Those that won't, or have great difficulty shaking loose from their worldly desires, are yet, slaves to the world! They haven't made the ultimate choice of whom they will serve, and some go back, and forth! To BE IN CHRIST, one has, CONSCIOUSLY, taken OFF the old self, and PUT ON, the new self! From that point on, CONSCIENTIOUSNESS becomes part of the relationship with HIM! We STRIVE to IMPROVE the being, from the spirit outwardly, THAT we ARE TRUE reflections of HIS HOLY LIGHT, WILL, and WAY! CONSCIENTIOUSNESS SEES us working towards CONTROL, virtues, integrity, morality, and constant goodness, body, heart, mind, and spirit! While some DO have deep rooted issues, IF they have made a REAL CHOICE TO FOLLOW CHRIST, despite these issues, they KEEP working through them, RELYING on HIM to lead them past these! Still, we see many Christians with straight forth pursuit of their fleshy desires; living in continued, and uncontrolled behaviours TO appease these desires...
Desires DON'T control YOU, YOU CONTROL desires! Most desires begin, and end in the mind, therefore, the mind HAS to be humbled, and knowledgeable of THE WILL OF *GOD*, in order to train the mind to cast aside it's influences! One HAS to KNOW FOR SURE, what is right, just, and good, WITHOUT deviation from THE WILL of *GOD*! In other words, one HAS to KNOW that there is NO half-stepping, NO part-time, NO excuse! The mind HAS to be trained to RESIST that which LEADS us to do things that are NOT ALIGNED TO *GOD*, such as, to REFRAIN from DOING things that are unworthy of HIS own, and disgusting IN HIS SIGHT! We have to learn what is what, and HOW to retrain the entire being TO doing ONLY what is pleasing TO HIM! That hand which so easily, takes down the zipper, or fires up some crack, or any of many things one might be ACCUSTOMED to, MUST be retrained IN knowledge, and understanding, so that HIS WISDOM PREVAILS!!!
I was reading an article where yet, another Pastor gave into temptation with a member of his congregation, devastating his Wife, and Children, AND, the members of the Church, because this is the 3RD Pastor, in recent times, who could NOT resist what was before him, IN THE NAME OF *GOD*! Satan has placed a burning desire before them, in the form of a Woman, that they could NOT resist! IF they had TRUE understanding, and IF their old self had been cast aside, in FAVOUR OF THE LORD, that temptation would NOT have won over them!!!
Sexual sin is rampant these days, we are like on fire, or something, in this world, and YOU KNOW IT DID NOT come by way of *GOD*, instead by way of our lack of knowledge, understanding, discernment, and self-control, WHICH the evil one USES shamelessly, and continually!!!
Just because someone said that it is alright to remain in conscious sin, does NOT mean it is TRUTH! We ARE going to die in sin, but, there are MANY kinds of sin, MOST manageable, BY THE FAITHFUL! *GOD* IS NOT LOOKING for more of the same, HE IS LOOKING for those who ARE WILLING TO ARISE from their fleshy beings, into the spirit, which BELONGS TO HIM, and which HE DOES NOT want to see perishing, BUT, if the person housing the spirit, places more significance on the world, such as satiating the flesh, HE HAS SPOKEN of the consequences OF our CHOICES!!!
ROMANS 6: 11-13...
11/ Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as (being) dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.
12/ Therefore, sin must not reign over your mortal bodies so that you obey their desires.
13/ And do not present the parts of your bodies to sin as weapons for wickedness, but present yourselves to God as raised from the dead to life and the parts of your bodies to God as weapons for righteousness.
The strongest motives against sin, and to enforce holiness, are here stated. Being made free from the reign of sin, alive unto God, and having the prospect of eternal life, it becomes believers to be greatly concerned to advance thereto.
But, as unholy lusts are not quite rooted out in this life, it must be the care of the Christian to resist their motions, earnestly striving, that, through Divine grace, they may not prevail in this mortal state.
Let the thought that this state will soon be at an end, encourage the true Christian, as to the motions of lusts, which so often perplex and distress him.
Let us present all our powers to God, as weapons or tools ready for the warfare, and work of righteousness, in his service.
There is strength in the covenant of grace for us. Sin shall not have dominion. God's promises to us are more powerful and effectual for mortifying sin, than our promises to God. Sin may struggle in a real believer, and create him a great deal of trouble, but it shall not have dominion; it may vex him, but it shall not rule over him.
Shall any take occasion from this encouraging doctrine to allow themselves in the practice of any sin? Far be such abominable thoughts, so contrary to the perfections of God, and the design of his gospel, so opposed to being under grace. What can be a stronger motive against sin than the love of Christ? Shall we sin against so much goodness, and such love?
Again, LOVE is THE FOUNDATION on which we build, from which we derive ALL necessities towards ARISING OVER THE WORLD, IN THE NAME OF CHRIST JESUS, our LORD, *GOD*, SAVIOUR, and HOLY SPIRIT! LOVE KEEPS US IN THE WAY, because LOVE IS PERFECT, and NEVER FAILS TO LEAD IN HOLINESS, or RIGHTEOUSNESS! IF WE LOVE *GOD*, we BECOME LOVE enough TO RESIST what is NOT of HIM!!!
PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! PRAISE THE LORD, WORSHIP HIM, REJOICE IN HIS EVERY GOODNESS, then, HONOUR HIM IN GLORY, as YOUR ALLEGIANCE TO HIM is manifest in ALL your thoughts, actions, and reactions!!!
REV. LWINSOR © 2013
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
1 comment:
Those of you whom believe that we can continue in unaligned behaviours, are you telling me that IF I needed money badly, I could go out and sell my body to take care of my needs? Are you telling me that IF I wanted to get stoned, I could go out, and satisfy this need, obtaining the drug that would appease this need, anytime I might want to? Are you telling me, despite KNOWING HOW *GOD* feels about Marriage, the Married can be as promiscuous as their desires call for, without regard for the state of Matrimony, and their VOWS? Are you telling me WHATEVER leads me, by means of the world, of the flesh, is acceptable as a Christian???
Well, IF you ARE implying such, I turn a LOVING, but deaf ear to you, because that ISN'T what THE WORD tells me, and what LOVE of *GOD* would lead me to believe, or act in! My desires do NOT have enough significance for me to forsake *GOD*, and I WOULDN'T take the chance of HIM forsaking me, because I couldn't, or, wouldn't control myself!!!
I am FAR, FAR from being perfected, BUT, I will NOT give up the fight towards that end! I WILL slip up, I will stumble, I might even trip, then fall, HOWEVER, it WON'T happen because I CONSCIOUSLY CHOSE to!!!
I am, of course, speaking in context of AFTER THE SPIRIT, and knowledge have awakened, and is alive in us, not before...
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