Day 31: The Way Of The Warrior - The Warrior's Journey®
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Day 31: The Way Of The Warrior

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The Way Of The Warrior

King David failed miserably, when he slept with a married woman, then had her husband killed.  The Lord pursued David, not letting him settle into a convenient denial system.  Then, the Lord pressured him, so he had to finally deal with the issue of his own depravity.  Kindly the Lord did not flatten him, instead he changed David.  Psalm 51 was David’s confession for the entire world to read.  Humility is often the precursor to change.

David desired two things he was incapable of producing: pardon and purity.  David was given a pardon: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. (Ps. 51:1).  David pleaded for mercy and God gave it, without any consequence.  Second, David wanted purity. He wanted to be done with the process of sinning, then asking for mercy, again and again.

This purity has a desirable nature.  It is morally clean and fresh, fully free from any corrupting influence: Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (51:7).  Like a breath of fresh air on a frosty morning.  Clean and pure. That could be David’s life, even after his impressive failure.

Yet, he needed something else, that he lacked.  He went to the Creator, to create something in him: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  (51:10).  The Lord can pardon him (51:1-4); then teach him about purity (51:6); but more was needed.  David was powerless to change his choices, so he enlisted the Lord, to do something in him, he was unable to do.

You think that you can change your attitudes and behaviors? If so, why aren’t you perfect? David discovered he was a slave to his sinful self.  His passions ruled his life, though he was a believer.  You can let sin be your master: Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. (Rom. 6:12).  Yes, you read that right.  Sin can reign over you! It exercises the highest influence, in your life, even as a believer!  Youza!

Well David was sick and tired of being a slave to his sin.  He wanted a different ruler.  When sin rules, it gives no joy. Sin gives gratification, not blessing. David wants the powerful God, who is good, to do the job of making an upgrade in him.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (51:10).  Enough of the same old, same old.  Trying and failing, then shame and guilt, then failing again.  Yada, yada, yada.  Enough!  “Lord you take over!”

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. (Rom. 7:18).  Paul in the New Testament came to the same point in his life, where he discovered like David, he was a great sinner.  He was very good at it, so good he was a pipsqueak in trying to deal with it.

David in his frustration with himself, asks the Creator of the Universe for something he cannot manage.  He doesn’t ask for a new heart, rather a clean heart.  David uses the word create, which is the same word used in Genesis 1, when God’s creative power made every-thing, even non-material items.  The Lord has the power to deal with David’s, and your heart.  David desires, what only God can provide – purity.

This is like using the channel tuner on your television, when you click to another channel.  A different and refreshing, program replaces the other you had just been watching.  Yes, you give the Lord the channel tuner of your life.  David had been frustrated with his choices, now he gives up control and lets the Lord put the desire for purity always on the front burner of his life.  Do you trust him, or are your passions your ruler?

After a while, many of us yank that tuner back, thinking we can manage things. When the Lord manages purity, you get freedom.  It is a luxurious freedom not to do what you want, but to do that which is right.  You and the Lord manage your life.

You see the Lord is pure.  It is his nature. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (Jas. 1:17).  He is pure, and willing to bestow purity on you – as a free gift.  You cannot earn it, or behave to become it – David tried and plowed a furrow with his face.

Listen, you were created to conquer. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion… (Gen. 1:26). ‘Dominion’ means to do what we did to our enemies – dominate.  We are to subjugate our hearts, so we can live victoriously. David asks the Lord for help, and he is willing and help with your heart issue.  You have to – want to.  You can dominate your sin nature, by his management.

David got the ‘ah, ha’ moment.  Paul described his weakness being dominated by his sin: For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. (Rom. 7:18). For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. (7:19). Sound like you?

Paul discovered the same solution as David.  Let the Lord take over.  Theologians call this sanctification.  First you get spiritually birthed – salvation.  That is the beginning of spiritual life, then the process of purity is a faith-based walk.  You and the Lord partner together to conquer, your sin.  You don’t try to behave, rather you want purity. Then you and the Lord naturally walk that walk.  It is not performance, nor pretending.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness… (Ps. 23:2, 3). The result?

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 8:1).  Even if you mess up, you do not get condemnation.  Maybe you were condemned by your family  and friends, when you misbehaved.  The Lord does not want you experiencing that – he wants you to experience liberty.  You mess up – like David, Paul, Peter, you get reconstituted and put back in the game.  The Lord doesn’t berate you, or disdain you, he encourages you, to again get back in step with him.

Let him direct your path.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Prov. 3:6).  This is a great deal!  Grab it.

By Nathan Werner

The Warrior’s Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

I’m done trying to behave.  I want purity.  Create in me a clean heart Lord, just as David begged.  I confess I have been unable to walk the life of faith, with purity.  I need an infusion of power, that will give me a desire to walk with you in holiness.  As you promised Lord – restore my soul (Psalm 23:3).  I feel impotent to fight my desires, and I need an infusion of righteous power, to energize my faith, while you walk with me.  Periodically, I have spiritual victories, and spurts of growth in my faith. Then I trip and fall, and I get disappointed, and disgruntled with myself.  Pick me up Lord, and let me walk in step with you again, as an accepted companion.

Thank you for never giving up on me.  Thank you for showing grace and kindness to me, encouraging me to follow your path, while you’re right beside me. “Do two walk together, unless they be agreed? (Amos 3:3).  You and I, Lord are a unit, an inseparable duo.  Thank you for sticking with me: there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Prov. 18:24). 

Then Lord let others see the change in me, so they can see you.  Let my family, my acquaintances wonder about your glorious goodness, when they see your purity in me. Let it be a steadfastness that grows purer and purer, so others marvel at you, and your power in me – and your absolute goodness and faithfulness. I pray this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.


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