Sometimes following Jesus can be a Mighty Battle of the “No’s.”  Now this probably sounds odd, but  how often do we hear someone say, e.g., “I can’t follow Jesus, I am not holy enough,” or perhaps “I am not good enough.”  And then there is always the proverbial standby: “I try but I just can’t stay on track.”  But what we rarely hear is that quiet little internal No!--“I can’t give up this comfort or that comfort just yet.”  I often wonder--“ Is it that I can’t?" or rather that “I won’t !” The reality in all this--is that “battling No’s” is a life long struggle.  It simply appears every time we want to say “yes” to following Jesus, but to do so we have to hold in check these little “No” demons who want us to fail.

However, the best part of this struggle is that Jesus is on our side!  He knows how these “No” demons work.  Remember when Jesus was tempted three times in the desert--there it was all about saying “no” to being Savior and instead enjoying only the power and glory that came with the title.  Jesus said “No"-- and He did it with strength.

This is the same strength Jesus shares with us.  He promises to help us defeat our “No’s,” and he does this with the power of His grace.  With Jesus on our side, those negative demons, don’t stand a chance.  So say “yes” to Jesus and  Jesus will always say “yes” to us.  Now that’s the way to win the battle!