Can’t just make a deal with God

Faith only works if it’s deep down in your heart and soul.

I heard a sermon that hit hard today, where the pastor pointed out the fact that we can’t just make deals with God just to avoid the consequences of a grave sin. That’s not how this works.

I of course have fallen into this misconception many times in my life following sins that I did not want to suffer the consequences for. I prayed and told God I wouldn’t do that again if he spared me the pain. In some cases, my prayers seemed to be heard, while others not so much.

Why did I have such silly notions? It’s because I didn’t have true Faith and I didn’t really believe, I just pretended. As I repented for my sins internally and promised God I wouldn’t do it again if he spared me the consequences, I realized that I didn’t really mean it. The reason being because I always left the door open for Satan to just tempt me again.

Your soul is captured until you surrender

Nearly every time that I’ve left the door open for the option of choosing evil, most times Satan won. I thought I had the power and Faith to resist, but my Faith was not strong enough, and not ingrained deep down in my soul.

He who seeks only himself brings himself to ruin, whereas he who brings himself to nought for me discovers who he is. ~ Matthew 10:39

I always thought having Faith was simply just being a good, moral person and doing upstanding acts. I never understood what pastors meant by “you must surrender to Jesus in order to be saved”. Follow the Ten Commandments and I’ll be saved right?

That mentality is what caused me to be a repeat sinner for acts I know aren’t really in my true nature. So why did I do them? Because I’ve been selfish and only worried about myself, and in doing so, I’ve allowed Satan to influence my thoughts and decisions.

As I continue my journey back to God, and with God, I now understand what they meant by surrendering yourself to be saved. When you put your life in Jesus, fully, meaning deep down in your heart and soul, you’ve achieved mental freedom from Satan.

When I think about those in my life who I could tell were one truly with God, righteous men, I knew they had a firm moral foundation that could not be broken. They surrendered, and in doing so Satan couldn’t control their mind. They were Christlike. They were saved.

The teachings of Jesus showcased his moral purity and immunity from the evils of Satan. While Satan is always lurking close by, if you’ve given your mind, your heart and your soul to God fully, Satan can’t get in. Jesus is our shield and our anchor.

I am not there yet, but Lord knows I am trying. While Satan’s demons try to distract us with the evils that hollow out our souls, we must elevate our minds above in Mind over Matter. Mental Freedom can and will be achieved if we just surrender and believe.

~ TM