We know it is not right to watch any inappropriate videos. There is a voice that tells it is wrong to watch it. But we end up watching it since we could not resist it. We do not want to spend money to buy expensive items that are beyond our budget. But we gently take our credit card and end up swiping it. Many times in our lives we do what we do not want to do in our life. It could be an obsession we want to run away from, ugly words we want to stop uttering, a secret & hidden habit no one knows, or a perpetual sinful thought that we do not want to indulge in, but we end up doing exactly what we don’t want to do. Dear friend, are you doing what you do not want to do? Do you want to have control over the decisions you want to make?
Why do we do what we don’t want to do?
When we know what we are planning to do is wrong, why do we go ahead? There is always a contradiction between the sinful nature that arises from the flesh and the conviction that comes from the Holy Spirit. If you do not know what is Holy Spirit, do not worry. We have guidance on how to receive the Holy Spirit from God. The Bible says, “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever you want.” We make the right choice when we choose to obey the Holy Spirit. We end up making the wrong choices when we yield to the desires of a sinful nature. The Holy Spirit within us always convicts and corrects us against the desires of the flesh. This will lead to two opposite thoughts in our minds. The desires of the flesh which will lead to sinful nature will never guide us to make the right choices. The Holy Spirit never guides us to make wrong choices.
Our mind is in a constant battle between the sinful nature within our flesh and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. In our everyday life, we can choose to be on the side of the Holy Spirit and allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives.
Consequences of Sinful nature controlling our life
All humanity has freedom of choice. We have the right to make our own choices. By default, our sinful nature within our flesh tempts us to make choices against the standards set by God. It convinces and tries to control our minds. But when we allow the natural tendency of sin to control our minds, we make the wrong choices. The Bible says, ” Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things. Letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death“
The sinful nature plants a seed in us that produces the fruits of evil. The Bible gives a sample list of the fruits that are the outcome of sinful nature.
“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.“
Consequences of the Holy Spirit controlling our life
When we ask forgiveness for our past mistakes and fully repent from our past mistakes, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit into our life. Jesus on the night before His crucifixion gathered His disciples and said, “It is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate (Holy Spirit) won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he (Holy Spirit) will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.” Jesus spent over three years with His disciples. It was time to leave and say goodbye to them. He was going to be crucified the next day, and He will no longer stay with them physically. But Jesus promised to send a helper, the Holy Spirit, who can guide them and be with them forever.
When we confess our past and repent from our mistakes, the Holy Spirit comes into our life. Do you want to know how to confess your past mistakes, you can read them here =>
He lives with us. He teaches us about good and bad, right and wrong. If we allow the Holy Spirit to control our life, He transforms our life. If we fully allow him to be our king and shun our sinful nature, we will see the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says, “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Let’s classify our aim, purpose, motives, and every thought that is in our life as flesh vs spirit. Those who originate from our sinful nature be classified as flesh. Those who originate from the Holy Spirit and align with the Bible be classified as Spirit. Purposefully and intentionally, let’s learn to ignore the thoughts which originate from sinful nature and follow the ones which originate from the spirit.
Someone might say those sinful thoughts are so irresistible. I cannot come out of it. In this case, we don’t have to be obsessed with it. Let’s seek the help of the Holy Spirit when we can not overcome the flesh. Bring all the habits and thoughts to the control of the Holy Spirit. Let’s ask Him to free us with a humble heart. He is our heavenly father and a wonderful comforter. He will surely free us and give us the ability to hate the habits which are wrong and flee from them.
Let’s pray the below prayer in our own words. Wherever you are right now, please humble your heart and start praying to Jesus.
Dear Jesus, I end up doing what I don’t want to do. I could not come out of past mistakes. Today I learned I should consciously give control of my life to Holy Spirit. I want to flee from my sinful nature. I want to ignore and hate the desires of the flesh. I want to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Help me to control my mind. Please, once again, forgive my past mistakes. I want to be your child. Jesus, you have won all the battles over sin at the cross. I don’t have to lose any battle when I abide in you. Please help me to hate the desires of my flesh. By my king and my God forever. I want to be your child. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Dear friend, as you allow the Holy Spirit to control your life, your life will change. You will not make the same mistakes as you did in the past. The Holy Spirit will help you and give you the power to overcome all the past.
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