You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘sex’ tag.
In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:3-4
There is an old Native American legend regarding evil and good. Evil is portrayed as a dark dog that lives within each of us; good is a white dog that also lives within each of us. The two are at constant battle for control of our lives. The dog we choose to feed the most is the dog that wins control of our lives.
In a sense, the legend isn’t far from being wrong. Paul describes a similar scenario in his own life when he says, in Romans 7, the good that I want to do, I don’t do. Instead, the very things I hate, the very things I despise, I find myself doing over and over again. Paul, like the rest of us, want to see the ‘dark dog’ die, yet we continue to feed it at least enough to guarantee power to wage war in our lives.
Any of us who have walked the journey of life at all are well aware of the battle within. There are so many things out there that cry out to us. Things that make us feel good (for awhile at least), things that ‘seem right’ (even though they contradict God’s law), things that sneak up on us and attack us at our weakest moment.
For some of us it’s an addictive habit like smoking, drugs or alcohol, or lust. For others it’s anger, language or food. Still others battle daily with feelings of failure, insecurity, fear and doubt. We work hard to build or salvage broken relationships, save our homes or jobs and rescue our children from harm. It’s draining just to think about it!
The Apostle John gives us a formula for victory. It’s a lesson he learned at the feet of Jesus himself. The secret to victory over the world isn’t found in religion. It’s not found in social action, counseling, self-help books or volunteering at the local soup kitchen. Recovery groups and fitness programs won’t help either.
The secret to victory over whatever you are struggling with is love. Not love as the world gives, but love that comes from a growing relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Many of us know that but few of us see victory. One reason may be that we forget, or have never learned, that relationship takes time. Victory won’t come over night. The bad news is that we are responsible for every bad decision we’ve ever made. We can choose. The good news is that even if we’ve made a boatload of bad decisions in life, Jesus Christ will forgive us and help us back on the road to recovery.
Don’t expect to win every battle every day. Take little steps. Relationship comes as we read God’s Word on a daily basis, pray for guidance and strength and refuse (one decision at time) not to listen to the enemy voices that want to bring us to defeat.
People who are victorious over the things that bring them down are the people who determine every day to walk just one step closer to the light. The are the ones that have learned to celebrate the small victories in life and bounce back from the occasional defeats as they learn to love Jesus Christ above all else.
PRAYER: Father, from this day forward I have resolved to move closer to you in relationship through the love and forgiveness only Jesus Christ can offer. Forgive me for the times I’ve made wrong choices. Empower me with your Spirit to learn to walk closer to you and love you more. In Jesus name, Amen.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:18-20
You don’t get ‘a little drunk’. Don’t try that line with the police officer. The level of alcohol in you r body may waver, but drunk is drunk. “But I’m only a little drunk’ isn’t the most effective way to avoid a ticket. You don’t get ‘a little pregnant’. A little pregnant and a lot pregnant will have the same results. ‘I’m only a little addicted to [name your addiction] won’t work either. Addicted is addicted.
There are some things in life that are all or nothing. Following Christ is one of them. He didn’t say to His Apostles, “Walk with me a couple miles, a day, a few weeks.” He said ‘follow me’. There was no time frame, no exit plan, and no map. They weren’t given an option as to how long, or how far. Two words that took a second to say, a lifetime to fulfill and eternity to understand.
Paul tells us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Although we as Christ-followers have a choice in the matter, if we truly want relationship with Him we have to make a conscious decision to be filled on a daily basis, sometimes more often than that when temptation wins. The filling is a simple request on our part to allow God’s Spirit to take every thought, word and action captive.
Some people think the ‘filling’ will show itself in marvelous and miraculous signs. It can, but that’s not a pre-requisite. Some people think that we need to clean up our act before we can be filled, but there is no place in the entire Bible that says we are responsible for cleaning up. Jesus is the only one that can do that and He already completed the cleaning, which is why He told us ‘It is finished!’ Some people think the ‘filling’ will take away from the joy of life, the freedom to be themselves or the ability to be creative and useful. In fact, the filling increases the joy in life, the freedom to live and the creative juices in your mind and body.
Just as a ‘little light’ dispels darkness, being filled with God’s Spirit sends the darkness of our soul fleeing in fear. When you struggle with those thoughts, when you desire to fulfill that addiction, when the fear returns with a vengeance, don’t just ask God to take it away, ask Him to replace it with a filling of His Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God isn’t a mystical ghost. He’s a person who wants to indwell, empower, comfort and guide you on the treacherous and painful path of life. Ask Him to fill you. Do it out loud. Do it whenever the enemy attacks. Being filled is risky. It promises change, change that is hard at first but better in the long run. It’s an option, but an option that is required to walk in complete relationship with Jesus.
PRAYER: Father God. I thank you that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I thank you that He finished the work of cleaning up my act so that I can have relationship with you. My life is so full of worries and fears, bruises and wounds, temptations and wanderings. Forgive me for all that keeps me from pure relationship with you. Replace all the junk in my life with Your Holy Spirit so I can live completely for you. In Jesus name, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 