We Need to be Building Up Ourselves
(that’s just the way it is)
By Jay Pearson
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Ghost (Jude 1:20)
By praying to God who answers prayer, we are building ourselves up. I have listed three way to pray. I’m sure there are more, but these are familiar to me. Here are three ways to pray:
- With our understanding (speak) Philippians 4:6
- Inspiration (Inspired or moved by the Spirit) 2 Peter 1:21
- Speaking in tongues (speaking to God) 1 Corinthians 14:2
There are reasons we need to build ourselves up on our most holy faith. There are those who wish to disrupt and even steal our faith.
Jude 1:4:
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
John 10:10:
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
We have a target on our back. Certain folks and/or beings are after you just as they were after Jesus. We must remain in fellowship with our Lord to survive the onslaught of the attack and deception of our foes. Many things want to sink this ship.
Ephesians 6:12:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Ephesians 6:11:
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Communication with God is essential for your strength and well-being.
Ephesians 6:18:
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
I don’t have to tell you we will have tribulation in the world. You are experiencing it now. Either personally or someone you love has tribulation that is effecting you deeply.
John 15:19:
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
John 16:33:
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
As I said before we must remain in fellowship with our Lord to survive the onslaught of the attack and deception of our foes. This is done by communication and obedience with our Lord. Many things want to sink this ship.
There is one more thing about troubles to consider also. Sometimes that is just the way it is.
Ecclesiastes 9:11:
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
In review, there are three factors that I covered that attempt to hinder our fellowship with the Lord:
- Our frequency of communication
- Internal and external attacks
- Time and chance
Let me take just a few minutes to tell you a story about a boat I once had, or actually, ALL the boats I ever had! The nature of a boat is they take on water. The simple definition of "nature" is that’s just the way it is. Boats or ships require that you bail the water from them so they don’t sink. I’ve had a lot of boats new and old and believe me that is their nature. That is why they require a bilge pump to displace the water or you use a bucket, cup, or your hands if you have too. That’s just the way it is.
Here is a correlation I want to make between a boat and our life. Like a boat that naturally takes on weight that needs to be rejected or expelled, our life and fellowship with the Lord are subjected to the same.
Hebrews 12:1:
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Yes, like a boat that takes on water, our walk in life is subjected to sin and distracting influences from self and others. We need to bail this from our life, set it aside and move on with the Lord. We have one life to live on this earth let us live it to the Lord’s glory. Living to his glory requires communication and prayer to the Father, and the Son through the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 34:4:
I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 34:17:
The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
Proverbs 15:29:
The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
We need to be and walk in fellowship with the Word in the flesh and our Father according to his direction from the Holy Spirit within us. The Word shows us where we are and where to go.
Psalm 119:105:
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
When you find your boat or ship has taken on to much water and you can’t bail fast enough, there is one that can and he’s your savior. He won’t let you sink. Remember Peter got in trouble trying to walk for the Lord. The Lord gave him his hand.
Matthew 14:28-31:
28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
The Lord has bid you and me to come unto him, believing. You have a boat that takes on the water of the world. It is your earthen vessel. That’s just the way it is. The nature of this life. Bail the water of the world and drink the water of life everlasting, Jesus Christ. Our new nature is this everlasting life and it’s incorruptible and that’s just the way it is.
Jude 1:24-25:
24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
We need to keep bailing the world's tribulation, deception, doubt, worry, and fear out of our boat, and fill our boat with trust, faith, and the love of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Building ourselves up praying in the Spirit. Prayer is communication with the Father and the Son through the holy spirit within us.
There are three ways to pray:
- With our understanding (speak) Philippians 4:6
- Inspiration (Inspired to speak or moved by the Spirit) 2 Peter 1:21
- Speaking in tongues (speaking to God) 1 Corinthians 14:2
That’s what floats my boat. How about yours?
Presented January 5, 2017 in Baton Rouge
© Workers Together With Him, Inc.