Current topic: Pray with Us for Struggling Christians and Persecuted Church. Remember you can still pray for Families and the Church.
Good morning.
We’ve mentioned in our last message that we should watch how we live. When we watch e.g. our finances we put into place budgets and restraints, discipline our expenditure and invest our money wisely.
What can we do to make our life pleasing to Christ in the midst of constant demands from the sinful nature? “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law,” (Galatians 5:17, 18).
Because of sin it’s hard to live holy and separated for the Lord. Paul mentioned the same to both the Galatians and the Roman church in Romans 7:7-25 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%207:7-25&version=NIV1984. Because of this battle between the sinful nature and the Spirit we often don’t know where we stand. In Romans 7 Paul referred to his own battle in that way, so we all could identify with him to understand our problem.
How do we live by the Spirit so we don’t gratify the desires of the flesh? How do we watch our flesh in a practical way? An American Indian Christian had a good explanation. He said he had a white and a black wolf inside of him fighting one another. He’d discovered that the wolf he fed the most was the one who won. If we feed ourselves with worldly ideas, entertainment, comfort, lifestyle, conflict management, etc. we act like the world and the sinful nature will determine our conduct. If we, however, study the Word of God and decidedly live according to it, we are led by the Spirit.
How does it work in practice? “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ,” (Romans 10:17). As we read the Bible with the intention to hear from the Lord, He’ll give us revelation word, which will bring us faith. If we know God spoke to us it’s easier to believe, since we have what He told us to hold on to. Each revelation gives us faith for a specific area in our lives. E.g. years ago the Lord gave me Psalm 91:14-16 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2091:14-16&version=NIV1984. I’ve memorized it and every time I’m persecuted or fear, I quote it in prayer and without fail the Lord has protected me. Because the Lord has made this promise alive to me as His specific word for me - living word (rhema) as opposed to written word (logos) - it gave me faith.
When we were called to leave our country to serve the people of another country, I refused to move until the Lord has given me instruction through revelation word. As I was reading through the book of Isaiah at the time, He gave me a number of passages, which gave me sufficient faith that the Lord would back our move. We had tough times since, but I had that word the Lord gave me to fall back on. Recently the Lord gave me a very significant word as I read from Jeremiah, which I memorized. Subsequently I’ve experienced much discouragement, trouble and persecution, but I had that promise and encouragement to hold on to.
Walking by the Spirit is walking by faith and faith comes only through a word we’ve received from the Lord. The more we feed ourselves with the Word, the more the Lord will talk with us about how He’d like us to live and the less we’ll satisfy the sinful nature. Read your Bible daily with the expectation that the Holy Spirit will speak with you. Know your Bible well, for then the Holy Spirit can speak with you anytime through the Word living in you.
Lord, I’d like to hear from you. Please teach me how.
Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.
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