PROCESS
Have you ever said to yourself, “I’m not doing that anymore?” Yet, find yourself doing it again, and again, and again, and again. Today, I want to offer a word of encouragement to anyone who may be struggling in their salvation, for anyone who is saved, but stumbling. Luke records an interesting account in his gospel narrative that involves Jesus’ encounter with ten leprous men. The account is found in Luke 17:12-14, and it reads as follows in the NIV:
“As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.”
What makes this passage unique is the life lesson that is illustrated in how deliverance came about, and that is through a PROCESS.
Yes, Jesus can save, heal, deliver and totally set-free instantly, but many times it’s a PROCESS. Yes, upon your confession and belief in Jesus, you were instantaneously saved, also known as sanctified. Therefore, your personal standing before God is that of righteousness and holiness. Yet, how many of you would agree that your practices, your deeds, were not exactly “holy” after your confession. Yes, that next phase of life in which we’re trying to “work it out,” to become more like Jesus in conduct and character, that’s the process, some would call it sanctification. Thus, the BIG IDEA for this devotion is simply one word, “PROCESS.”
In the Bible days, when someone had leprosy, they were treated as outcast, untouchables of society. Whenever someone was healed of leprosy the priest would have to validate the healing and then pronounce the person clean before they could be reintroduced into the community. In the case of these leprous men, the Bible doesn’t tell us how far the men had to travel before reaching the priest, nor does it specifically say at what point the men were cleansed, whether in the early stages, in the middle stages, or at the end of their journey.
Although these things are unknown, one thing is certain, they were cleansed. Jesus words cannot fail, they came true just as he declared, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” Inherent in the instructions given by Jesus is the transformation of their leprous condition being cleansed, but they had to go through the process.
Likewise, brothers and sisters, in your calling to salvation, God sees the finished product of your life even though we’re stumbling and at times struggling through the process. Romans 8:30 states, “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” In addition, Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
So, for those who may be saved but sinning, battling addiction of any kind, please remember that sometimes you have to walk out your deliverance one step at a time, trusting God through the process until it’s complete. Do as Apostle Paul instructed in Philippians 2:12c-13, “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” Brothers and sisters, know this, God is faithful, and deliverance is a PROCESS.
