It is definitely not an easy task to stay on the narrow road. You know Jesus never promised us that once He gave His Holy Spirit, that then the road would be very easy. Jesus said that we would have trials until the very end. We're also never promised to be pulled out of temptation. We will also be tempted as long as we're in the flesh. That's why Jesus said that DAILY we have to choose to take up our cross, deny ourselves and follow Him. It's a day by day choice to choose to deny ourselves. And some days it's a harder task that others, but it's NEVER just a walk in the park. It's much easier to live by the flesh because that is the natural. It has always been natural since we have been born to live in the flesh and do the things that feel good. It is completely against our own bodies to live in the Spirit because what the Holy Spirit will have us do has NOTHING do with the flesh. It has nothing to do with what makes me feel good; but it's all about what glorifies the Lord Jesus, what pleases Him. People think somehow that it will get easier if they come to Jesus. They think that there will be less temptation. It's not necessarily true. Sometimes there is much more temptation. When I first started seeking the Lord with all my heart, Satan started putting all kinds of temptation in my life, making it seem... it would be much easier to continue to live by the flesh because there's all these pleasures. I had to choose to live for Jesus and NOT for myself and certainly not take the bait of the devil. It is not an easy road. It is extremely difficult to continue to take up our cross, deny ourselves and follow the Lord Jesus. This is what Jesus said about it in Luke chapter 13. I read starting in verse 23; "Then one said to Him, 'Lord, are there few who are saved?' And He said to them, 'Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will NOT be able." Jesus is talking about people who are already seeking God. He is saying that there is many who are seeking God, but they won't be able to enter into His Kingdom. Does that not give you pause? Does that not make you question; "AM I doing the will of the Lord Jesus?" Because if it doesn't, there is a problem. We need to be diligently pursuing a relationship with the Lord Jesus; because many will seek, many will try hart to enter, but the Lord will reject them because they NEVER entered. We need to strive in our relationship with the Lord Jesus, we need to keep our eyes on the narrow path. May the grace of Jesus be with you.
