to grow closer to God. My dear, the closer I am growing to God and accepting God's will for my life, the more evil and temptation comes my way. Last week I battled and had to fight a million times harder than ever to keep my feet on solid ground. On one side of my head I felt victory and saw changes that I new I needed to make. However, the other side of my head was full of reminders of what I used to be and what I was never going to be. Some things that are considered bad were starting to seem appealing. I felt like I was being pulled down to something I didn't want to be. Not knowing what was going on with me I turned to an elder in my church for counsel.

She explained to me that this is quite common in people who are trying to do good and live right. Negative people and the enemy arn't happy with this, so of course they are pulling you down and bringing road blocks into your life. My dear, it seemed like just about everything that could go wrong in a persons life went wrong in mine, and I was starting to become weary, doubtful, and complacent. She recommended that whenever I feel this happening to (1) identify it, (2) go to the Word, and (3) speak life to it. She also prayed for me. I am exceptionally fine.

My dear, I was at the point where either I was going to push further and be encouraged by the Lord or let the enemy get the best of me and fall. I knew the choice that I was going to make. So many saints fall, because they don't know how to push further when this happens. They let the problems and attacks of the enemy get the best of them. They spiral downward on a path to craziness and some never recover. Because of their immoral and crazy actions, they start to feel like they are not worthy to be in a relationship with God again. We know this is NOT true.

My dear, be encouraged and fight to keep your feet on solid ground. Just because you are saved doesn't mean the enemy isn't going to try to get you or that life is going to be a bed of roses. Remember if you and the enemy were not in opposition, he'd have no reason to mess with you. Do what you have to do to keep winning. Seek counsel if you have to. I love you!