Many times, I have heard sincere remarks by fellow believers regarding the lack of power in our lives. We talk about the great moves of God in the past. Revivals where the power of God was so great that people were healed, the dead were raised up and jails and bars in town were empty because all were saved. God has been leading me down a path lately, showing me the truth of our lack of power.... You can own the finest sports car and fill it with the highest octane gasoline, but if you pour water in the tank along with that gasoline you will have no power! There is too much mixture in our lives. We hold the world's measuring stick up to ourselves and believe we're living right. Instead we should be holding God's Word up to our lives and realizing just how far we are from measuring up to God's standard. Those of us who grew up in a "holiness" and/or "legalistic" church background have run from that type of outward holiness. We have shown the world that we can live, dress and act like them and still love God. But there is a rubber band called the Holy Spirit which we are stretching to the limit with our greasy grace philosophy that is about to snap. When that "snaps" we will sail on, untethered, out into the world. The holiness God wants isn't an outward holiness, but an inward holiness. As Joyce Meyer has shown us, it is a battle in our minds.
There is power in purity...in living a holy sanctified life. But today, that is looked on as radical, extreme thinking because our churches and the people in them are so diluted with the world. I have been a carnal Christian and I know that the thought of living my life by God's Word seems impossible. I also know that living life as a carnal Christian is powerless. When we are being controlled by the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh or the pride of life we are disconnected from our true power source. If Satan can occupy our minds with our sin of choice, he can separate us from God. The whole time I was "out there", living life by my flesh--even though I was saved,loved God and served Him in all the areas I CHOSE to--I never heard His voice. He went silent... well, we know He didn't go silent. I just turned off my receiver! When I repented and sincerely began seeking Him for my life, I started hearing Him again... at an increased pace and sense of urgency! It seems that He is trying to catch me up!
I am reading "The Prophetic Promise of the Seventh Day" by Bruce D. Allen. Here is a quote from that book... "Remember the question we used to ask as new believers, 'can the devil read your mind?' In the realm of the spirit, when you walk in unbelief and disobedience; when you are outside of rest and habitually wallow in these things, a fragrance is released in the realm of the spirit. If you are in faith, it will be a sweet-smelling savor to the Lord. However, if we are open to sin, the fragrance is a repugnant stench that draws demons from miles around. It is like a magnet to them or like flies to a kill"
That quote confirms a dream God gave me recently about sexual sin. Sin--especially sexual sin (because it is not only a sin against God, but also a sin against the temple of the Holy Spirit) is death. The image God showed me was dead flesh inside, crawling with maggots. When we truly repent God removes that dead flesh and maggots and restores the living flesh. We can become whole and healthy again through Him.
Do you really want God's power working in your life? Get real with yourself... what is your "pet" sin--the one sin you just can't bear to kill. Is it a lust of the eye, a lust of the flesh or pride of life? That "pet" sin is so hard to kill...but what you get in its place is worth the cost!
I leave you with this scripture:
I John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Be blessed... Arlene
There is power in purity...in living a holy sanctified life. But today, that is looked on as radical, extreme thinking because our churches and the people in them are so diluted with the world. I have been a carnal Christian and I know that the thought of living my life by God's Word seems impossible. I also know that living life as a carnal Christian is powerless. When we are being controlled by the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh or the pride of life we are disconnected from our true power source. If Satan can occupy our minds with our sin of choice, he can separate us from God. The whole time I was "out there", living life by my flesh--even though I was saved,loved God and served Him in all the areas I CHOSE to--I never heard His voice. He went silent... well, we know He didn't go silent. I just turned off my receiver! When I repented and sincerely began seeking Him for my life, I started hearing Him again... at an increased pace and sense of urgency! It seems that He is trying to catch me up!
I am reading "The Prophetic Promise of the Seventh Day" by Bruce D. Allen. Here is a quote from that book... "Remember the question we used to ask as new believers, 'can the devil read your mind?' In the realm of the spirit, when you walk in unbelief and disobedience; when you are outside of rest and habitually wallow in these things, a fragrance is released in the realm of the spirit. If you are in faith, it will be a sweet-smelling savor to the Lord. However, if we are open to sin, the fragrance is a repugnant stench that draws demons from miles around. It is like a magnet to them or like flies to a kill"
That quote confirms a dream God gave me recently about sexual sin. Sin--especially sexual sin (because it is not only a sin against God, but also a sin against the temple of the Holy Spirit) is death. The image God showed me was dead flesh inside, crawling with maggots. When we truly repent God removes that dead flesh and maggots and restores the living flesh. We can become whole and healthy again through Him.
Do you really want God's power working in your life? Get real with yourself... what is your "pet" sin--the one sin you just can't bear to kill. Is it a lust of the eye, a lust of the flesh or pride of life? That "pet" sin is so hard to kill...but what you get in its place is worth the cost!
I leave you with this scripture:
I John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Be blessed... Arlene
RSS Feed
