Prophetic Word 2024 - Day 6: To maintain your resolve, don’t measure yourself by other people.

”You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.“

‭‭II Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Many years ago, I heard a conversation, which I would probably now intrude myself into, but at the time I did not.

There were two people talking as they went down a hallway. I was in a side room making copies. I heard one of these individuals saying that they now knew that they could drink in moderation, and did not have to be so inflexible.

You see, both of these people had been struggling with substance abuse; one was further down the road, in terms of recovery, than the other. The one who was further down the road, was making this observation about how they were “free” to do these things in moderation. I knew that this was terrible advice; but since I wasn’t even supposed to be hearing the conversation, I remained silent.

A little background: I had already been “burned” once by an individual in front of whom I said that I don’t drink at all because “I don’t need another thing to worry about doing in moderation.” This individual retorted to me, “So you have the Holy Spirit and you can’t drink in moderation?” Again, at that time, I did not have a response. I would now.

Let me give you the rest of the story in terms of both of these scenarios.

In the one in which the recovering addict said to the other recovering addict that they could now use substances in “moderation,” the one proclaiming their newly found “freedom,” died prematurely of substance-abuse. The other, fell away from their commitment to sobriety and fell back into addiction for some length of time.

In the other scenario where the person chided me in terms of the fact that I should be able to drink in moderation, that person has basically given themselves over to doing a whole host of things contrary to the word of God.

Now, please understand me; I certainly don’t think that everyone who consumes alcohol in moderation is going to die an early death. Nor do I think that they will necessarily fall into apostasy. The point I want to make to you here is, you cannot gauge your own steadfastness, your own resolve, by what others allow in themselves. Your steadfastness before the Lord is a very personal issue.

Now, there are some things that are clearly against the word of God, and there should be no talk of moderation, or “being able to handle these things.” Sin when it is finished, brings forth death, no matter who you are.

Make no mistake, one of the worst things you can do in terms of maintaining your steadfastness, your resolve, is to look at what other people are doing, or allowing in themselves, and following suit, rather than doing what God has called YOU to do.

In our opening scripture we see Peter warning the people not to follow after the ways of false teachers who were twisting scriptures in order to do the things they were doing.

Friend, don’t allow the influence of others to cause you to fall away from your own steadfastness, from your own resolve to follow after Jesus. You have the Holy Spirit in you to lead you and guide you. Listen to Him; listen to the word of God. Follow the Good Shepherd Who will never lead you into temptation. He will keep you in the way you should go

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

#resolveforhim