Have you crucified your flesh- its affections and lusts?

Seriously, have you? We tend to cling to our affections and lusts as if we'd perish without them.  You say you have no affections and lusts to crucify? Praise God! So many of us have them both and many of them, not just a few. 

Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 

What sort of affections do you have?  What sort of passions do you have that supersede Christ in your life?

Is ANYTHING supposed to be before God in our lives? Seriously, is ANYTHING supposed to come before God?

Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 

Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment. 

We are to love God with ALL our heart, with ALL our soul, with ALL our mind.

If God is FIRST in our lives then we are crucifying our affections and lusts because they are not of God.

Too often we put things and OTHERS first in our lives and we tell ourselves that God wants us to put them first, but He doesn't, He really doesn't. God wants to be first in our lives and then with HIM first we truly can love others. If we put others before God- what love are we really loving them with? Ask yourself that question- what love can you give others if it's not God's love? It certainly isn't a real love but a love that mimics real love.

There is A LOT of false love that is completely disguised as being true, selfless love when in fact it is very selfish and not in the least bit selfless. We don't want to think about these things though. We don't want to believe any love that seems selfless and wonderful could be false love. 

We need God first in all things and when that happens, truly we are crucifying our affections and lusts, our selfishness, our self-serving.

May God HELP us all by the grace of our loving heavenly SAVIOR Jesus Christ our LORD now and forever!

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 

We have choices to make.

Pro 25:28  He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. 

2Co 10:5  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

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 

1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 

What are all the above verses telling us?

We must rule over our own spirits.

We must cast down our imaginations.

We must cast down everything that tries to put itself above the knowledge of God.

We must bring into captivity EVERY thought- to the obedience of Christ.

We must set our affections on things above, not on things here on earth.

We must keep our bodies under subjection.

Do you comprehend the importance of realizing how truly involved in our own spiritual life we have to be?

None of those verses talk about God doing these things for them. We aren't told that God must keep our bodies under subjection. We aren't told God must set our affections on things above. We aren't told that God has to cast down our imaginations for us, that God has to bring captive our every thought. We aren't told that if God doesn't rule over our spirit we are like a broken city without walls of protection.

We have CHOICES to make, God won't choose for us!  Even if we want God to choose for us, He can't because CHOICE is ours and never taken from us. Being a Christian is a LIFE LONG choice, not a single choice and no more. We will daily face many choices that determine our spiritual walk and we must choose to have our God, our Savior, our Holy Spirit influence our choices. We will have every bit of help we need once we choose, but that power of choice will forever remain untouched by any other unless we choose to give it to one who has no qualms at all over stealing our power of choice and doing all he can to keep it. Satan wants to take away our power of choice and will do all he can to convince people that he can and has done that to them, it's a lie, it's deception, but the evil one deceives many in this way.  We must choose GOD all the time, not just once or twice a day, but in our entire lives we must make a choice for God. 

We have to knock but He will open for us. We have to seek but He is found. We have to ask but He is the giver.

We aren't told to open for ourselves, or to be what we find, or to give ourselves. We are told this--

Luk_11:9  And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Ask, seek, knock.   Make the choice to ASK, make the choice to SEEK, make the choice to KNOCK.

We have a part to play in our spiritual life a huge part that so few want to talk about because it means comprehending that being a Christian is not something that is a part of us simply because we lay claim to the name. Being a Christian is an entire life endeavor, a way of life in all things.  Being a Christian is recognizing the war, the battle we are daily engaged in. Not a single day will pass by when we are not in that battle. There is no 'leave' for the soldiers in this war.

May our Savior forgive us, and may we be kept from evil, all through HIS Love!

*******

'What the Christian must therefore control by his will are:

(a) his own spirit, maintaining it in its proper state of being neither too hot nor too cold. The spirit needs the control of the will just as do the other parts of man. Only when one’s volition is renewed and is filled with the Holy Spirit is he able to direct his own spirit and keep it in its proper position. All who are experienced agree that they must engage their will to restrain the spirit when it becomes too wild or to uplift it when it sinks too low. Only so can the believer walk daily in his spirit. This is not contradictory to what we mentioned before about man’s spirit ruling over the whole person. For when we say the  spirit rules the total man we mean that the spirit, by knowing the mind of God intuitively, governs the whole being (including the volition) according to God’s will. Whereas in stating that the will

controls the man we mean the will directly controls the entire man (including the spirit) according to the will of God. In experience these two perfectly agree. “A man without self-control is like a city

broken into and left without walls” (Prov. 25.28).

(b) his own mind and all the rest of his soul’s abilities. All thoughts need to be subjected fully to the control of the will; wandering thoughts must be checked one by one—“take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10.5). And “set your minds on things that are above” (Col. 3.2).

(c) his own body. It ought to be an instrument to man, not his master by virtue of unrestrained habits and lusts. The Christian should exercise his volition to control, discipline and subdue his body in order that it may be entirely submissive, ready to do God’s will and hindering not. “I pommel my body and subdue it” (1 Cor. 9.27). (KJV  1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.)  Once the believer’s volition has achieved a state of perfect self-control he will not be hindered by any part of his being, because the moment he senses God’s will he immediately performs it. Both the Holy Spirit and man’s spirit need a will under self-control by which to execute God’s revelation. Hence on the one hand we must  be united with God and on the other hand subdue our whole being so as to render it obedient to us. This is imperative to spiritual life. '

Excerpt The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee

Do you know what the will of God is?

 'Wherefore in the practice of obedience the believer goes through the following steps:

(a) willingness to do God’s will (John 7.17);

(b) revelation of that will to his intuition by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5.17) ;

(c) strengthening by God to will His will (Phil. 2.13) ; and

(d) strengthening by God to do His will (Phil. 2.13).

God never substitutes Himself for the believer in carrying out His will; consequently, upon knowing the

will of God he must will to do it and then draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit to work it out.'

Excerpt - The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee

Joh 7:17  If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

Eph 5:17  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 

Will you do God's will? Do you have a willingness to do God's will? Do you understand what the will of the Lord is? Does God work in you willing you to do His will? Does God work in you to do His will?

Before you answer yes to any of the above questions think about them for a moment. 

The bigger question may be is- what exactly IS God's will?

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Col 1:9  For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding

1Th 4:1  Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. 

1Th 4:2  For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. 

1Th 4:3  For this is the will of God

1Th 5:18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 

1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 

1Pe 2:15  For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men

Psa 143:10  Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. 

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

Mat 12:50  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. 

2Co 5:15  And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Eph 6:5  Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 

Eph 6:6  Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 

Eph 6:7  With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: 

Heb 13:21  Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 

Mic 6:8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 

Do you know what the will of God is?

Glory in the Lord.

1Co 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 

1Co 1:31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Christ is our wisdom.

Christ is our righteousness.

Christ is our sanctification.

Christ is our redemption.

2Co_3:18  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

We are not supposed to believe we have wisdom of our own. We are not supposed to become righteous by ourselves and claim we are righteous. We cannot claim sanctification as if we can sanctify ourselves. We have no redemption of our own.  So why are we constantly trying to become all these things, to have these thing by our own merit?  We have to hold up Christ and it's HIS wisdom, HIS righteousness, HIS sanctification, HIS redemption that exists in us, not some mingled mash up of ours and His.

We try so hard to be 'good' not realizing that no matter how good we deem ourselves it doesn't matter. God doesn't care about how good we think we are. God cares about our trusting in Christ to be good for us.  Faith in Christ, not in ourselves. 

We Love Others to Reveal Christ's Love, Not Our Ability to Love.

Col 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Anyone can accept Christ as their Savior, no exceptions to that at all. ANYONE, it doesn't matter whether or not a person appears a certain way. There is no single appearance that labels one a Christian.

Sometimes we see people and by their behaviors, their words and such we can't imagine them belong to Christ.

Even the worst of the worst can belong to Christ and their walk with Christ can be a work in progress that we are witnessing. The guidance through each fire a person faces to refine them isn't ours to question. We are to LOVE, this is our only action.

It isn't easy loving those who are outwardly the worst of the worst in humanity. Loving those who are hateful to us, those who abuse us, those who hurt those we love, who torture the innocent, this is OUR commandment.

We love others to reveal Christ's love, NOT our ability to love.

Our loving doesn't mean was condone what others do. Our loving doesn't mean we are encouraging the evil behaviors of anyone! Our loving doesn't mean we enjoy what pain is towards us or pain that is inflicted upon others.  Our loving with Christ's love is HIS loving, HIS forgiving, HIS dying to SAVE all who would be saved! 

Our Savior Overcame This World.

We are only complete in Christ.

Joh_16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

We already know that in this world we will have TRIBULATION. All the tragedies that exist for mankind that bring us heartache and pain, that make our lives full of one horror after another are a part of the tribulation of this world. We are NOT told we will have horror-free lives.  We are told we WILL have tribulation. Then we are told to BE of good CHEER.   So incredibly contradictory! You're going through life's most extreme anguish and you are told to be of good cheer. How? How is it possible to be of good cheer when you are in the midst of tribulations?  There is only ONE way.  The realization that our Savior OVERCAME this world.

Our Savior overcame.

We overcome through our SAVIOR.

If we try to do it without our Savior, we will fail.  There may be a false sense of self-sufficiency that many people will possess, but Satan excels at giving people that particular belief. All the self-confidence in the world means nothing without Christ-confidence.

We are only complete in Christ.

Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 

Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 

Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 

Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 

Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 

Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it

More on this tomorrow by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Falsely Wise.

Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools

Vain deceit causes us to believe in ourselves- not Christ. Vain deceit causes us to believe in others- not Christ.

Vain in our imaginings, foolish hearts darkened, falsely wise really are fools.

Too often we imagine we are Christians when really we play at being Christians. We put on our Christian guise and it fools even us because we don't want to follow the hard truths of Christ's. We smooth our Christian costume while doing what we tell ourselves is the work of our Lord, wrinkle free we are pleased. Being a Christian isn't about an easy life. Being a Christian isn't our happiness. Being a Christian isn't about us. Being a Christian is about Christ's salvation. Once we comprehend that our Savior died for us so we may have eternal life with Him, we then know that the life we are living now is going to be filled with pain of all varying sorts. We comprehend that we have entered a war, not a luxury life. We enter this war and we live our lives enlisting others to enter the very same war. 

We have NO wisdom of our own, none. This isn't about us! It's so incredibly easy for us to twist things so we are the center of it all, pushing Christ out of our lives rather than allowing Him in.

As long as we focus on ourselves we are not focused on Christ, it's true.

Ask yourself if you are thinking of yourself or Christ in any given moment and pay attention to your answer because that will tell you a lot. If you don't want to hear your own answer then you need to ask yourself why.

May God help us all and please, keep us from the evil of our vain deceit.

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever!