Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. {Deuteronomy 31:6}
Whatever happens don’t ever give up on the Lord because the Lord never gives up on us. No matter how long you’ve been far away from the Lord or how far you’ve backslidden, come back to Him. His love endures forever. His mercy endures forever. His compassion never fails. The Bible tells us,
It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. {Lamentations 3:22}
I can’t help but think about that poor man in the country of the Gadarenes during the time of Jesus. The man lived in the tombs without any clothes on. He would cry day and night in the tomb and would cut himself. People in that country couldn’t tie him down even with chains. He would break them. He was that strong because there were devils inside of him, overcoming him every single day and every single moment. The Lord specifically went inside a boat and sailed directly for that country. In Luke chapter 8 we see the Lord go there, set this man free, and leave. There was no other reason why He went but to set this man free. When Jesus asked him his name he told the Lord his name was “Legion” because a legion of devils had entered into him. But one word from the Lord and the man was set free. The people in that country found this man later, fully clothed and in his right mind, sitting at the feet of Jesus.
This is the kind of person that you might think God would give up on, and not have anything to do with anymore. I would think God would give up on me if I was insane and had thousands of devils are inside of me. Wouldn’t you? They say that in Roman times a legion could contain as many as 11,000 fighting men. So you can imagine. Even when you know someone has an evil spirit you want to get away from them, because really sooner or later something evil is going to manifest in that person’s life. How much more when you’re aware of someone having a legion of devils? Surely you would not want anything to do with that person. That’s exactly how the people in the country of the Gadarenes felt about it. They couldn’t keep this man down as hard as they tried. Even the chains they put on him he could break. Plus he went around naked and lived in the tombs, crying day and night, cutting himself. Who would want anything to do with such a crazy person?
But you see, many of us feel that way when we find ourselves sinking into sin after sin. We think we have no hope. Since we feel so powerless about our sins we give up on ourselves and we give up on God. That’s the thing: don’t give up on the Lord. Whatever happens the Lord loves us so much. He will not give up on us. You may want to give up on yourself and I honestly do not blame you if you do. Perhaps you’ve have been trying to fight your own addiction and can’t do it. No matter what it is, if you can’t do it, I say give up the fight and start admitting before the Lord that you have no power to change yourself. He will have to come and change you. Just like the man in the country of the Gadarenes who had no power against the devils that possessed Him and the Lord had to come and rescue him, tell the Lord your need of Him. Tell Him that not until He comes and changes you can any change happen. Only then can you truly serve Him, and live for Him the way He desires for you to be. Don’t give up on waiting for Him and crying out to Him because He didn’t come right away, and the changes you want aren’t coming quick enough. You have to let Him know every day your need of Him. You can’t cry and then give up and walk away. Keep crying until He comes. This man cried day and night and eventually Jesus came to him and set him free. With a humble and open heart the Lord will not turn anyone away, because He loves us so much and He gave His life for us. The more we say we need Him the more He will come. So don’t ever give up on the Lord because He will never give up on His love for us. No matter what happens or how far you’ve been away from Him, come back to Him again and look to Him again because His mercy never fails. Ask for His grace and His forgiveness. Repent of your sins and ask Him to help you repent and help you love Him the way He desires. Only He can help us live for Him. Only He can help us love Him. We have no power on our own. The Lord has to help us. He wouldn’t have died for our sins otherwise if we could save ourselves and change ourselves. We need Him to change us. We need Him to help us live for Him. But we have to let Him know that we want that from Him. The Bible tells us to ask and it will be given to us. Jesus tells us,
If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. {John 15:7}
If that man who had a legion of devils inside of him was set free because the Lord had compassion upon him, and the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ never changes, how much more then will He come and deliver us who cry out to Him for help today? He’s given His life for us at the cross so that we can be cleansed from all of our unrighteousness. Of course He will come, because His love endures forever. He will be here for us until the end of time. Don’t ever give up on the Lord. Look to Him for His help and salvation, because He will never give up on His love for us no matter what happens. He loves those that cry out to Him and never give up on Him, because His heart goes out to those that hope in Him.
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. {Jeremiah 17:7}
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. {Matthew 5:4}
But I will hope continually, and will yet praise Thee more and more. {Psalm 71:14}
And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me. {Psalm 50:15}
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. {Hebrews 13:8}
I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. {Matthew 28:20}
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I thank You Father that Your love never fails. I thank You that Your mercy endures forever. I thank You Father for giving Your life up for me at the cross so that I can be set free from all of my sins and from all of my unrighteousness today.
Father, help me to believe in Your love for me today. Help me to keep coming to You no matter how far I have gone astray from You. Help me to have faith in Your great love for me. Help me to trust in You that Your love endures forever for me. But I have to get myself right with You. I have to confess all my sins and all my unrighteousness to You. I have to be honest and open with You so that You can help me. I love You so much Lord Jesus, You mean so much to me. I am lost without You. Please Father save me. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me from all of my unrighteousness. I pray today Father in Your most wonderful and precious name, Jesus for Your love and mercy upon me. Thank You, Father. Amen.
#repost4/2019
