Daniil Kharitonov (Daniil is the Russian equivalent of our “Daniel”) is a young Russian classical concert pianist. He is in his mid- twenties and has “the gift.” But that “gift” had to be applied and exercised. No classical pianist memorizes and beautifully plays a symphonic work, consisting of tens of thousands of notes, without practicing many long hours a day, every day, for many months and even years.
All who are truly in Christ Jesus, who have truly been converted and given the Holy Spirit, must do the same. That “gift” has to be applied and exercised in our lives as well. We must GROW in grace, knowledge and the walk of righteousness by faith. We must learn to resist the pulls of the flesh, the temptation to think, say, or do anything the Word of God condemns. We must apply ourselves to godliness and cease making excuses for our failures.
The apostle Paul says we must “awake to righteousness,” that is we must realize what righteousness truly is – the absence of sin in our lives. All too many believers are conditioned by a erroneous teaching to permit daily sin in their lives – even told that they are prideful and deceived if they think for a moment that they can depart from sin!!! Paul said, “I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens me!” Don’t sell Jesus Christ short. He died not only to pay the penalty for our sins but also to FREE US from our sins. But it is “according to our faith!” Satan knows if he can convince a believer that they must sin daily then they WILL sin daily.
Jesus cautioned us to have no thoughts of anxiety concerning tomorrow. Tomorrow is not promised us. Sufficient for today are the cares we will face. I am not to be troubled as to whether Jesus can keep me from sin tomorrow, or all through the rest of the week, or this month, or throughout the remainder of this year. I am to be concerned only with the waking hours of TODAY. Is God powerful enough to keep me free from sin for the next few hours – until I fall asleep at the close of the day? THAT’S all I need concern myself with. Don’t sell God the Father, Jesus Christ and the powerful Holy Spirit short! Together they are totally sufficient to keep us from sin for a few hours. Tomorrow believe the same thing, and the day after that, and the day after that, and soon you will come to find at the close of the day you have no sin to confess. Please believe this for it is so.
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley