Many believers in Yeshua want to do well but don’t always do it as well-meaning as they are.
Upon reflection on this issue I think the reason our intentions to fully follow God fail us so often is because too often we only have intentions to follow God, not the will, because we don’t actually commit to do it. The Bible says, “Ezra had determined to study and perform the Lord’s Instruction, and to teach law and justice in Israel.” Ezra 7:10 and in contrast Rehoboam was a king of Israel who didn’t fully follow God. “He did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the Lord.” 2 Chronicles 12:14
It is not enough to simply know of God and maybe kind of consider the ways of the Lord sometimes or even intend to follow God fully at some point. We need to set our heart on following God, not just wish to or consider the Lord now and then. “I treasure your word in my heart, so that I won’t sin against you.” Psalm 119:11. You have to treasure God’s word in your heart, not just intellectually. We need to have determination in our spiritual life. If you don’t set your heart to follow God, you set yourself up to fall into sin.
You cannot wait until you are facing temptation to suddenly decide the kind of person you want to be. The person you are is determined by the attitudes you cherish and the seemly small choices you make every day leading up to that point. If you don’t have a determined character to follow after God normally, while there is hope that in the moment that you will and can still decide to be determined to follow God at the point thinking you can change, it isn’t as likely or easy to do if you don’t practice that in your daily life. A godly character does not come by accident. We need to be purposeful in following God instead of just letting life happen.
“But you, remain steady in every situation, endure suffering, do the work that a proclaimer of the Good News should, and do everything your service to God requires. For as for me, I am already being poured out on the altar; yes, the time for my departure has arrived. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Chronicles 12:5-7. Set your heart on God and fight for your faith to purposely resist evil. “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22
Picture originally found here
