No one likes to admit it but many Christians get a sense of satisfaction, a sense of pride out of struggling. After all, if we struggle and push through, if it is our battling that causes breakthrough then we can share in the credit, share in the glory. When we think it is our prayer vigil that was the catalyst for the miracle than we can take pride in it. No one would publicly admit this, but this attitude is rampant in the Body of Christ. Ultimately this breeds a mindset that God is stingy and we have to twist His arm to get Him to do what He promised.

When we act like this we think we are being spiritual but in reality we are operating in the flesh. The Kingdom of God is not blood, sweat and tears but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17). It is the spirit that gives life. The flesh is of no help (Jn 6:63). Every good gift comes from above (Jas 1:17). All of the good, all of the blessings in this life and the life to come are initiated from heaven as manifestations of the goodness of God. The Bible tells us that, “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). In other words, Jesus didn’t die for you because you were good, He died for you because He is good. He died for you because you were helpless. You were lost and had no possibility of saving yourself. He redeemed us and now we get to sit with Him in heavenly places. I really believe that we will spend all of eternity amazed at His goodness.

It’s amazing how often people get saved, knowing it had nothing to do with their goodness or their effort and then they try to walk out much of the Christian life by their own effort. It’s as if we say to God, “Thanks for saving me, I’ll take it from here.” This was the sin of the Galatian church. The Apostle Paul rebukes them when he asks, “Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh” (Gal 3:3)?

The reality of life in the kingdom is that God is not withholding any good thing from us. We are already blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies (Eph 1:3). It’s all there for the taking. It’s received as a free gift (grace) by faith. His Word declares that, “all of God’s promises are yes and amen” (2Co 1:20). Oral Roberts once wrote, “I’ll pray easy because God does the work.” I challenge you to live as if God really was that good, that willing to bless. It’s a lot more fun and much more effective.