Intimate Fellowship

One of the true realities of my Christian life has been my inability to maintain my spiritual strength when I try to do it on my own. Think about it, for me the harder I try to focus on not sinning the more I sin. The more I try to love people the more people bug me. The more I try to be humble, the more prideful I become. So I ask myself the question, why is it that when I fight harder I seem to suffer more and more defeats. But wait a minute, how could I miss it. Look again at my words. The more I try, the harder I try. Where is Jesus in all of this? How could I think that my efforts alone could bring me victory? Its like I forgot that I need to keep my eyes on Jesus, that a close intimate fellowship with Him is needed. For greater is He who is in me that he who is in the world. Unlike all the other challenges we face, spiritual challenges can only be met and overcome, by the one who has overcome the world. No matter how hard I fight in my own strength, until I am walking in close intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ, I will not have consistent long-term victory over sin in my life. I will not be able to live a life that is useful and effective for God unless I am walking with Him closely. Today Lord help me to walk with you as a friend walks with a close intimate friend.