An Enemy Within

We have an enemy within. We should not underestimate that enemy. Our flesh foolishly wants to quench and grieve the Holy Spirit. It wants to walk in its own lusts. It wants its own will rather than God*s will. It wants to be mixed up with the world and Satan. It does not want to pray. It does not want to study the Bible. It does not want to seek the Kingdom of God first. It does not want to serve God. It does not want to be part of a Biblical church. It wants to serve itself rather than God. The number of ways our flesh can mistrust and disobey the Lord is almost endless.

Romans 7:18: For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Blessedly the Holy Spirit is more powerful than our flesh.

Romans 8:13: For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Galatians 5:16: This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

You may be able to find a few sins listed in Colossians 3 that you are not guilty of but it only takes one to offend our holy and righteous Creator. I have committed and been forgiven for many of them. The Colossians 3 list: Fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, covetousness, idolatry, disobedience, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication and lie not.

The Holy Spirit wants to and CAN replace all of those things with the things on the list below.

Colossians 3:12: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

1 Corinthians 10:13: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

I am so glad that God CAN AND DOES work His will in and through in us.

Philippians 2:13: For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Luke 11:13: If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Care to discuss Enemy Within, An with Ron?

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