Living with the conciousness of Grace.

2PET1:2-9 (TLT)

Do you want more and more of God’s kindness and peace? Then learn to know him better and better. For as you know him better, he will give you, through his great power, everything you need for living a truly good life: he even shares his own glory and his own goodness with us! And by that same mighty power he has given us all the other rich and wonderful blessings he promised; for instance, the promise to save us from the lust and rottenness all around us, and to give us his own character.

But to obtain these gifts, you need more than faith; you must also work hard to be good, and even that is not enough. For then you must learn to know God better and discover what he wants you to do. Next, learn to put aside your own desires so that you will become patient and godly, gladly letting God have his way with you. This will make possible the next step, which is for you to enjoy other people and to like them, and finally you will grow to love them deeply. The more you go on in this way, the more you will grow strong spiritually and become fruitful and useful to our Lord Jesus Christ. But anyone who fails to go after these additions to faith is blind indeed, or at least very short-sighted and has forgotten that God delivered him from the old life of sin so that now he can live a strong, good life for the Lord.

I understood that scripture (especially verse 9) to mean that anyone who hasn't grown beyond just believing and accepting Jesus, anyone who has backslidden, anyone who still continues with his bad habits and addictions, anyone who still sins, who isn't putting effort into spiritual growth has forgotten that his sins has been forgiven, he has forgotten that he has been purged of all things holding him back, he has forgotten he has victory in Jesus, that God has given him all he needs to live a godly life (2pet1:3) in Jesus.

That scripture tells me that when you are conscious of God's grace, God’s mercy and love, you will grow. It means as long as you remember what Jesus has done for you, you will grow scripturally.

IJhn3:4 says 'No one who abides in Him (who lives and remains in communion with and in obedience to Him deliberately, knowingly and habitually) commits sin. Those who habitually sin have never really known (understood) Him.

This scripture tells me that as along as I continue to abide in Christ, I won't fall into sin (it doesn't say temptation wouldn't come, it says I won't fall). When we abide in Christ (Study, pray, fellowship etc), we would always be with the consciousness of his grace and love.
The bible tells us that The law makes one conscious of sin (making it easy to fall into it) but Grace makes one concious of Jesus, the one who purged us of our dirts (making us love him and live him).

I understood a long time ago that when we receive God’s love and allow it wash us we unconsciously begin to love him and when we love him we do his will, those things He can smile at.

So, if for some reason you still do those things you used to do before you got saved or if you fell on your way up scriptural growth, if you still struggle with unhealthy relationships, addictions, challenges, bad habits, lack of self control etc, all you need do is go back to your saviour, abide in Him, and remind yourself that you have victory over sin and death, remind yourself of how blameless and whole Christ has made you and you will see your challenges fall away, God will restore you back to himself.

Just confess God’s promises. Tell yourself  'I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I have overcome sin and death. I have the mind of Christ. I have everything pertaining to life and godliness. I am one with Christ. I am whole, blameless and acceptable before God. I am washed clean etc.'

When you confess, it takes root in your soul (conciousness) and aids release from the spirit.
But first, you need to read and understand God's word (always study, asking the Holy Spirit for insight), so you when confess, you do so with understanding. I believe when we confess God’s word with understanding, our soul picks the 'vibe' and believes what we say is truth, thus, aiding supernatural release from the spirit. As we keep reading it, thinking it and saying it, our soul begins to believe it even though our situation may not be it. And as our soul internalizes it, our born again spirit, releases it.
So don't stop saying it. No matter how bad it looks, say it. No matter what you are doing, say it. Even with the cigarette in your hand, say it. Soon enough, you will find that you have stopped.

I heard recently of how A famous preacher (i have forgotten who exactly) used to smoke and read the bible at the same time. He had just given his life to Christ but he was addicted to cigarettes, so instead of allowing his habit and guilt keep him from knowing God, he decided to smoke while studying and gradually, he started cutting down on it and  before long, he quit totally and never went back. Just like that preacher, we can all become better persons if we remain in christ. If we don't allow our wrongs keep us from being in Christ. A preacher said (and I totally concur) that when we say and agree and keep looking at how dirty we are, the devil finds it easier to persuade us to keep being in that dirt (when you think of you are dirty, the devil encourages you to remain dirty (after all, there's no difference whether u do it or not) but once we begin to look at the finish work of Christ and always meditate on His love, His love washes our souls clean, renews it to the state of our spirit and makes it difficult for the devil to convince us to tint ourselves.

And so dear, remain with the consciousness of grace, of God's unending love and mercy. Abide in Christ, and you will grow, you will have the addictions of Faith. As you live in Grace, you see it 'multiply' in your life,it will continue to keep you from falling.

Increase your grace consciousness via The word. Study it, think it, live it and when this conciousness hits your spirit, you will stop your wrongs.

PS: I didn't feel the independence in the air, mostly because I was in my room all day watching a movie, so, but for my BBM contacts i probably would have forgotten the importance of October 1st. Anyway, i just wanted to say HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY TO ALL NIGERIANS

PPS: My phone screen broke on sunday after church service and since that sunday was handover service, the new vice-president of my fellowship said 'Itimi, don't worry, it's handover blessing' and i'm like 4REALss?????? anyway, i couldn't do anything about it, not even cry, even though a part of me wanted to. The funny part is i have somehow gotten used to it already. I look at the phone and the cracked screen doesn't surprise me so much (my friend said its because when i think of how much i would need to change the screen or get a new phone, i have no choice but to love the cracked phone). well........

oh! i'm still wondering why it's sooooo hard for people close to me to call me Peace, they all seem to call me Itimi. Its my surname but them no gree. they say it suits me better. issorai

PPS: My birthday is in 7days (october 8th) and i have four birthday mates ( two females and two males) that i know personally (cool yea?). Anyway, on my birthday i will be posting 65 things about me....STAY TUNED

PPS: I have this new friend. Her name is Funnaya and she is so full of potentials. Amazing girl. Cool thing is, we would be working together for the next one year.

Oh Damn! i need to read.. got to go.

PPPS: I miss the today already, hate the fact that work is tomorrow. I'm getting bored and tired of the routine.Got no choice though! I must have an A in my SIWES.

HAVE A BEAUTIFUL AND BLESSED OCTOBER.

MUCH LOVE.