[Isaiah 1:21-23 KJV]“How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers”
“Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.”
What many of us are unaware of is the fact that everything under heaven is constantly moving towards a state of chaos. Everything is decaying and moving towards a state of chaos; hence there is the need to guard against degeneration. We must guard against backsliding and degeneration. Our opening Scripture shows how a faithful city had become a harlot.
If you want to guard against backsliding;
1. Be intentional about it:
Decide that you want to overcome to the end. Decide to press on to the end no matter what! Fight to finish! Apostle Paul, even when he has faced death, was not moved. He was determined to finish his course. Be determined to finish and finish strong!
[Acts of the Apostles 20:22-24 NLT] “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead.”
“But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”
2. Guard your heart with all diligence:
All the issues of life flow from the heart; hence if you leave the gates of your heart unattended to, you are likely to catch the lychee that eats faith. You must guard your heart against bitterness and offences. You must strive to win over them. There have been so many occasions that offence and bitterness have sought to kill my faith and love. (See Hebrews 12:15)
3. Keep your conscience alive:
The conscience is the thermostat or finishing that must guard you against sin and the deceitfulness of sin. Many people degenerate because their conscience becomes dead or seared. When the conscience no longer prompts us to sin, we will not find the need to stop sinning. You need a regenerated conscience, it is one thing that can keep you from sinning.
4. Believe that God is able to save of your soul:
Believe you are what God says you are and don’t allow your many failures to make you keep living in sin. Don’t draw back to perdition. “Believe to the saving of your soul”. (See Hebrews 10:38-39) Believe that you are not bankrupt! Believe that God can fix your life and restore you even when you fail.
5. Beware and flee idolatry:
1 Corinthians 10:12-14, warns us to be careful when we think we are standing. The simple steps are to be careful and flee idolatry. Don’t worship anything. Just flee! Anything you worship can trap you! You must beware and flee idolatry.
6. Avoid the company of the scornful, ungodly and wicked:
See Psalm 1:1-3. The words of the ungodly, wicked, or scorners eat like a canker.
There is no magic in pressing towards perfection, except to be intentional!
Stay blessed
Simpe Bediako
