SCRIPTURE: Galatians (NIV) 5:16 This I say then, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” …
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law….
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
OBSERVATION: Removing sexual immorality, hatred, jealousy, fits of rage and other works of the flesh mentioned later in this chapter—removing these from our life cannot be accomplished by focusing on stopping them. Trying to convince myself that I really do not want to do something just does not work. Talking myself into being strong and resisting temptation is useless too. The only way to overcome the tendency of the flesh to succumb to temptation is to focus on what the Spirit is saying and doing.
Thoughts are like internal magnets that draw us to what we are thinking, either to do what the flesh wants, or to do what the Spirit wants.
APPLICATION: I must give up trying to win victory over the temptations in my own strength. It is when I walk in the Spirit that I do not gratify the desires of the flesh! It is when I set my thoughts on the presence of the Holy Spirit and what He is doing in my life that I do not yield to sinful temptations.
Instead of focusing on how bad sins is and how I really do not want to sin, and instead of focusing on what I should do to resist the temptation, I need to focus my thoughts on the Presence of the Holy Spirit, what He is saying to me, and what I can do to please Him. The Holy Spirit will be focusing our ears to hear the Word and our eyes to see Jesus. Listening to and obeying the Holy Spirit assures us of victory.
PRAYER: Lord, thank you for your Holy Spirit who lives in me, walks with me, and talks to me. You knew I would need help in overcoming the temptations around me. In your wisdom, you gave me your Spirit who refocuses my attention away from what I do not want to do. And He focuses my thought on what I can do in order to please you. Amen
Pastor Leon
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