Cast Off
“The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”
I frequently emphasize the importance of allowing God to move in our lives. Our striving and religiosity have a way of stifling the move of God in our hearts, not because it prevents him from moving, but because we find ourselves distracted or burdened by other things. We make ourselves unavailable, and most often, God does not infringe on our decision to be distanced from him.
Again, our life in Jesus is lived as a response to the work he has already done. We worship in response to his goodness. We love others because he first loved us.
There is still a part of our faith that has to do with our own free will. I was speaking with a friend yesterday, and he reminded me that beyond the beautiful moment where Jesus finds us and saves us, there are countless decisions we must make in the journey of surrender. We are invited to follow Jesus, and he offers his spirit and his power to us, but ultimately, we have to say yes. We have to move toward him or away from him.
Praise God that there is no condemnation for us when we mess this up, but that doesn’t mean there are no consequences for our indifference to God’s presence or our rejection of his word. Let me say that again. Just because there is no condemnation does not mean there are no consequences.
Understand that there is deep hope in this message. God has invited you to follow him out of the darkness and into the light. He has opened the way, broken down the jail cell, and obliterated the enemy forces, but we have to take the step of faith. Jesus spoke in invitational language, waiting for the response of those around him. The crippled man had to get up before they could walk. Peter, James, and John had to leave their fishing nets and follow Jesus.
We have to cast off the works of darkness to put on the armor of light. Today I want to remind us that we are invited into freedom. We are given the power to overcome darkness, but at the very end of this process, we are the ones who have to take a step, throw down the burden, and leave behind the works of darkness.
How will this message influence the way you pray and seek him today?
-
Abiding happens daily in his presence. Abiding Daily is a simple and practical reminder to stay connected to the vine. Each prompt is inspired by the scriptures and designed to point you toward prayer and encounter. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To get the Daily Invitation sent to you every day click this link or text “Daily” to +1 (779) 237-3914.
-
Our first devotional book is available on our online store! Abiding Daily: Volume One is a devotional book including 120 prompts from the Daily Invitation. This book is designed to help believers connect with God through the word and discover more of what it means to abide in Christ. Click here to learn more.
