WHICH IS STRONGER, GOD’S POWER OR YOUR FLESH?
“(We) are kept by the power of God through faith” (See I Peter 1:5). Do you have faith God’s mighty power can keep you from ALL sin this day? Remember He “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20). Do you have the HOLY Spirit’s power working in your or not? If you do, then the tempters power is broken! Finally you can say, “NO!” to every temptation, every lust, every sin!!! Many are alienated from the life of God, a life of continuous victory over sin because of the doctrines that foster spiritual defeat being taught from the pulpits across the land. Multitudes are told, “When God looks at you, believer, all He can see is the righteousness of Christ!” They are further told, “All your good deeds and good works are viewed as filthy rags in God’s sight!” Oh, they have scripture they are certain that supports their view, but they are perverted scriptures, scriptures ripped from the context in which they were written or uttered.
Paul urged the Ephesian congregation, “Sin not….neither give place to the devil” (See Ephesians 4:26-27). Each and every time a believer sins they have momentarily given place to the devil to soil their spotless garments and hold them under his sway. Then Paul goes on to say they have also grieved the Holy Spirit. (See verse 3, Ephesians 4). Do you really think the best God has in store for His faithful sons and daughters is a life that continually grieves the Holy Spirit and falls prey to Satan’s temptations day in and day out???!!
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” (Philippians 4:13). Should there be a caveat, or qualification, tacked on to that statement, “I can do all things EXCEPT STOP SINNING through Christ who strengthens me?” “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, BUT MIGHTY THROUGH GOD TO THE PULLING DOWN OF STRONG HOLDS, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, AND BRINGING INTO CAPTIVITY EVERY THOUGHT TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Yes, EVERY THOUGHT!
Jesus said, “That which comes out of the man, that defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart (the mind) of men, proceed EVIL THOUGHTS, adulteries, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things (i.e., thoughts) come from within and defile the man.” (See Mark 7:20-23). That is WHY we must allow our Lord, through the Holy Spirit’s power, to deliver us from every evil thought. If we do not, they will spiritually defile us, leaving us unfit for service to the Lord and hindering our prayers. And most usually this is not accomplished except by prayer and fasting and crying out to God for strength in the battle against the flesh! “Seek the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts…” (See Isaiah 55:6-7)
.”According to your faith be it unto you!” (Matthew 9:29). If you are convinced God cannot cleanse your thought life, your mind, or that He cannot or will not keep you from all sin, then He won’t. He can’t, because He only operates in the arena of faith, and you are sitting in the bleachers of the arena of doubt. The Lord doesn’t go there. We must step over to His square. He does not come over to ours. God help you to understand is my prayer.
Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley