Lusts of the Flesh

 

The lusts of our flesh conflict with the desires of the Spirit of God in our spirit (Galatians 5:17; Colossians 1:8-9; Romans 13:14; Galatians 5:24; Ephesians 2:3; 1 Peter 2:11). As we mature, the Holy Spirit births more and more holiness in our soul (Galatians 4:19).

Paul lays out the entire purification process for us in Romans 6-8. Our soul leans toward sin during our initial walk with the Lord (Romans 7:17-18, 20-21, 23). As the Word of God quickens His Truth to our soul, these sinful habits start grieving our spirit as much as they do the Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19).

We see the work of Christ in us as He dwells in us and gives us His hope of glory (Colossians 1:27; 2 Corinthians 13:5). We no longer live our life, but Christ lives in and through us (Galatians 2:20).

Jesus Christ is our whole life and we live in union with Him (Colossians 3:4; 1 Corinthians 6:17). We enjoy other relationships; however, if they are stripped from us for some reason, we can trust in God's purpose and wisdom.

Satan uses our circumstances and fishes in our desires in order to catch us off guard and to hook us into choosing to listen to his evil suggestions. He attempts to employ our carnal character and selfish habits to cause us to sin.

However, as we present our self to God, He makes us holy and uses us as an instrument of His righteousness (Romans 5:19; 6:13). He calls us during our lifetime to love, nurture, witness to, and influence those He brings into our life.

Prayer:

Father God, free us from the lusts of our flesh. Lead and guide us to be in the right place at the right time to affect Your plan for us in this world. Drench us with Your peace and joy in the midst of all of the sorrow and devastation we experience in the earth in which we live. Draw us close to You and never ever let us go.

Use us for Your purposes and help us to make an impact on the earth for Your Kingdom and glory. Use us to fill heaven with the humble and upright in heart whom You are calling to Yourself. Maybe we cannot meet them or talk to them, but we can pray for unreached people groups and the persecuted church every day as You lift up Jesus and draw humanity to You.

Thought for the Day:

We never lose faith in God's faithfulness regardless of what someone does to us, against us, or fails to do for us; we do not trust in people, because everyone is fickle and easily tempted to sin against us; but we continually trust in Christ who is our solid Rock. - 1 Corinthians 10:4

My Soul Yearns - A Prayer

Father God, I wait for You. All of my thoughts, words and deeds are aligned with Your Biblical precepts because Your good name and Your memory of me are the desire of my soul. My soul hungers for You all day long, but especially in the night watches when I attentively seek only You (Isaiah 26:8-9).

My heart trusts in Your loyal love for me, which pours over me like a waterfall all day long. You are always there to help me in any time of trouble. My heart rejoices in Your salvation, with which You so lavishly wrap me. I will sings praises to You, Lord, because of the bountiful blessings You continually bestow on me (Psalm 13:4-5).

On my bed, I remember all You did for me today and I think of You throughout the night watches (Psalm 63:6). My heart rejoices in Your goodness to me, and I sing songs of gratitude to You in my heart (Psalm 28:7). I gaze upon the beauty of Your countenance within me, and I hide in the refuge of Your wings, because You will never leave my soul impoverished (Psalm 141:8).

As I lift up my soul to You, I hear Your unfailing love come to me in new ways every morning. As I depend on You for my day, You give me direction for each moment (Psalm 143:8). My soul glorifies You, Lord, and my soul is at rest because of the abundance of good blessings You shower on me each new day (Luke 1:46; Psalm 116:7).

I awaken and my soul cries out to You all through the night watches. I pour my heart out in Your presence and You hear me. I lift up my hands to You as I pray for the unreached people groups, the persecuted church, impoverished children around the world, my loved ones living in service to You, my unsaved family members and the churches that are carrying Your name and furthering Your Kingdom (Lamentations 2:19).

At times, my soul yearns and even despairs of ever reaching Your courts. My heart and my aging body cry out to be with You, our living God (Psalm 84:2). God, You are my God. I will earnestly seek You, because my soul thirsts for You and my body yearns for Your courts as I trust in Your love and kindness in this dry and weary land, parched of the living water of life (Psalm 63:1).

In Jesus' name and for Your glory. Amen

Victory through Life and Death

When we are Born Again by the blood of the Lamb, God's Spirit replaces the carnal nature in our soul with the divine nature of Christ (2 Peter 1:3-4; Galatians 2:20). He is constantly perfecting us by His Spirit who abides in our spirit. He takes away our desire to sin, and unrighteous living no longer appeals to us.

God's Spirit helps our weaknesses and illnesses. He searches our heart and knows our mind; then He prays for us according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-27). Prayer is speaking to God from our heart. Ritualistic prayers and formulas for prayer are unnecessary. God already knows our heart and wants to hear our own words (Ephesians 1:18).

God also places His prayer burdens on our heart for the lost people groups in our world, for the persecuted church, for those burdened by illness, for people devastated by the loss of a loved one through death or divorce, our unsaved loved ones, etc. Prayer prepares us for victory both in life and in death. Jesus removed the sting of death, and gave authentic Believers the victory over it through His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:54; Isaiah 25:8).

In fact, there is greater benefit for us to go Home to the glory of Heaven than to continue living life here on this sin-cursed earth. Dying is not the travesty of life; it is the benefit of a life lived in Christ. What the world views as death is actually victory to God and is used by God for our ultimate good, because God rejoices in the death of His Saints (Romans 8:28; Psalm 116:15).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You that, through Christ, death is swallowed up in victory. We know that Your Holy Spirit works in our heart, until the glorious day when either Christ returns for His Bride, or we come through the valley of death into Your glorious light (1 Peter 2:9; Isaiah 60:1). Remind us not to limit You by our thoughts and fears, but teach us to pray the words, which Your Spirit inspires us with and with which He breaks our heart (Romans 8:26).

Thought for the Day:

Once we realize our human limitations, we will rely on God's Spirit to pray through us during our life and escort us through death to our heavenly Home in glory. - Romans 8:26-34; 2 Corinthians 5:1