1Pt 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beg you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against your soul
Rm 8.13 For if you live according to your temporal desires/flesh, you will die (deprived of dominion): but if you through the Spirit do put to death/render extinct the deeds of the body, you shall live (exercise dominion)
I. What we get if we follow our will/desires: Darkness of Deception
Rm 6:21 What fruit have you in those things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
Temporal Desires are: dark, incessant, embarrassing, uncontrollable (not quiet), limiting, deceptive & dangerous lies
Passions promise pleasure but deliver illusion and addiction. They’re meant to serve us, but we wind up serving them, going from “shut up” to seduced, settling for a cheap and unsatisfying substitute; Lust vs Love.
So we run or limp away and hide, excluding ourselves from the solution.
1Pt 4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us[a] in the flesh, arm yourselves wit h the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the pagans when we walked in unrestrained behavior, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
II. Do's & Don'ts of Dying to Self
Gal 5:24 they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections & lusts.
Lk 9:23 Jesus said to all, if anyone will come after me, let him deny himself, & take up his cross daily, & follow me
Misconceptions and False Excuses: 1. Problems go away w/o killing them; 2. Must feel a certain way to obey;
3. Must “consider it” (Discussing is doing); 4. Timetable to break with sin; 5. Gradual process best; 6. No conseq to lengthy lingering; 7. Can have both worlds; 8. God would do it w/o our permission/request; 9. Can have gain w/o pain; 10. Can manage it ourselves; 11. Unnatural to be self-controlled; 12. Try=do, like=commit to.
Decide to believe (by faith) the truth that you are dead to sin and alive to God Rm 6:11 Likewise reckon yourselves to be
dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in you 2Pt 1:5; 1Thess 4:1-7)
Extinguish desire through 1) Envisioning consequences; 2) Examining motives & the sin process then 3) EXIT at e first sign.
Rm 6:19-21; 8:13 Col 3:5 Mortify Js 1:14 tempted, when drawn away by his own lust, enticed. 15 embraced..sin..death
Admit sin, Name it (sin) and Claim it (forgiveness) in your journey lJn 1:8-9 If we confess our sins...forgive+cleanse from all
Don't slip back but do the new thing ... to the point of shedding blood [See: Accountability Relationships] Heb 12:4 Rm 8:18
Align your Thinking, values, feelings, and actions with the Word of God and Will of the Spirit then ACT AS IF
Jn 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. Rm 6:17, 8:14, 12:1-2
Live Soundmindedly (purposefully & objectively) as you pursue holiness with others who call upon the Lord 2Tim 2:21-22
Imagine & Ingrain the correct attitudes & behavior by thinking & prayer Jos 1:8 meditate for the purpose of obeying Php 4:8 .
Value Holiness and the blessing (reward) of God above all else Rm 6:18,22 Col 3:1-2 Set affection above, not on the earth.
Expect God to work through others and trials to produce in you the character and actions of His Son Ro 8:28-29, 32
III. What we get if we follow God's will/desires: Delight of Deliverance
Jn 8:32 Truth will set you free
Rm 8:21 creation itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Road to glory; Passions/emotions obey our will; Victory must be maintained; Satan left Jesus for another try Lk 4
Col 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and dishonorable words from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.12 PUT ON…
Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response: - Why doesn’t God just clean up our lives after we’re saved (justified/forgiven)? Why does He “let” us sin?
- Why are we content to eek out a meager existence on the fringe of the abundant life rather than feast at God’s banquet?
- How do you know if you’re being deceived? How do you know if you’re doing God’s will or your own will?
- What desires do you need to kill? What are they preventing you from enjoying? How will you do it? When?
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