From: Encouragement [[email protected]]
Sent: 30 May, 2001 6:50 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Encouragement From The Heart - March 30, 2001
Therefore consider the members of your earthly
body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which
amounts to
idolatry.
Colossians
3:5
John, to my dear friends in Christ; in Colossians 3:5 we are called to put death our sinful desires or flesh. When we are born again our sin (past, present, and future) is put to death on the cross of Jesus Christ (Romans 6:10, "For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God."). As we walk we are to put to death those desires that well up and cause us to sin. "How do I do this?", you may ask. First, realize temptation is not sin, thoughts that come into our minds are not sin, sin comes when we dwell on or act on the temptation or thought.
Second, we need to realize we cannot fight our sin nature through our flesh, Paul talks of himself in Romans 7:14, "For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin." Our flesh is sold into bondage to sin and though freed by Jesus Christ we still have the sinful flesh, and we cannot fight and win a battle we are having against sin through our flesh, we will lose every time. Again, Paul says in Romans 7:23, "but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members." You see, Paul is describing a spiritual battle of his godly desires battling against his sin nature. We cannot do this on our own we need the power of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ to help us to fight our sin nature. Again Paul talks about sin in Romans 7:24-25, "Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin." Our power is gained through our relationship with Jesus Christ. Our relationship with Him is increased through prayer, reading of God's Word, through the support of a solid Christian church and fellowship of believers, and faithfully following His word and commands for our lives.
Third, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, we need to have faith in God that He will not allow any temptation we cannot resist (1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."), and God will help us through every temptation that comes our way. God loves us too much to do otherwise. Paul tells us we are held as prisoners to our sin until we have faith in God (Galatians 3:23, "But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed."). Also, we cannot forget to include love with our faith or our faith is empty (Galatians 5:6, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.").
Fourth, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TOO, we need to walk by the Spirit, to do otherwise is to walk in the flesh where we are doomed to failure (Galatians 5:16, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh."). Remember as we walk by the Spirit if we allow the world to occupy our thoughts we will only fail, as Paul tells us in Galatians 6:7-9, " 7Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.". Philippians 4:8 tells us how to walk in the Spirit, "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.".
When temptation comes, remember God's promise and have faith in Him and you will succeed. If you succumb to sin, confess your sin to God and run back to Him, even if it is 490 times a day, in Matthew 18:22 Jesus tells Peter how many times he must forgive someone, we forgive because God forgave us and what Jesus tells us is but a reflection of God, "Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.".
Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for my friends and myself, help us to have faith in You that we can overcome any part of our sin through You, and may we spread the word that through You, anyone can overcome their sin, in Jesus name I Pray, Amen.
God's Many Blessings to You,
john
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