ESOCS Devotional 24 April 2021
TEXT: 1 PETER 4:1-26
MEMORY VERSE: “That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but the will of God.” I Peter 4:2 KJV
The main essence of being a Christian is living according to the will of God; it is both a duty and privilege. In speaking to His followers, Christ urged them to “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven” (Matthew 5: 16).
Our text tells us that Christ has suffered in the flesh. This means Christ has lived the life of holiness; therefore, we are to be followers of His example. How can we check whether we are living according to God’s will?
1. Walk with God by developing a relationship with Him. Christianity is all about relationship rather than just religion. And so, you must cultivate your relationship with God.
2. Surrender your will to God and He will begin to reveal His will to you. You must be committed to doing whatever it is that He desires for you to do.
3. Obey what you already know to be God’s Will. (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
4. Seek godly input of godly advisors in your life. If you don’t currently have 3-4 godly mentors, then I would highly recommend that you seek them out right away.
5. Pay attention to how God has wired you. God has created you to fulfill a specific role in this world. There is no one else who can achieve completely what God has purposely created you to do.
Jesus is our example. We are expected to arm ourselves with the same mind of Jesus Christ and not to go back to our old lifestyle, which is of the world. We must remember that we will give account to our heavenly Father of how we have lived our life.
You must also imbibe the necessary characters (I Peter 1:5–8) that will enable you to be fruitful in the knowledge of God and make your calling sure, and you will never fall. Learn to pray for those who annoy, offend, disappoint, and cause you fear. You can heap burning coals of kindness and mercy upon your enemies (Proverbs 25:21-22). You can do this daily and, in so doing, grow to be more like the Father in heaven. And the more you focus on doing His will, the less likely you’ll be distracted by your own, which is a perfect way to live.
Read yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
CHALLENGES
Have you surrendered your will to God? What difficulties do you face while walking with Him?
PRAYER POINT
Ask God to give you grace to live according to His will for your life.
FURTHER READING: I Peter 3:8-18; I Thessalonians 4:1–9
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ESOCS Devotional 24 April 2021
