Temptation Can Be Your Gym

Nobody likes temptation, right? When temptation strikes it feels like everything has gone off the rails, like we're being sucked into our old ways again, and like the plane is going down... and it's discouraging. If we fail it feels like we've never really changed. Temptation stinks. 

But what if we had a different view about temptation? What if we re-framed our experience? Usually we think of temptation as being an experience of weakness. We are tempted to sin, and we give in. Satan mocks us, "WEAK."

But what if temptation was seen as an opportunity to be strengthened? Temptation sometimes can be helpful. Temptation can be used against itself, like judo, using the weight of your attacker against him. God promises that when we are tempted, He will always work to provide a way to overcome it! Paul writes about this hope in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

God says that there is another option when we are being tempted: to endure it. Endurance requires strength. And if every time we're tempted, we end up becoming even stronger, then temptation can be transformed into being our gym. It's our training room, every rep of thwarted temptation is one more step to becoming spiritually ripped. And as we succeed in fighting temptation, there are three ways temptation can paradoxically be USEFUL:

1. Temptation can be useful as a wake-up call: It's like getting slapped when you're sleeping, and it suddenly wakes you up. Temptation can provide a similar effect, as if it screams to us, "HELLO!? YOU'RE IN A BATTLE. WAKE UP AND FIGHT!" Temptation can remind you to sober up and wage war. Temptation can remind you to pray, to pursue the lord, and to depend on Him to rescue you. 
2. Temptation can be useful as a strengthener: In order to win, we must flex the muscle of our faith. We must CHOOSE to believe the promises of God are BETTER than the promises of this temptation in this moment. As we believe God in the moment of weakness, this sharpens our mind and grows our character. It strengthens the muscles of faith. And we'll be able to face the temptation even better next time, because we're trained and ready. 
3. Temptation can be useful as a reminder to help others:  When you're being tempted, why not use it as an opportunity to reach out to OTHER brothers and sisters who might be tempted, maybe even in the same way? Check in with others to see how their own temptation is going. For instance: If it's midnight and you're tempted to look at porn, text or call a brother who probably also is going through the same temptation. Strength in numbers!! Fight shoulder to shoulder, and encourage one another that Jesus is BETTER. 

Growing stronger,

The Relentless Fight

Law, Gospel, Wisdom

Have you ever been sitting in a sermon, and the more you listened the worse you felt? Have you ever felt like you're a pretty good person and only need the gospel on your bad days? Have you ever rushed out of a church service with fresh applications in mind, only to feel even more discouraged when they didn't seem to work?

It's vitally important to discern the difference between what is law, gospel, and wisdom. When these three categories are confused or missing, we careen out of control to dangerous thinking and unhealthy strategies.

First let's define the terms:

• Law: What God says is right and wrong, based on His character. It merely identifies sin and assigns guilt. It identifies the problem and condemns it. Example: Don't commit adultery. If you do, you'll die (Leviticus 20:10). 
• Gospel: What God has done for us based on His grace. This is the good news! God has sent Christ to obey the Law FOR us, and to pay the penalty for our disobedience to the Law. Example: Christ dies the death of an adulterer, so that the adulterer can be forgiven and reconciled (2 Cor 5:21).
• Wisdom: What God has instructed us so that we can live holy lives, based on His knowledge of how the world works. This encompasses ways to fight our sin: strategies, tactics, methods, equipping, making no provision. This is largely the world of accountability, sermons, books, articles, counseling, and memorizing Scripture. Example: Do not go near the door of the adulterer's house (Proverbs 5:8). 

Notice that there is a necessary progression to these three categories. First we have the Law which identifies what we should or should not be doing. This reveals our wrongdoing, which is a prerequisite for seeing our need for grace and forgiveness. Then the Gospel reconciles us to God and transforms our hearts to WANT to obey, which finally leads us to the need for Wisdom to know how to walk in this new way of life.

You need all three. There's a danger of minimizing OR exalting only one of them:

• Without the Law: Nothing done wrong! Meh, NBD. There's no standard for wrongdoing, so there's no need for a gospel, no need for the cross, and no need for any wisdom to fight, because what would you fight? The Law is necessary. But if the Law existed by itself, it would be devastating. 
• Without the Gospel: No power for change, no transformation, no new heart, no new creation, no new identity in Christ, no freedom from sin. You're a sitting duck for any sin that comes by, and you're standing condemned by God's holy Law. The Gospel is necessary. But if the Gospel existed by itself, it would be powerless. 
• Without Wisdom: No practical fighting or growth. No strategies. Sure you may have been set free from sin, but how do you start WALKING in that freedom? You've been given the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17) but how do you use it? Wisdom is necessary. But if Wisdom existed by itself, it would be useless. 

When you hear a sermon, or a friend counseling you, or are reading a chapter in a book, take the time to figure out what you're hearing. Is it Law, Gospel, or Wisdom? Categorization is vitally necessary. If you hear wisdom and interpret it as law (and forget the gospel) this makes you beat yourself up over how you're NOT applying this wisdom. You'll just sit there condemning yourself as a failure. Don't do it! Hear the wisdom AS it is, as wisdom that comes AFTER the Gospel. You can't do it, but Jesus has done it. So now that you're transformed, hear the wisdom as a call: "HERE'S the way to live wisely".

Fighting sin with all three,
The Relentless Fight

Communion is a Mighty Weapon

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” - 1 Corinthians 11:25

How do you think of communion? Maybe your church does it just once a month and you often forget what it's for. Maybe it's just a weird religious ritual, or maybe you don't even know why the church does it. But have you ever thought of communion as a mighty weapon?

First, what is communion? During Jesus' last mealtime with his disciples before His crucifixion, it's recorded in Luke 22:19f, "And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.'" For centuries Christians have celebrated this Last Supper in remembrance of Jesus death in our place for our sins. Different churches celebrate with different frequency and traditions, but the core is the same: bread and a cup for the remembrance of Christ's death.

What is the significance of communion? Why is it that Jesus asked us to remember Him in this way? Consider three things to remember about the the Cross of Christ:

1. Remember who you WERE without Christ: Paul speaks in Ephesians 2 about how you were dead without Christ. Dead in your sins, shackled to your idols. No life, no hope, no way of getting free. And God's just wrath was upon you, with no escape. You were destitute, afflicted, condemned, guilty, and walking to your death.
2. Remember who you now ARE in Christ: God has had mercy on you!! Oh what glorious good news! He made you alive in Christ, set you free from your bondage, gave you eternal life, adopted you into His family, forgave all your sin, and caused you to be a completely new creation! 
3. Remember who you WILL BE in Christ: God is at work in you! Not only has He saved you and forgiven you for all your past sins, but He is now at work in you to progressively change and grow! Look at this amazing promise in Philippians 1:6, "he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." God started the work, and He will finish it. One day, you will be PERFECT. No more sin, no more weakness, no more struggling, no more FIGHT. It'll be over. Finally. And you will live in joy with Christ FOREVER. 

We are so prone to forget the gospel, to get distracted, to forget our sin, to just start to coast. Sometimes we begin to see ourselves as good people, not in need of Christ's death. Sure, maybe we needed a little help when we were younger, but we've got it from here, right? That's why communion is a mighty weapon. It FORCES us to remember the gospel, to fix our mind on the broken body and shed blood of Jesus. WHY was His body broken? WHY was His blood shed? Because HE died the death of a sinner, to save sinners who trust in Him. As you crush the bread in your mouth, between your teeth, REMEMBER the crushed body of Christ for forgiveness! As you drink the wine or grape juice pouring down your throat, REMEMBER the blood of Christ poured out of His veins for YOUR sin. That's the gospel! And He has commanded us to remember His death.

If you take communion in this way, remembering the gospel, there will be these precious fruits:

1. Confession: No longer will you hide your sin in the dark. Seeing that it is forgiven, you will thrust it out into the light, and let it die (1 John 1:9). 
2. Repentance: No longer will you love your sin, but a break will be made. The bridge will be burned. In your heart you will resolve to turn away. 
3. Joy: To look upon the work of love your Friend has done for you, it will spark a fresh sense of gratitude and joy! What a Savior! 
4. Violence: This sin caused your Savior to be crucified. Fight it! Now that it has died with Christ, it is a dying sin, a forgiven sin, a mortified sin. You have authority and power to kill it, to destroy it, to wage war with all the power of heaven against your sin. Start the barrage.

Remembering Christ,

The Relentless Fight

Wage War!

Please welcome guest author Matthew Bryant! Matthew serves as Coordinator of College Ministry at King Street Church and loves seeing young people grow in Christ. He also serves as a chaplain in the United States Air Force, is married to his wife Lindsay, and is a non-identical triplet. Enjoy his challenge, and be reinvigorated in your fight against sin!

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"This is the fighting day, expect nothing now but bullets, bruises, wounds, [and] scars..." Charles Spurgeon preached in 1896. This message to engage in battle is not new. Paul told Timothy in a letter written around A.D. 62-64 - "This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith" (1 Tim. 1:18-19). The call to fight remains just as relevant today as it was for Paul and Timothy. True or False: In a fight people get hurt. True. I just want you to recognize here at the onset that "fighting the good fight" will not be easy or painless. But if you do not fight - then you will lose and are in grave danger of "shipwreck[ing]" your faith. 

No more beating around the bush - I am specifically talking about the fight for your sexual purity for the glory of God, to magnify the name of Jesus. Sexual sin may not be as enticing to you as is to others but it is a tantalizing temptation for MANY - your son or daughter, brother or sister, husband or wife, pastor or congregant. And if sexual sin is not your hang up, it does not mean that you are not in the battle! There is still battles to be fought alongside other brothers or sisters in Christ. 

I don't have to make a well polished case for the over sexualized nature of our culture. Most entertainment from music, internet, TV shows, and movies all profit from the fact that sex sells. Sex is being talked about on billboards, magazine racks, and social media news feeds. 

And let's be clear, sex is not the problem or enemy. God made sex and it is a beautiful thing. If you are reading this, you are a product of sex. So what is the issue? What is the problem? Joshua Harris, in a book titled Sex is not the Problem (Lust Is), looks to scripture to pinpoint the issue. Ephesians 5:3 says, "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people." Notice the scripture does not read, "But among you there must not be even a hint of sex..." Such a command would be foolish and go against one of God's earliest instructions to man - "Be fruitful and multiply..." (Gen. 1:28). This instruction was of course given inside of the context of marriage between one man and one woman. 

That is why Joshua Harris clarifies the issue in the title of his book - simply put - sex is not the problem in your battle for sexual purity. Lust is the problem. He defines lust plainly in the book: "Lust is craving sexually what God has forbidden."

So the problem is identified, what now? Fight! Fight to not gratify those sexual cravings that God has forbidden. 

Romans 13:14 says, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." What does that mean for us? 

There are two ways of fighting:

1. "...put on the Lord Jesus Christ,..." Any relationship requires time and effort. Without time and effort you will have a failed relationship. We cannot ignore the grave consequences of attempting to fight for sexual purity without Jesus. What you end up with is someone who is very moral (and probably proud) but not a Christian. 

2. "...and make no provision for the flesh,..." We must get rid of things that easily cause us to stumble and fall. More clarification may be needed - - This does not mean that Television, Movies, Media, Magazines, Smart Phones, etc. are all evil and the problem. Lust is the problem. Now those mediums may bring lustful excursions to your living room, bedroom, and front door but that does not make them evil. And just because they are not evil does not mean that we should welcome unfiltered access to these mediums. 

So if you are going to take the battle for your sexual purity seriously then you will make some radical choices, choices that may seem crazy to others around you. Do I have to get rid of cable? No. But it may be wise. Is it wrong for me to have a smart phone? No. But consider Jesus' extreme position in the battle against sin - "If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell" (Mt. 5:29). Let me contextualize: "better to throw out your smart phone, get rid of cable, seek out accountability...than to be stuck worshiping sexual fantasies and enter eternity without Jesus!"

Here are some tools for you to use in your battle for sexual purity for the glory of God, to magnify the name of Jesus. 

1. Put on the Lord Jesus:

• Spend time in the Word of God everyday! No plan to read the Word might as well be a plan not to read the Scriptures - - Jesus fought off the temptation of Satan in the wilderness through quoting scripture. Memorize it!
• Pray. Jesus said, "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Mt. 26:41)

2. Make No Provision for the Flesh:

• Check out the awesome resources found in The Relentless Fight's article "The Armory".
• Get in the fight with both feet! Make radical decisions to cut out things that easily cause you to fall into lust.
• Don't fight alone! Commit to being a part of the body of Christ. The body of Christ is the church - God seeks to accomplish His will not only in your life but throughout the world by the local church. Commit to it, submit to it, and get accountable with people in it. 

Remember that your fight for sexual purity is not about earning God's favor. We fight because of what Jesus has done for us in His finished work on the Cross. Because He is risen and lives, we can have new life. Our sexual purity is for the glory of God, to magnify the name of Jesus. 

So WAGE WAR and Fight Well all for the glory of God, to magnify the name of Jesus through all the earth! Your sexual purity matters. 

Regaining Hope

Please welcome guest author Peter Krol! Peter blogs at Knowable Word, a site dedicated to helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible. He also serves as an elder at Grace Fellowship Church of State College, PA and as a collegiate missionary with DiscipleMakers.
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Hope is slippery, and this fallen world constantly threatens our grip on it.

The definition of marriage is in question. Religious liberty could be threatened. School shootings become routine. Horrific infanticide takes place in unaccountable clinics. Chemical weapons endanger world peace. Government shutdowns inflame disgruntlement.

Through it all, we try to do good. We love our neighbors, we support the community, and we preach Christ and him crucified.

But it gets wearying.

You’re Not Alone

The Christians in Thessalonica had the same problem. They started well, but affliction, tribulation, and ingrained sin threatened their composure and challenged their endurance.

In Paul’s first letter to this church, he gives thanks to God for three chief virtues among the people:

“We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess 1:2-3, ESV).

Faith, love, and hope characterized the Thessalonians as they transformed their part of the world (1 Thess 1:6-10). These three virtues likewise saturate Paul’s encouragement and instruction in the body of the letter.

But in a matter of only months—by the time Paul writes his second letter—the Thessalonians let something slip:

“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing” (2 Thess 1:3).

So their faith is growing, and their love is increasing. But their hope stands out by its absence.

All hope is not lost, since Paul boasts about their steadfastness in next verse (2 Thess 1:4). But it’s clearly in question, since they need relief (2 Thess 1:7), have been quickly shaken and alarmed (2 Thess 2:2), and are in danger of growing weary in doing good (2 Thess 3:13). In fact, the word “hope” occurs only once in the letter, when Paul reminds them that God, in Christ, already gave them every reason to hope (2 Thess 2:16-17).

The Thessalonians are a lot like you and me. They want to serve the Lord and proclaim Christ. They care about their world. They just grow worn and weary after a while. They must be reminded of God’s eternal comfort and good hope through grace. Paul wrote his second letter to that end.

How to Regain Hope

What would Paul say to us today, were he to encourage us to regain hope?

1. We thank God for you because you haven’t given up. Your faith and love are stronger than ever (2 Thess 1:3).
2. We boast about how you’ve endured so many difficult things (2 Thess 1:4).
3. Your endurance is evidence that God counts you worthy of his kingdom (2 Thess 1:5).
4. Your enduring faith glorifies Jesus. Know that everyone will suffer for Jesus’ sake. Some suffer now, for a short time. Others will suffer then, for eternity. So when you suffer now for Jesus, you show the world he’s worth suffering for, and this gives him great glory (2 Thess 1:6-10).
5. We’re praying for you. We’re praying for God to make you worthy of his calling. We’re praying for God to strengthen your resolve for good to triumph. We’re praying for God to make your faithful work even more effective for his glory (2 Thess 1:11-12).
6. Don’t be alarmed by what you hear is going on in the world (2 Thess 2:1-2).
7. What you’re going through is not yet the Day of the Lord. Don’t worry; you’ll know it when it comes (2 Thess 2:3-10).
8. Regardless of what happens, the Lord will stick to his plan. He knows what’s happening, and he’s got it well under control (2 Thess 2:11-12).
9. In fact, he chose you and called you to obtain Jesus’ glory (2 Thess 2:13-14).
10. So stand firm and hold on to what you know to be true (2 Thess 2:15).
11. God loves you because of Jesus. He already gave you eternal comfort and good hope through grace. May you now experience his comfort personally and be encouraged to press on. Your work is not in vain. Your words still matter (2 Thess 2:16).
12. As I said, your words matter. You preached the Lord’s word, and it sped ahead. Now pray the same for us. Ask God to deliver us from evil men, just as he will guard you against the evil one (2 Thess 3:1-3).
13. I’m confident that you’ll do the right thing (2 Thess 3:4).
14. Remember God’s love. Remember what Jesus endured for you (2 Thess 3:5).
15. And as I also said, your work is not in vain. Don’t coddle professing believers who are too lazy to work. Imitate my example in this matter (2 Thess 3:6-9).
16. For the idle busybodies: Get a job! It will do you good (2 Thess 3:10-12).
17. For the rest: Don’t grow weary in doing good (2 Thess 3:13-15).
18. Our only real hope is if the Lord of peace gives us peace: peace with him, and peace with each other. One day this peace will be all that’s left. May he be with you (2 Thess 3:16).

The Armory

"with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left" - 2 Corinthians 6:7

Do you want some solid weapons for the fight against sexual sin? Welcome to The Armory.

Scriptures on Sexuality: Nothing is as solid as the WORD of God. Get in the Bible to see God's heart and plan for sexuality. 

• Genesis 1-3
• Psalm 51
• Proverbs 1-7
• Song of Solomon
• Matt 5:27-30
• 1 Corinthians 5-7
• Ephesians 5
• 1 Thess 4:1-11
• 1 Timothy 5:2
• Hebrews 13:4

Recommended Books: Solid resources for the fight, spend the time pouring over these. 

• Sex is Not the Problem, (Lust Is) by Joshua Harris (since publication of the book, sadly Harris has apostatized, but this original book still has helpful biblical truth. Check out the book review from TRF)
• The Cross-Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney
• Rid of My Disgrace: Hope and Healing for Victims of Sexual Assault by Justin Holcomb and Lindsey Holcomb
• Closing the Window: Steps to Living Porn Free by Tim Chester
• When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy by John Piper (check out the book review from TRF!)
• Sexual Sanity for Men by Dave White (check out the book review from TRF!)
• Sex and the Supremacy of Christ edited by John Piper & Justin Taylor (written chapters based on the main sessions of the 2004 Desiring God National Conference, see link below on top shelf sermons)
• The Relentless Fight: The Power of the Gospel in the Fight Against Sin by Andy Cimbala (check out some more info about the launch of the book!) 
• The Relentless Fight Workbook by Andy Cimbala (check out the launch announcement!)

Helpful websites: There are TONS of resources, articles, books, sermons, and video content on these websites. Bookmark them. 

• Desiring God
• CCEF: Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation
• Harvest USA
• Monergism
• XXXChurch
• Fight the New Drug
• Healthy Sexuality: list by Tim Challies
• The Gospel Coalition
• Conquer Series: 5-week video series
• The Freedom Fight

YouTube songs and clips that will get you pumped: Watch them.

• Is God Better Than Sex? by John Piper
• Hope and Help for the Porn Addict by Trip Lee
• Make War by Tedashii
• Temptation by 116 Clique

Internet Software and Tools: There are several methods for fighting for sexual purity online. Some programs block porn, others log your activity and send it to an accountability partner. No filter is perfect, but it's a helpful "speed bump" to slow you down and help to give time for conviction and repentance. 

• Covenant Eyes: A paid subscription filter software. 
• Acccountable2You: A paid subscription filter and instant alert system, able to be installed on ALL devices: mobile, tablet, desktop, laptop. 
• Adblock Plus: removes ads on your web browser, like on the side board of Facebook. 
• OpenDNS: filters all your web traffic on your wireless router. Highly recommended!
• If you have an iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch: You will need to disable Safari and use the custom apps in order for the filtering to happen. Alternately, you can use the built-in adult website filtering for Safari by going to Settings>General>Restrictions>Websites>Limit Adult Content.
• Note that if you know the password for these filters, obviously you can shut it down and get around it.  That defeats the purpose. So consider having a close friend know the password, or if an apartment has OpenDNS on their wireless router, have 2 roommates know half the password each! 

Top shelf sermons: There are so many out there, but here's just a few of the best. Listen to them. 

• How to Deal with the Guilt of Sexual Failure for the Glory of Christ and His Global Cause - by John Piper: 
• Making All Things New: Restoring Pure Joy to the Sexually Broken by David Powlison
• Sex and the Supremacy of Christ: the 2004 Desiring God National Conference full talk series

Hopefully this list is helpful to YOU. But think... who ELSE might benefit from it? Share this Armory with them! Maybe pick a book together with a group of friends who are struggling and read it together. Listen to a sermon and post it on social media. Start a Bible study with some friends on what the Bible says about sex. The resources are there. Now it's YOUR turn.

ANTHEM,
The Relentless Fight

Make No Provision for the Flesh

"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." - Romans 13:14

Do you sometimes wonder why your struggle with sin is so strong? Are you at a loss as to where your temptations are coming from? Does the fight just seem to hit you when you're weakest?

The solution to our sin is always the gospel, because no matter how many strategies we learn we are never strong enough to fight on our own. But in Christ we are new creations, and by the Holy Spirit we can fight our sin with the MANY strategies He has given us! One insight that could help turn the tide for you is beginning to see where you are making provision for sin. Sin doesn't just "happen" with no context. For our repeated struggles there is a complex structure of causes: a supply-chain. So the question becomes: Where is your supply chain? And how can you rain down destruction and interrupt that system?

We are not ignorant of Satan's schemes (2 Cor 2:11), so we can aptly prepare for those dangerous killzones. WHEN will you be tempted? Prepare yourself for those times, maybe text some friends for accountability and ask them to check in during that time. WHERE will you be tempted? Is there a particular space that often is harder? Prepare for that time, remove opportunity for temptation. Avoid situations before you even get in them. This requires wisdom.

Ask yourself: HOW are you providing for your flesh? How are you giving opportunity and creating a space for your sin to thrive? Every little bit adds up. Maybe you don't yet feel convicted by your sin because "Well, it's not TOO bad" and you're just feeding it in little ways each day. But those little things add up, and they do damage to your soul. You're making provision. You're outfitting your sin to be stronger. It's like giving them little snacks that sustain their life. We need to be starving out our sin. 

Romans 13:14 calls us to do TWO things: To remove the opportunities for the flesh, and to put on Christ instead. Basically it's the Bible's call of put off/put on.

Just get rid of things. It isn't worth it.

• Romance books causing you to be discontent and fantasize? Throw them out. 
• Xbox giving opportunity for escapism through video games instead of finding comfort in the Lord? Take a fast for a season and give your power cord to a friend. 
• Struggling with internet pornography? Get a filter, and get some accountability, or simply remove your laptop, smartphone, tablets from your room altogether and give them to your roommate for the evening. 
• Tempted to go towards food as comfort instead of the Lord? Throw out Ben & Jerry's from your fridge, and ask your roommates to keep you accountable. 

Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ. It IS worth it.

• Schedule a time to get in the Word each day. If you don't feel like it, just force feed yourself the Word. Spend regular time in prayer. Create a supply chain for Jesus. 
• Write reminders of Jesus and His promises. Write them on sticky notes, or your iPhone reminders app, or your mirror, or your desktop wallpaper, or posters around your room. Speak them to yourself. 
• Commit yourself to regular church involvement. Not just every Sunday but connecting relationally to other church members so they can encourage and exhort you. Invite folks into your life. Hear truth preached from the Bible each week. Get involved in a deeper small group Bible study. Make provision for TRUTH and the work of the Holy Spirit. 

Just as every little bit of sin adds up in making provision for the flesh, so every little bit of putting on Christ adds up to make provision for the Holy Spirit. Do not grow weary! Endure in repentance. 

Fighting the supply chain,
The Relentless Fight