My bones are pierced in me at night, And my gnawing pains take no rest. Job 30:17 (NKJV)
Have you experienced the pain of a toothache? If you have, then you know how it can just come upon you out of nowhere and begin to gnaw away at you. The throbbing and dull pain just becomes unbearable, until you finally have to address it. What was a dreaded and procrastinated trip to the dentist is soon replaced by an enthusiastic and now fully embraced trip to alleviate this ongoing pain. Once the issue has been properly dealt with, the healing can begin and a sense of joy and peace is restored to your body.
It is the same way when we have unconfessed sin in our life. It is like a cavity in our Spirit. We can have it sitting there for some time when suddenly one day it becomes a toothache and begins to cause problems in our life. Much like the decaying tooth, or abscessed gums, our broken fellowship with God becomes a painful problem just gnawing away at us. We can see from God's Word just how sin takes its toll on us both mentally and physically. We read in Isaiah how sin takes away our peace.
"There is no peace", Says my God, "for the wicked." Isaiah 57:21 (NKJV)
And we are told in Proverbs of the toll sin has on us physically as well.
Good understanding gains favor, But the way of the unfaithful is hard. Proverbs 13:15 (NKJV)
Satan has perverted our understanding of how to address this issue as well. Because of ongoing un-repentive sin, a person can feel doomed to live in these physical and mental afflictions. They may attempt to seek the help of doctors to address the issue - often receiving medication to cover up the symptoms rather than addressing the root problem.
No medication can cure the disease of sin, or stop the gnawing pain mentally or physically caused by it. No psychiatrist can cure us from the past transgressions or stop the spiritual side effects of sin in our mind, or in our life. It is only by the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ that we can be cured.
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV)
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace Ephesians 1:7 (NKJV)
Q: So, what do we need to do to stop the gnawing pain of sin upon our life?
If we have not been saved, we need to confess (Believe that) Jesus is Lord, and accept His death on the cross as payment for your sin (See Rom. 10:9-10, Eph. 2:8-9). Turn from your sin, read the Bible (John 5:39; Psalm 1:2; Psalm 119:97; Ephesians 6:10-18) and seek to follow Jesus all the days of your life (See Luke 9:23).
For those who have been saved, we need to confess our sin, repent, or turn from it and then take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:5), and seek to do what is right in every situation.
Hear me in this Christian, the enemy will do whatever he can to keep us confused and unfocused. He will distract us from the truth, counterfeit the things of God and slightly change them with hopes of deceiving us. If the enemy can keep us confused and anxious then we will never live in true peace - and this is not of God (1 Cor. 14:33). God has given us something much better than drugs to deaden our senses or to cover our pain -He has given us His Spirit of power and of love, and of a sound mind.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
We need to stay focused on the things of God and upon His Word. Let's not get caught up in the things of this world. We are only here for a short time, and then we will be with the Lord. If you have something gnawing away at you and you can't quite seem to shake it - I want to encourage you to seek the Lord today. Repent of anything sinful and then purpose in your heart to walk with God and abide in His Word. Ask God to empower you with a fresh filling of His Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18). Now walk.
STUDY QUESTION: What type of spirit has God given to those who follow Jesus according to 2 Timothy 1:7?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Do you find yourself fearing the future, or being confused or weary in your mind?
APPLICATION: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Have you experienced the pain of a toothache? If you have, then you know how it can just come upon you out of nowhere and begin to gnaw away at you. The throbbing and dull pain just becomes unbearable, until you finally have to address it. What was a dreaded and procrastinated trip to the dentist is soon replaced by an enthusiastic and now fully embraced trip to alleviate this ongoing pain. Once the issue has been properly dealt with, the healing can begin and a sense of joy and peace is restored to your body.
It is the same way when we have unconfessed sin in our life. It is like a cavity in our Spirit. We can have it sitting there for some time when suddenly one day it becomes a toothache and begins to cause problems in our life. Much like the decaying tooth, or abscessed gums, our broken fellowship with God becomes a painful problem just gnawing away at us. We can see from God's Word just how sin takes its toll on us both mentally and physically. We read in Isaiah how sin takes away our peace.
"There is no peace", Says my God, "for the wicked." Isaiah 57:21 (NKJV)
And we are told in Proverbs of the toll sin has on us physically as well.
Good understanding gains favor, But the way of the unfaithful is hard. Proverbs 13:15 (NKJV)
Satan has perverted our understanding of how to address this issue as well. Because of ongoing un-repentive sin, a person can feel doomed to live in these physical and mental afflictions. They may attempt to seek the help of doctors to address the issue - often receiving medication to cover up the symptoms rather than addressing the root problem.
No medication can cure the disease of sin, or stop the gnawing pain mentally or physically caused by it. No psychiatrist can cure us from the past transgressions or stop the spiritual side effects of sin in our mind, or in our life. It is only by the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ that we can be cured.
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV)
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace Ephesians 1:7 (NKJV)
Q: So, what do we need to do to stop the gnawing pain of sin upon our life?
If we have not been saved, we need to confess (Believe that) Jesus is Lord, and accept His death on the cross as payment for your sin (See Rom. 10:9-10, Eph. 2:8-9). Turn from your sin, read the Bible (John 5:39; Psalm 1:2; Psalm 119:97; Ephesians 6:10-18) and seek to follow Jesus all the days of your life (See Luke 9:23).
For those who have been saved, we need to confess our sin, repent, or turn from it and then take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:5), and seek to do what is right in every situation.
Hear me in this Christian, the enemy will do whatever he can to keep us confused and unfocused. He will distract us from the truth, counterfeit the things of God and slightly change them with hopes of deceiving us. If the enemy can keep us confused and anxious then we will never live in true peace - and this is not of God (1 Cor. 14:33). God has given us something much better than drugs to deaden our senses or to cover our pain -He has given us His Spirit of power and of love, and of a sound mind.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
We need to stay focused on the things of God and upon His Word. Let's not get caught up in the things of this world. We are only here for a short time, and then we will be with the Lord. If you have something gnawing away at you and you can't quite seem to shake it - I want to encourage you to seek the Lord today. Repent of anything sinful and then purpose in your heart to walk with God and abide in His Word. Ask God to empower you with a fresh filling of His Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18). Now walk.
STUDY QUESTION: What type of spirit has God given to those who follow Jesus according to 2 Timothy 1:7?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Do you find yourself fearing the future, or being confused or weary in your mind?
APPLICATION: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
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