1 Thessalonians 4:3, ‘For this is the will of God, your sanctification;’
Whatever we do, do it in such a way that it pleases the Lord. It is shown even in the attitude that we have when we are preparing for the exam, in the way we speak to others, while we are preparing for our exams, how we react to others, in everything; we can have the peace of God, even when we are preparing for the exams and we will not be anxious – this is the will of God for us. In everything, there is a task and there is a difficulty and there’s also God’s way in going through it. We always find ourselves seeking God, when we face difficult circumstances, whether it is with a difficult boss or a cranky child; but the temptation that we have in that circumstance, should lead us to seek God.
Romans 8:12-14, ‘So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God’.
We need to be ready to die to our ‘self’. Do not go into condemnation by trying to discover the un-Christlike nature but let the Holy Spirit convict us by showing it. Holy Spirit shows us the heart of Jesus. He is fighting our battles. He will take us forward. When we find ourselves that we are not progressing spiritually, that is the time we let go of ourselves and let God in.
When a fight is going on, we do not know who is winning, why is it getting dragged for so long, we get confused; but if we let God fight our battles and let God take control over our battles, we do not have to worry about anything. We do know the final result about who is winning! We should let our Lord Jesus fight our battles through us. We should not allow our flesh and its cravings have any place in our battles.
Galatians 5:16-26, ‘But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another’.
In our Christian walk, we do not bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit, right away; which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. When the Lord Jesus works patiently in our hearts, eventually we will bear the fruit of the Spirit. As we wait, we need not be discouraged. We need to grow up to the level where we are bearing fruit, not for ourselves but for God. Holy Spirit will show us the un-Christlike nature to us each day, little by little. Our spouse, friends and colleagues also sometimes give us feedback on us.
Romans 7:14, ‘For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 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. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25 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’.
Colossians 3:2, ‘Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory’.
We need to set our minds on the things above, so that our minds will be renewed every day so that we can recognize the law of God and seek to follow Him. We also have the law of sin working in our flesh; if we choose to follow the way of Jesus and with our mind, we choose Jesus and let His will be done in our lives; as this is the will of God for us – our sanctification.
Praise God.
