Wrongful behaviors, thoughts, feelings and desires are like the mighty current in a river. We don’t know how strong our corruption is as long as we are flowing cooperatively along with it, but when we sincerely try to resist it, we realize that it has us trapped. We don’t know how hard it is to be good until we try to fully overcome our bad behaviors, thoughts, desires, and feelings and no longer compromise with them.

To rid ourselves of such things requires both resistance (“Resist the devil and he will flee from you”) and intimacy with the living God (“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”) Sometimes when we desperately cry out to God for freedom, He will suddenly deliver us in a moment, but often it requires much time and struggle as we die to ourselves and learn to submit to His will rather than to the desires that control us. The persistent struggle against sin can bring us to the blessedness of being broken and poor in spirit. Then when the deliverance finally comes, we’re deeply and forever grateful to Jesus.

I love the Bible, read it daily, and try to obey it. As I read it, the Spirit makes the words burn in my heart and I hear Jesus’ voice. Because Jesus is alive and present, you can follow Him directly without having to jump thru religious hoops and He can rescue from the inner currents of corruption.