As we walk the Christian life we must be careful to stay on the right path and not drift back. The warning sign should read, "no drifting allowed."
The prophet Isaiah declares, "we all do fade and shrivel up like a leaf, and like a leaf, our sins sweep us away." (Isaiah 64:6) This is a warning to the people of God to never allow the sins of this world to carry you away from the things of God. But notice Isaiah speaks of it as a process.
When you turn your heart away from God it does not happen overnight. When you walk away from your relationship with Christ and follow sin, it is not a quick and sudden dive into the world. It begins with small, subtle changes in your daily habits and behavior.
Perhaps at first you fall into the trap of prayerlessness. Life without prayer gives you calluses on your heart and creates an attitude that is independent of Christ. It makes you careless concerning spiritual matters. Perhaps you do not pick up the Word and feed yourself spiritually through the week but rely solely on the pastor to feed you on Sunday morning. At this point your spiritual man is starving for food to survive. But someone you rationalize that you are okay and continue in your ways. Your once green and vibrant leaves now begin fading, drying and become shriveled up leaves. You've been setup by the enemy of your soul who has used your lack of passion against you. You are now ready to be swept away by your own sins.
This is the process the adversary uses to defeat you. It is crucial to understand the warning the Scripture, as it will strike you powerless against the schemes of your enemy. Before you realize it, you will become dried and shriveled.
Jesus said, I have overcome the world. And you are more than a conqueror through the blood of Jesus Christ. Determine today to set a watch and guard the garden of your heart. Let that garden sustain itself with the water and food of the Word.
