Have you every prayed to God asking him to deliver you from “This” or remove “that” from your life? Yet, the next week you are still doing that very thing you asked God to take away?
Lord, please remove me from this toxic relationship because I know it is unhealthy and you are not in the center. A few days later, you run into that person at the store. You are reminded of your attraction and instantly become flooded with lust and temptation. They ask you out for dinner and you agree, forgetting about your prayers days before.
Lord, please deliver me from drinking as I want to be of sober mind and make my temple a holy place for your dwelling. A few days later, you find yourself having car trouble, arguing with your spouse and you found out you didn’t get that promotion you were expecting… so you choose to pick up that bottle of alcohol instead of picking up your bible?
In these examples, we are reminded how human we truly are. Yes, we can pray and ask God for his help to overcome worldly desires but we have to be reminded that we are sinful by nature. Although you may want to do good, evil will always be right there with you. In romans chapter 7, Paul writes “For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! [Romans 7:21-25].
What is likely to happen is you will begin to feel convicted. Your Spirit is telling you “Hey, I know you want to do this but it is not of God” while your flesh is screaming “yes, more!” This is a spiritual battle between The Flesh and The Spirit. Apostle Paul says it best when he reminds us of this constant battle between the mind and the heart. Paul writes “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” [Romans 7:18-20].
Today, I encourage you to be reminded of what you are capable and incapable of doing. Do not dwell on your sins but instead rejoice in salvation! God doesn’t want you feeling guilt or shame because of your poor choices, instead he wants you to come to Him in repentance for He already knows that you are sinful by nature. The only way for you to be filled with godly desires is to ask the source, GOD! You are not condemned for your actions. You have already been forgiven. While others may judge and point fingers at you, God is waiting for you with open arms. His grace is sufficient. His love is unconditional. He loves you for you, not for what you can or cannot do. Be reminded of whose you are! You are set free from the sins of slavery and have been made right through Jesus Christ.