Focus on Jesus

Call to Prayer

Title: Focus on Jesus

By: Daniel Peter

Time: 11.09.2023

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness   Matthew 6:22-29 KJV

I heard a testimony of a boy who was trying to stop masturbating. He had made all attempts to stop but the habit was still a stronghold and was affecting his relationship with God. As he battled with the guilt of his situation and the failing state of his relationship with God, he had a visitation of Jesus Christ, who said to him, focus on me. When his focus changed from trying to stop masturbating and was on Jesus Christ, he was set free from the bad habit.

Sin is like a weight that tries to stop us from making progress in our relationship with God. The way to lay it off is not by struggling not to do it, but by trusting in Jesus. If we could defeat sin by the power of the flesh, there would have been no need for Jesus Christ to come. If we give all our attention to “trying not to sin“, we have been deceived by sin, and would be hindered in fulfilling His first purpose for us which is relationship with him (1 Cor. 1:9). You don’t remove the darkness in a room by dragging it out, or by pushing it. The darkness in a room naturally leaves when you turn on the light. Jesus Christ is the light of our lives. For every darkness of sin to leave our lives, all we need to do is to focus on Him with healthy eyes and all our body will be filled with light (Matt. 6:22-29).

We are focused on Jesus when we are constantly holding Him in the word and in prayer, praising and worshiping Him. In this posture, God would give you a renewed mind concerning that which you are struggling with and reveal to you the forgiveness that is in Christ for us. As we believe and confess our identity in Christ that He shows to us in the mirror of His word, the power of sin over us is removed. Don’t run away from God when you sin, rather He is saying “come to me (Hebrew 4:16)” 

I remember hearing a testimony of some people who recently converted to Christianity and were trying to stop smoking. They came to their pastor for help. The Pastor told them that they should stop trying to stop, but next time they smoke, they should confess that they are the righteousness of God in Him. They obeyed their pastor and kept confessing their identity in Christ; that they are the righteousness of God in Him. After a while, they lost the appetite to smoke and were set free from the bad habit.

Sin is a defeated foe. Giving our attention to it is not an expression of faith in God for the victory He has given to us. That faith is expressed when we focus on Jesus despite the weaknesses of our flesh. This faith expressed brings deliverance from the bondage of sin.

Prayer Point.

Let’s thank God for His word today. Let’s ask Him to help us focus on Him.