Do you feel like you’re struggling to survive in a spiritual sense? If so, you need to be reminded that the Lord never dies in us once we are fully His (born again of water and the Holy Spirit). We always feel the connection, even if it becomes swamped by the noise of the enemy and his workers. So, simply rest in the Lord. Don’t strive. You have nothing to fear, but rather much to expect. Allow your mind and heart to be at peace as you turn to delight in God and as you choose to draw nigh to Him in word and deed. The Lord doesn’t expect you to be able to “jump mountains” right now. More than anything, He wants your love, praise, and obedience.

Perhaps in your weakness, you gave way to sin, and you were admonished. If this is the case, rejoice that there is a place for chastening; it is for your own good. A brother or sister is reproved with love so that s/he might come to a state of true, sincere repentance of his/her own accord (showing forth fruits of this repentance). Experiencing guilt and shame is a necessary part of forsaking sin and embracing a Spirit-led life.

Often, the person who sins willfully will still have to endure the consequences of their deeds in this lifetime, so they should not expect God to whitewash their lives over and over. The grace and mercy of God are in the forgiveness received from Him through the redeeming power of Jesus’ blood, not necessarily in God stepping in and making everything “rosy” again.

Having to experience consequences is priceless motivation for that person to correct their spiritual life (so they will do what it takes to prevent repeating the sin), and it’s motivation for others not to follow after their weak example. Sin is never to be taken casually. Even if someone hasn’t done something so grave as to jeopardise their ultimate salvation, taking their walk with God casually can result in forfeiting blessings in the “now.”

Hebrews 12:11, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
James 1:12-15, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

Having premised the value of admonishment, shame, repentance, and consequences, let’s focus on the forgiveness side of God. Our Lord is a God of mercy and compassion, and He is looking for those who draw upon His strength to be overcomers.

Revelation 12:11, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
Luke 12:43, “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.”
Matthew 10:22, “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”
Matthew 25:1-13 records Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins. Only the five virgins who made the effort to keep their lamps topped up with oil made it to the marriage to the bridegroom when he came.
James 1:12, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”
Revelation 3:21, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”
Revelation 2:7, “…To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

To be able to turn back to the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength is a testament to the power of the Holy Spirit within you – that at one time had been quenched to a tiny flame but was then re-ignited. The Lord delights in and rewards a broken heart, and the most important thing is that we finish the race we once started.

Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a brokenheart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
Psalm 51:15-17, “O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

Psalm 1:1-3, “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”
Joel 2:12-13, "Even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. Rend your hearts and not your clothing."
Philippians 3:12-19, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.”

You will grow as you get full of God, just like the disciples in the book of Acts who were described as being full of the Holy Spirit. Apostle Paul, who wrote Philippians (and therefore, the scripture you just read above), was one of these disciples. The key to success in the Lord is in building your own child/Father relationship through the following – not because you believe you’re under law (obligation), but rather because you delight in your God and you recognize the benefits these things bring to you and others. Hebrews 11:6 states, “…he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Each of us can personally draw upon the following to bring abundant strength, overcoming, growth, and blessing our way:

Praying in tongues privately to the Lord (or in the company of other Spirit-filled believers) as much as we can (while doing house chores, listening to music, driving, working – if we can, cooking, etc.). It becomes like a young child running after his/her beloved father all day, yearning to communicate with Daddy as s/he bonds, learns, and joys in their mutual love. A diligent prayer life is essential to spiritual prosperity. Many scriptures, such as the following, support this: 1 Corinthians 14:4, “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself…” Jude 1:20-21, “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” James 5:16, “…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Note: However, according to 1 Corinthians 14:23, church members should not all speak in tongues at once during a public church service lest it be off-putting to any unbelievers who might be present.
Having regular worship times toward God during which we pour out our heart to Him in simplicity, praise Him, thank Him, and generally draw nigh to Him. We can pray in a mix of English (or our native language) and tongues, or just tongues – however we feel moved.
Singing unto the Lord. It’s amazing how often rejoicing in God using song is mentioned in the Bible (and we don’t have to be able to carry a tune!). Paul the apostle even clearly states in 1 Corinthians 14:15, “I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” So, singing in tongues is obviously something he did to edify himself and glorify God. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine,” so singing unto God surely brings emotional healing upon us when needed. The author (Paul the apostle) of Ephesians 5:19 encourages, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” It’s something he exhorted his brothers and sisters in the Lord to do, and we should do likewise because it has such a positive impact upon both the singer’s and hearer’s spiritual well-being. Remember, too, how Paul and Silas sang as they were chained in prison (Acts 16:25). Their choice to rejoice in their God in such a difficult situation brought blessing upon them (God freed them through an earthquake).
Reading and studying the Bible. This includes memorizing some key scriptures that help us when sharing the gospel. Knowing the Scripture – even just a handful of scriptures summarizing the simple yet powerful salvation message – does wonders for our confidence in proclaiming God’s promises to others. The “Key Scriptures” list under the “Be Inspired Articles” is a great place to start.
Meditating upon what we’ve read, helping it to sink into our hearts and minds.
Talking about the goodness of God regularly, especially with our spouse and children. God designed families for a reason, so that the glory of His name could be carried down through the generations. Thus, families that share a strong spiritual life (which involves far more than attending a weekly church service together) provide the best opportunity for the perpetuation of the gospel message. As well as talking about God, we need to actively pray, read, and fast with our families; this should be in addition to our private lives with the Lord. The enemy loves to break down families because he knows how much it can frustrate and even destroy each individual’s work for the Kingdom, so be on guard against anything that could creep in and weaken your family bond.
Referring all things in our lives back to Scripture (versus making choices based on emotions, man’s wisdom, or following the status quo). This means making the effort to turn to prayer and the Bible as our first points of call for direction, guidance, comfort, and any other kind of need.
Fasting regularly. If attempting longer fasts is too much of a challenge for your particular body, then opt for more regular, shorter fasts that are easier to handle (even if it’s from after breakfast until dinner if that’s all your body can handle right now). Fasting subdues the flesh and brings us into better tune with the Holy Spirit. It helps build our relationship with God, and it is through that relationship that we see the manifestation of His promises in our lives.
Learning to love and follow after righteousness in every area of our lives simply because God is a God of righteousness, holiness, and purity and we want our lives to emulate and glorify His character – and also because we understand that God tells us to “…seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).
Being willing to “run a fine-toothed comb” through our words, actions, choices for work, leisure, and entertainment, and even the traditions we follow. Consider the influences you allow in your life and your children’s lives. Be honest with yourself. Listen to the Holy Spirit within and beware of self-deception. Nothing is worth holding on to at the risk of weakening your spiritual walk – or the spiritual walk of another.

When we do the above, then comes biblical wisdom, faith, and healings (especially emotional). The other gifts (extraordinary abilities) of the Holy Spirit are made manifest, such as discernment and word of knowledge. The fruit of the Spirit grows. We see the “added unto you” part of Matthew 6:33 unfolding in our lives. Expounding God’s Word and praying for others with power, authority, and expectation becomes second nature to us. We begin to experience the exceeding abundance that the Lord talks about, and our works unto God become our default by pleasure (versus things we do out of obligation or even fear). This is walking in the Spirit. And, if the majority of our brothers and sisters in Christ also lay hold upon these keys to success, our fellowship will flourish as a whole.

So, back to our original question: Are you thriving or barely surviving in the Lord? Your answer to personal revival (no matter what stage you’re at) is already within you through the Holy Spirit. Rather than waiting for God to rescue you, the Lord has equipped you to take steps to draw upon this power – the miraculous life-giving power you have allowed to lie dormant for some time. God wants this so He can rejoice that it was by your reliance upon Him that you were brought out from the abyss you may feel you’re in and placed upon the very mountaintop as a conqueror:

Romans 8:31-39, “…If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Thrive! Don't Just Survive