Brother, God has promised...The wolves . . . who want us to rely on ourselves, and would rob from us the promises of God.
He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.
In these simple words, we can see, that if you have been born again, you will remain born again. It is God who is working in you, making you who you will be. And this work WILL continue throughout our lives.
No matter what the wolves say, we can know these things are true.
Much love!
... that our shield of faith will quench all the fiery arrows of the enemy.
... that He would not allow us to be tempted above our ability to withstand it.
.... that He would make a way of escape in each and every temptation.
... that sin shall not have dominion over us.
...that we have been delivered from the power of darkness.
... that we can resist satan steadfast in the faith and satan will flee from us.
... that He will cause us... cause us.... to obey Him.
And you are absolutely correct, the wolves among us do not want us to believe His promises.
If we find in our walks that these promises are not coming to pass, and we look around and they are not coming to pass for others as well, should this not raise red flags in our hearts??
I have said before but it is worth re-stating, if we find ourself trapped in Romans 7, deeply desiring to cease from sin, longing to bear fruits that bring glory to our Father, yet finding it impossible, God will move mountains in these last days to see to it that the solution finds us.
However, if that is not the case, if we are found content to still be found sinning, if we admit freely we do not love God with all that is within us, or our brother as ourself, if we willfully do things we know God has said to flee, and in this place we are quite content to remain, counting on grace to sweep it all under a rug as if it is 'no biggie', we are deceived and the danger is great.
It is one thing to be found living in Romans 7 and hating it as Paul did, but it is quite another to have no desire to find the victory of which Christ assured us. I am not a gambling man, but we are basing our conclusion that we are totally safe because of grace, despite knowing our hearts are not right before Him, and are willing to risk our eternal reward that we are right, that is a bet only a fool would make.
The skies are darkening and God will, if needs be, shake every sleeping saint out of that devil-inspired complacency due to unbelief, and the shakings will not relent until our knee is fully bowed and we seek to please Him alone and not ourselves. But how much more pleasing it is to our Heavenly Father for us to acknowledge our state willingly and to, like Paul, cry out for upright hearts that long to be filled with the fruits that are guaranteed to come from Christ abiding in us.
Again, as the OP stated, the choice before us is us.... or Him in us. There is no option number three. May we all choose wisely.
blessings,
Gideon