Most often, we want to do right but our flesh is too strong for us to resist.
For example: there is a television show that I really really like to watch. It contains most things I am fascinated by and then some.
The problem is, there is not one edifying thing in that show. There is nothing good in it. Nothing good at all.
I am tempted to watch it from time to time and my flesh's argument for watching it goes something like this: 'You're mature enough to know what's wrong, you have discernment, it's not like you will be doing those things'.
The flesh is right. I do have discernment and I know what to accept and reject but God's Word on the matter is this:
I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes:
Psalm 103:3a
That settles it.
Now, if you think that does not settle it, consider this:
I watch an episode or two then go and clean stuff. What do you suppose is on my mind?
That show and it's wickedness.
What you watch, you think about. You may not be 'thinking' about anything but I find I play scenes in my head when I'm not 'thinking' about anything.
The thought of foolishness is sin:
Proverbs 24:9a
I have enough trouble with sin as it is, why should I aggravate that by watching a show that makes me sin even more?
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are
true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever
things are pure, whatsoever things are
lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report; if there be any virtue, if there
be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:8
That show does not fit any of those things that Christ tells us to think on.
Casting down imaginations, and every
high thing that exalteth itself against the
knowledge of God, and bringing into
captivity every thought to the obedience of
Christ;
2 Corinthians 10:5
That show, promotes covetousness, which I have a tendency towards, and is a grievous sin. Like I said, there's nothing edifying in it, the people in it live like there is no God, and no accountability for your actions.
It is evil. I do not watch it anymore.
My husband went away last week, my son was in bed, I decided to spend most of the night sewing. I really REALLY wanted to put that show on. It's on Netflix, I'll be entertained and productive, it will be great!
Oh man, I was soooooo close to putting it on. I signed into Netflix, clicked on the show, was just about to click on the episode I left off at... then I exited the whole thing and watched a sermon on Youtube.
I just couldn't do it.
The reason I couldn't watch it is this: the Spirit in me is too strong. I would be backtracking in my walk with God- which I absolutely do not want, and I could possibly destroy my chance of bearing fruit in the future.
As Christians we have two natures: our sin nature, which we will be rid of at death or rapture, and the new man, which is Christ in us. (For more on this please read Romans 6, 7,8)
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead
because of sin; but the Spirit is life
because of righteousness.
Romans 8:10
According to Romans 6, 7, and 8, we can live after the flesh or after the Spirit. Here's a tidbit from chapter 6:
For in that he died, he died unto sin
once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto
God.
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be
dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let not sin therefore reign in your
mortal body, that ye should obey it in the
lusts thereof.
Romans 6:10-12
My body, the one I am employing right now to type out these very words, is dead. We cannot do right by feeling things out, following our hearts, and acting on our emotions:
For I know that in me (that is, in my
flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is
present with me; but how to perform that
which is good I find not.
Romans 7:18
Fortunately, we do not have to live in sin:
Knowing this, that our old man is
crucified with him, that the body of sin
might be destroyed, that henceforth we
should not serve sin.
Romans 6:6
We can either feed our flesh, by watching dirty movies/TV shows, speaking wickedly, thinking wickedly, spending time with ungodly people, or we can feed our spirit, by reading the Bible, praying, singing hymns, going to church, fellowshipping with believers, and filtering the things we allow on our TV's.
The more you feed your flesh, the harder it is for you to say no to it when you want to get out.
The more you feed your spirit, the easier it is for you to say no to the flesh when it is acting up.
The best thing you can do to start feeding the spirit, is reading your Bible.
I used to have trouble praying. I'd get uncomfortable, tired, uninterested, and I knew it wasn't right. I just couldn't help the way I felt about it but I would force myself to pray, focus on it, and ignored my discomfort. The more I desired to follow Christ's example of prayer, the more time I spent reading, studying in depth, and taking time to sing hymns the more I wanted to pray. It has become something I crave. Sometimes God wants me to spend my devotion time praying instead of reading.
Did I do that? No. The Holy Spirit inside me gives me the grace, strength, and desire to pray. The Holy Spirit does that for me because I've made it clear that I will sow to my spirit no matter how my sinful flesh felt about it.
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap
in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for
it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and
rain righteousness upon you.
Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have
reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of
lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in
the multitude of thy mighty men.
Hosea 10:12&13
I know that's an Old Testament passage but it rings so true for us today: God does not want us to sin. He will help us if we just show the willingness to follow Him.
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he
also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of
the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap
life everlasting.
And let us not be weary in well doing: for
in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Galatians 6:7
It does not get any clearer than that.
What to do:
The Bible says in James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
When you go to the gym and lift weights, what are you doing?
You are resisting, are you not? The weight will come down on you, that's the easy part (also dangerous, if its really heavy), but pushing it up- resisting gravity, that's what increases your strength.
It's the same thing with the flesh and the spirit. Resist the devil, resist your flesh and you will be strengthened in the spirit.
I promise you, the more you resist your flesh, the easier and easier it gets. To the point, for me, there are things I cannot do simply because I said no so often the Spirit is too strong in that area.
For whom he did foreknow, he also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image
of his Son, that he might be the first born
among many brethren.
Romans 8:29
Jesus could not sin- He was God, He was holy, and thus He could not sin. We will never be perfect on this side of heaven, but it will be a lot easier to keep ourselves from sin if we make it a point to heed the Spirit every time we have a decision to make.
One more example and I am done:
I used to be terrified of handing out tracts and talking to people about the bible.
Frankly, that's ridiculous since I have the truth it is nothing to be ashamed of, but that's the flesh for you.
One day I put a stop to that foolishness, made sure I had tracts with me all the time, and made a point that my priority whenever I left home was to give tracts out and to talk to people about Christ. If I s prevented from either of those things, while I'm driving for instance, I would show the love of Christ by being kind, forgiving, and peaceful.
I was nervous but I started giving out tracts to everyone. I give them to people at Starbucks, the grocery store, and I give them to people in the parking lot at the park if they are just sitting in their cars.
I have no doubt I'll see some of those people in heaven, why? Because God said, 'look Grace, there's a man in his car, waiting for someone to be done at the park, he has nothing to do, give him a tract to read' and I obeyed.
The more I do it, the less nervous I am, the easier it is, and more natural it becomes. The new man inside me is beginning to take precedence over my natural sin nature.
The Spirit points out people to me, and I give them the gospel.
God will bless that obedience.
Let me encourage you to obey the Spirit. The more you obey, the louder the Spirit will speak to you, and decisions become easier and easier.
Remember, sin is bondage.
Remember, sin is bondage.
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:
but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the
deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Romans 8:13
Paul is talking to saved people there. Think about it.
I hope this was a blessing and a help!
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