TUESDAY 6TH OCTOBER, 2020
Focus Scripture: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” – Galatians 5: 16
Admonition
I bring you greetings from the Throne of Grace in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Yesterday, the Holy Spirit set us off very well on this study by making us understand that the fruits we are to bear and manifest, according to Jesus Christ, are of Him and He is of Christ and Christ is of God, the Father.
Today, we are called to walk in the Spirit. We will bring up some Scripture to drive this home to us for a clearer understanding. In Genesis 22, Abraham was led to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, whom he loved, and being a man of the Spirit, he didn’t argue or struggle at all with that divine decision. Rather, he took off immediately to do as divinely directed. In Genesis 39, Joseph was tempted to exchange the palace for five-to-ten minutes on the laps of Potiphar, but being a man of the Spirit, he declined and flee the scene. In Daniel 1, Daniel and his three friends also declined the King's delicacies. Hebrews 11: 24 says that Moses despised the throne of Pharaoh and forbade that he be called a prince of Egypt; rather, he elected to suffer with God’s people. In Acts 4: 1 – 20, Peter boldly refused the human command that contradicted what God had ordained them to do. In Matthew 26, buoyed by the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ saw the enormous cruelty and wickedness that was to befell Him, yet, He didn’t opt-out.
In all the above examples, one thing stood out: the war between the flesh and the Spirit of God. The book of Galatians 5: 17 says, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” The nature of the flesh, otherwise known as “the old man” is to crave things that are directly opposed to by the Spirit of God. For example, it makes no provisions for spiritual exercises like Bible study, fasting, prayer, and the likes. However, it is always at the forefront activities such as chatting, sleeping, partying and the likes are to be attended to.
The book of Mark 7: 22, 2 Corinthians 12: 21, Galatians 5: 19 – 21, Ephesians 4: 19, 1 Peter 4: 3 and Jude 1: 4 mention some of these things often craved by the flesh which are contrary to the desires of God and His Spirit for us. Most often, we are aware of these things, but we are always unwilling to deny the flesh because we either believe “God understands” or we are, unlike Peter and John (Acts 4), more disposed to displeasing in order to man because of some of our pecuniary sentiments. This happens even to those of us who say we are workers in His Vineyard. How often we disregard the laws of God in order to please and court the favours of our G.Os, founders and elders of our denominations and congregations!
As we close this morning, walking in the Spirit simply means ensuring that our spiritual antennae are always, and I mean, ALWAYS, tuned to the heavenly frequency. This becomes very easy and simple when we heed the call of Colossians 3: 2 which admonishes thus: “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” By so setting our affections, we would be able to do away with the desires of the flesh, thus making walking in the Spirit very easy. Walking in the Spirit also implies allowing Him to drive and direct our lives. Yes, there are people who make people around them believe, via their religious activities, that the driver of their lives is the Spirit of God, (and because they are making successes are getting deluded), but they themselves are the directors because they always dictate where they want Him to drive them to. To such people, there is nothing like “nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matthew 26: 39 – 42). Brethren, the truth is that people with this kind of disposition may never bear the required fruits of the Spirit required for FINISHING STRONG because “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14: 12, 16: 25).
Till tomorrow when we shall meet again on this beautiful journey of FINISHING STRONG together, please, keep keeping on in Him!
N. B. We will like to welcome your feedback, either by way of comments under each daily devotional or as a private message. You could reach us through bwgospelministries@yahoo.comor via 07064694037. Please, feel free to ask any questions or add to what the Holy Spirit daily dish out to us, remember, “iron sharpeneth iron.”
Jesus loves you!