Make War
1 John 2:15-17
15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
You hear so much about how people can’t help how they are and that they had to do what was best for them. And usually that thing that is best for them is sinful in the eyes of God. Some of us wish to have compassion on them and wish to excuse their sin. It’s weird because we don’t want anyone to judge us of our sins but we all seek someone to forgive us and make us feel at peace about our living in sin. (please read Romans 1) We don’t run to God about our sins because we already know where God stands about our sins; please read Romans 1! If this approach doesn’t work, we try to tell God what lust is and what is really a sin. We try to say that its not a lust its love and since God is love; He should be cool with it. After this we try to play the victim and act as if we are powerless against sin. At this point we have committed the greatest sin which is to deny the power and redemptive work of Christ on the cross. At this point you say that God is powerless and that you can’t have victory over the sin in your life! Paul tells us to put on your war clothes and prepare for battle(Ephesians 6:10-17). Don’t make excuses for the sin in your life thus giving Satan a foot hold. It shouldn’t be that easy for you to make more room in your heart to sin against God.
Merriam-Webster definition. lust: 1. a: pleasure, delight b: personal inclination: wish 2. intense or unbridled sexual desire: lasciviousness 3. a: intense longing: craving <a lust to succeed> b: enthusiasm, eagerness <admired his lust for life>
inclination 5. A leaning or tendency of the mind, feelings, preferences, or will; propensity; a disposition more favorable to one thing than to another; favor; desire; love.
You have to want to do better you have to be willing to face the fact that what we are doing does not please God. Our sin pushing us away from God; the God that sent His son to die on the cross for sin. He did this in order that we may have a relationship with God the Father. It like getting all of you bills paid off and getting stable financially. Now you have security and you get to proud and don’t humble yourself; so you find yourself back in the hole then try to blame Him for giving you liberty/Grace. This is not being a legalistic but about being real about who your master is. If we really loved God we would not make excuses for our sins nor would we dwell in them. If we are in Christ we wouldn’t deny Christ’s victory over sin in us as we have the Holy Spirit. Maybe some of us are not ready to give up the world? Maybe some of us like sin and wish not to fight against our flesh? Maybe we would rather just deny Christ and go back to our old lives. Luke 9:62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Yes that sounds harsh but it is my Lord’s words not my own. What kind of person says; I love my father and mother and disrespects them? What kind of person says, I love my brother and sister and turns their back on them? What kind of person says, I love my wife or my husband and then betrays them? What would you say about that person? So what do you call a man who says I will serve my country as a solider and fight and defend our beliefs, law, and way of life. And then on the battlefield turns and run or joins the enemy? We are soliders, let us make war against the enemy. Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. Make War!
Romans 6:12-18
12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Romans 13:12-14
12The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
James 4
1From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?2Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Commentary on James 4:1-17
Since all wars and fightings come from the corruptions of our own hearts, it is right to mortify those lusts that war in the members. Worldly and fleshly lusts are distempers, which will not allow content or satisfaction. Sinful desires and affections stop prayer, and the working of our desires toward God. And let us beware that we do not abuse or misuse the mercies received, by the disposition of the heart when prayers are granted When men ask of God prosperity, they often ask with
wrong aims and intentions. If we thus seek the things of this world, it is just in God to deny them. Unbelieving and cold desires beg denials; and we may be sure that when prayers are rather the language of lusts than of graces, they will return empty. Here is a decided warning to avoid all criminal friendships with this world. Worldly-mindedness is enmity to God. An enemy may be reconciled, but to �enmity to � never can be reconciled. A man may have a large portion in things of this life, and yet be kept in the love of God; but he who sets his heart upon the world, who will conform to it rather than lose its friendship, is an enemy to God. So that any one who resolves at all events to be upon friendly terms with the world, must be the enemy of God. Did then the Jews, or the loose professors of Christianity, think the Scripture spake in vain against this worldly-mindedness? or does the Holy Spirit who dwells in all Christians, or the new nature which he creates, produce such fruit?
Natural corruption shows itself by envying. The spirit of the world teaches us to lay up, or lay out for ourselves, according to our own fancies; God the Holy Spirit teaches us to be willing to do good to all about us, as we are able. The grace of God will correct and cure the spirit by nature in us; and where he gives grace, he gives another spirit than that of the world. The proud resist God: in their understanding they resist the truths of God; in their will they resist the laws of God; in
their passions they resist the providence of God; therefore, no wonder that God resists the proud. How wretched the state of those who make God their enemy! God will give more grace to the humble, because they see their need of it, pray for it are thankful for it, and such shall have it. Submit to God, ver. #(7). Submit your understanding to the truth of God; submit your wills to the will of his precept, the will of his providence. Submit yourselves to
God, for he is ready to do you good. If we yield to temptations, the devil will continually follow us; but if we put on the whole armour of God, and stand out against him, he will leave us. Let sinners then submit to God, and seek his grace and favour; resisting the devil. All sin must be wept over; here, in godly sorrow, or, hereafter, in eternal misery. And the Lord will not refuse to comfort one who really mourns for sin, or to exalt one who humbles himself before him.
God bless you & may the Holy Spirit lead you
Rev. W. R. Martin Jr.
visit me at: https://anointedplace.wordpress.com
email me at: revroymartin@gmail.com
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