GO S.L.O.W.R.: How to Give in Before the Enemy Gets You to Give Up

By Nelson Jaime

The enemy every day wants to devour us or draw us away from God's will for us-His present and future children. The enemy wants to confuse, corrupt, and drag us into conflict to keep the believing Christians from carrying out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). The enemy's endgame being that we also end up in the pit prepared for him and his angels (Matthew 25:41), but God, the Great I am (Exodus 3:14), has a different future planned for the soldiers of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3). There will be sacrifices and rewards for all enlisted, but first we must submit, listen, and obey before we go forward without reservations. We must give in before the enemy gets us to give up, and our marching orders are in God's Word-the Holy Bible.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781644719589

Book preview

Why? Why? Why?

Why? This is the most important question we can ask of anything or anyone. As children, we have asked the question Why is the sky blue? or something akin to that. We are naturally inquisitive creations, and before we go any further, I can give a long-drawn-out reason for Why is the sky blue? But for the sake of brevity: because God made it that way! So the why I want to address here is why I wrote this book. I wrote this book because God put it in my heart. I feel He spoke to me—why me? That’s a question I’ve wrestled with during the writing of this book. I’ve never written a book before and, if I had, I don’t think this would have been my first choice. So, again, why me? I guess that’s a question I’ll have to ask Him someday. I’ve prayed on it and I’m still waiting for a concise answer, but I’m not pushing. I’ll be patient—His time, His will.

Later in the book, there’s a more detailed account of how God impressed on me the concept of Go SLOWR. But suffice it to say, God spoke and I submitted, I listened, I obeyed, and then without reservations, I did go and have done what God has told me to do, which creates the title of this book—Go SLOWR, and before anybody thinks I’m not all there or I’m delusional, God’s holy word tells us in John 10:27, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" God can do anything He desires, including communicate with His children.

At the end of the day, the final authority to distinguish who it is that I am hearing from is the Word of God—His Holy Bible. God’s people go into hostile territories to preach His Word every day, and when asked Why? they answer: God laid it on my heart God called me God led me to it and only the nonbeliever questions and mocks them. So all I ask is that you read this with an open mind and loving heart, and when it’s all done, you can decide for yourself who it is I heard from.

Thank you in advance for your time and patience and I hope you enjoy what you will read and will be blessed and are able to come away with what God has impressed on me.

The Adult Student Guide

Okay, so which one are you? You know those booklets that the pastor offers for Sunday Bible studies in church, the adult student guide. You know, the ones with selected Bible passages, heavy on exposition and then questions, and how you as a Christian would deal with the situation at hand instead of the chosen (pun not intended, maybe?) Bible figure—Adam, Moses, Noah, etc. Pick one. Let’s say, like Moses and how God dealt with him and how we can learn from his interaction with God, and by learning from his experiences, we can be better leaders, specifically better Christian leaders. Yes, that one.

Well, once every three months or so, at my church we get a new booklet, and on that day at the end of services, the pastor reminds all in attendance to take one on the way out. Initially, there are two types of people: the ones who take the booklet and the ones who don’t take the booklet. The people who don’t take the booklet, well, they don’t take the booklet and that’s alright, right? Most of the people who don’t take the booklet probably feel like they are being honest, and by not taking, they’re rationalizing that they are too busy to use the study guide so they will not waste the church’s resources and take something they are not going to use anyway. To the Christians who don’t take the booklet, I make a heartfelt plea: take a study guide, please! I say that because most Christians I know may sometimes not even find time to read the Holy Bible, let alone some little study guide, that they feel may not give them even the smallest morsel of spiritual fulfillment to carry them. But if you’re not reading God’s Word because of the busy life you lead, I’ll tell you these little booklets could be the perfect in-between that you’re missing out on in your spiritual growth (Colossians 1:10). And depending on how deep you want to go, it could be as little as fifteen or twenty minutes or as much as several hours spent in study. I know I said we’re too busy and we would usually not plan to spend several hours in God’s Word—a student guide can potentially send you into the Bible—but God has got other plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11), and sometimes it’s at these moments that God could choose to reveal something life-altering to us—more about that later. First, these little booklets allow you to get into a good chunk of God’s Word (Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16–17) and meditate (think deeply or carefully about) on its relevance to your Christian walk (Deuteronomy 8:6). Second is when that Sunday comes around and you attend that Bible study class, you’ll be interacting and sharing with your fellow brethren (Hebrews 10:25) on a more personal level. Since you’re reading the same passages everyone else is reading, you will all edify each other (Proverbs 27:17) and glorify God (Psalm 118:28) and rejoice in God indwelling with us (Matthew 18:20).

Now onto the other ones—the ones who take the booklet. They also get split into two groups. First is the group that takes the booklet and reads the booklet. All of you in this group probably understand everything I said about all the benefits of reading the Bible and the Bible study guide and are of the type who wants to take every opportunity to get into God’s Word which is so easy nowadays. Many people, like one of my friends who carries a small pocket size Bible on their person at all times, who, like a good Berean (Acts 17:11), any time someone mentions a doctrine they’re not familiar with or a verse interpretation that doesn’t sound right, goes straight to the word to verify the truth of that word against God’s true word (2 Samuel 7:28). Even easier is a Bible app on our phones that will search out the Bible verse you’re not sure of or find where it is in the Bible, chapter, and verse with other relevant verses, which is great, but don’t forget the most important place we should keep God’s Word—in our heart (Psalm 119:11).

Finally, the second group—the ones who take the booklet but don’t read it. First things first, you’re taking a book you’ve already paid for, whether you realize it or not, when you put money in the plate that is being passed around or put money in an envelope to give as an offering, and, unless it’s earmarked for something specific like missionary endeavors, building fund, etc., those monies are going to be used for the everyday maintenance and upkeep of the house of God which includes everything from buying bathroom supplies to paying utilities (electricity, water, heat, etc.) to getting communion supplies (crackers, grape juice) and everything in between, including those Sunday school adult student guides. So if you’re paying for them and taking them, then you should read them. Waste not want not (John 6:12). Next, if you’re taking the booklet because you’re thinking that’s what you’re supposed to do as a good Christian and you want other Christians to see you taking it to keep up appearances (Matthew 6:1) and not reading the booklet, you have bigger problems than just not reading a Bible study guide. Your problem may be hypocrisy. The dictionary defines hypocrisy as a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess. You are presenting yourself as someone you are not, and essentially setting yourself up for a fall that could have great emotional consequences but more importantly spiritual consequences.

In the Bible, Paul’s epistle to the Galatians 6:3 tells us, "For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself." In Luke 12:1–3, Jesus warns the disciples beware the hypocrisy of the Pharisees in verse 2. He tells them, For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. It will be found out, you will be revealed for the hypocrite you are, and in verse 3, Jesus tells the disciples, Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. There is no hiding what or who you truly are. We are told in Luke 6:43–45, For every tree is known by his own fruit. So the discerning watchful Christian won’t be fooled, check? Check.

Galatians 6:7 says, Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. So you are only fooling yourself if you think your fooling/mocking God. We can’t fool God, check? Check. Let’s check again. We can’t fool a discerning Christian—check. We can’t fool an all-knowing God—check. Then, who’s left?

The only person left to fool is ourselves. Do we really want to be fooling ourselves? Let’s be real. We should be calling it what it is—lying. So the only person I’m lying to is myself. If we know as a Christian we shouldn’t lie (Exodus 20:16), then I think that extends to ourselves (James 4:17). We know lying is wrong, whether to ourselves or to others. Hypocrisy is the lie we tell ourselves. We sometimes put so much emphasis on what others think (Romans 3:4). Our walk with God is not about us looking like a good Christian to others, it’s not about how many times a week you go to church, or how many ministries in the church you help with either your money or time. It’s about a relationship with God. How do you define relationship? When most of us think of relationship, we first go to the obvious—family: father, mother, brother, sister, etc. For others, their first answer is a best friend, and that could be that kid you met in kindergarten and are still friends with some thirty years later. For others, it’s their husband or wife who they call their best friend. All those are fine, but those are people we’re related to. It’s not the definition of relationship, it’s an example of relationships we have. How does the dictionary define relationship?

The condition or fact of being related; connection or association; and

A particular type of connection existing between people related to or having dealings with each other.

These are both acceptable, as they both speak of being related through connection and, again, that can take many forms, from family, friends, or marriage. But I found one that was with these two definitions that I feel struck the right chord with the appropriate amount of explanation and inspiration:

Connection by blood or marriage; kinship.

This definition speaks of connection by family/kin or marriage, but its primary mention of connection is by blood. Why blood? Family is bound by blood. The blood in my father’s veins also runs in mine. In times past, that meant, as blood relatives, there were familial duties that were expected. If a father died, it was the eldest son’s duty to care for his family (1 Timothy 5:8) by caring for the farm, the land, business, etc. He was now the head. These duties differed depending on the cultural upbringing. The duties put on a person by blood relation seem sometimes to not be the strongest or most satisfying, though they should be (Psalms 133). If my father dies, I don’t care for my mother out of duty, I do it out of love! If a spouse leaves or dies, I don’t care for my children because, well… I guess, I have to… No! I do it out of love! Our love for family—that relationship—should reflect our love of God. In John 14:15, Jesus tells us, If ye love me, keep my commandments. Not out of duty (more on this later), he wants us to keep his commandments out of love intended for him.

Through our love and faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we are adopted/engrafted into the family of God. Jesus tells us in Mark 3:35, For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother. My brothers’ father is my father; we are family. A father’s greatest attributes are that of provider and protector. Our heavenly Father has exhibited both of these toward us. Although we don’t deserve it, God showed us through his grace (Ephesians 2:8–9) and mercy (2 Corinthians 3) and unmeasurable love (1 John 4:10) in what most would agree is the most popular, most quoted Bible verse—John 3:16. Jesus tells us, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. First is provider. God provides for us all things (Philippians 4:19), but the sacrifice of his only begotten Son to pay the sin debt we owed, that Jesus Christ was the only propitiation (propitiate is to appease, conciliate) by which our sins would be forgiven, no higher definition of provider exists. Then there is protector. When we sin, we break God’s Law (1 John 3:4). The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1–17) is God’s Law. When we break any of those laws, there are consequences. All of God’s laws have punishment as a cost for disobedience. In Romans 6:23, God’s word tells us, For the wages of sin is death. Simply put, the punishment for sin is death. But if we continue reading the entirety of that same verse, it tells us, But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And therein lies our protector, our Father. If we believe on Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that he died and was born again/resurrected on the third day, we will be protected/spared from the pit (Matthew 25:41; 2 Thessalonians 1:9). Through the gift of eternal life, we shall not perish—we shall receive everlasting life, we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and because He laid His life down (John 10:18) for us, we have a new covenant in his blood (Luke 22:20). And all this because, For God so loved the world. There are so many descriptions of God’s love. The Holy Bible tells us:

God’s love is unfailing (Psalm 143:8; Psalm 6:4; Exodus 15:13);

God’s love is sacrificial (John 3:16; John 15:13; Romans 5:8);

God’s love is eternal (Psalm 63:3; Isaiah 54:8; Romans 8:39);

God’s love is made manifest toward us through Jesus Christ’s death on the cross (1 John 4:9–10; Isaiah 53:10);

God loves us for He sent the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ezekiel 36:25–27);

God’s love commands us to love one another (1 John 4:9–11; John 15:12; John 13:34); and, finally, last but by no means least…

God is love (1 John 4:7–8, 16; Ephesians 2:4).

God created us (Revelation 4:11) to have fellowship/a relationship with us. The Holy Bible tells us of Enoch in Genesis 5:22, Enoch walked with God and in Genesis 5:24, And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. Noah walked with God (Genesis 6:9). God has had the desire to dwell among us (have a relationship with us) since Adam. In Exodus 25:8, God speaks to Moses, saying, And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. All these things of which God’s word speaks are why we should want an honest and loving relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (1 John 5:7). God wants to teach us his ways. In James 3:17, God’s word tells us, "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." The verse speaks of things God wants for every Christian and ends with without hypocrisy.

Now back to that problem from several paragraphs ago—hypocrisy. God offers us so much. Again, not that we deserve it. In our approach to God, we must be without hypocrisy. We must not worry about how others see us or what others think of us. An air of religiosity is not the cloak by which we sneak by God and then gain access to enter into the gates of paradise. We must be like in The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9–14) to come to God the way the tax collector came to the temple to pray. Jesus tells us, "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’" God doesn’t want our bluster and pride (Isaiah 2:12), He wants His children to come to him in truth, as an unworthy sinner pleading for mercy. For God knows our hearts (Psalm 44:21), I can hide nothing from the Creator of everything.

Now how do I maintain a relationship with God? Similar to how we keep a long-standing relationship with a family member, friend, or spouse, we talk to them every day in person or we call and spend time on the phone, reminiscing about good times or hashing out new problems because nobody will listen better than those who truly care and love us. And when we are not in contact regularly, we become distant and the sincerity erodes. We can have that with God also but magnified. We can and should talk/pray to God every day, every chance we get. Remember, that’s how we build a strong relationship. In our prayers, we should praise him, tell him how grateful we are for all the things He’s done for us today, yesterday, that week, that month, that year at all times, from the air in my lungs to the roof over my head, for the moments He allowed me to prosper and in that He was glorified, to the times I was in the struggle, I cried out, and he answered—to God be the glory. To know God’s Word is to know God and His will toward us.

Prayer and being in God’s word everyday will build that bond that none can sever. But just like we can become distant from friends and family through our busy lives or just neglect, the same can happen with God. Life can get tough and we may think, Where is God in my storm? We can be living out all our dreams and attaining all our goals, and the thought that I’m doing just fine, maybe I don’t need God. Both these very real scenarios can fester a spirit of apathy and create a rift between you and God that with time we think will become harder for us to traverse (not for God, though). If we stand at the precipice of the gaping maw that is the crevasse that separates us from our Creator, we won’t jump. We will become stagnant, as the enemy whispers in our ear that this is as far as God wants us to go, or worst, he’ll try to convince us that God has forgotten us and we’ve been relegated to his peripheral vision where we think we are not seen of God. But those are the lies the enemy tells us. We must push aside the lies and we must take that leap of faith and not think of falling or failing but knowing full well that God will catch us and in His hands none can remove us (John 10:28). Nowhere are we more safe and secure than in the loving hands of God the Father, and the first step we must take before we jump to salvation is to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Ephesians 2:8–9) by dropping to our knees and bowing our hearts and with our mouth confess our trespasses (Romans 10:9) and just submit.

But First…

Saturday, March 11, 2017. I was at home at the kitchen table doing a unit out of an adult student guide for Sunday morning Bible study. I’d been having a busy week and was glad to be sitting down, no matter the reason. I enjoy doing these lessons. It’s always another chance to get into my Bible, although I sometimes felt they were a bit too obvious with the lesson and had all the depth of an 8-oz. cup. You know you’re going to get wet, but you weren’t going that deep into God’s Word. I felt sometimes it was more about fellowship with the brothers than about learning God’s will, and other times we did get into His Word pretty well, and other times