Guest Post: Don't be Discouraged By Your Weakness

Week 1 - Day Seven

Discipleship Tip from Lee Grady

Do you struggle with unclean thoughts, wrong desires or bad habits? Of course, you do! We are all human, and we often feel the pull of our sinful nature dragging us down. Jesus knows this about us. He told His disciples: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41). The first step to overcoming temptation is to admit your weakness. Don’t beat yourself up or condemn yourself because you struggle with sin. If you did not struggle, you would be dead!

When I told a good friend this week that I was battling temptation, he said: “The fact that you are battling shows that you are a warrior.” I love that! God does not condemn us because we have a sinful nature. He calls us to fight! He says: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Fighting is not an option. Spiritual warfare is real. But you don’t have to fight alone. Invite close friends into your struggle and enlist their encouragement and prayers. And always soak yourself in God’s love and remember that He accepts you in spite of your flaws.

J. Lee Grady is an author, award-winning journalist and ordained minister. He served as a news writer and magazine editor for many years before launching into full-time ministry. Lee is the author of six books, including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, 10 Lies Men Believe and Fearless Daughters of the Bible. His years at Charisma magazine also gave him a unique perspective of the Spirit-filled church and led him to write The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale and Set My Heart on Fire, which is a Bible study on the work of the Holy Spirit.  He posts his discipleship tips several times a week here: http://boldventure.org/tips/