Walk In The Spirit! Part 5

[Rev. Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks, PsyD]

Walk In The Spirit! Part 5

If you try and walk in the Spirit and the flesh at the same time you become confused; double minded as James states in James 1:8. When you are double minded, you might live for God one day and decide the next you want to follow your fleshly desires; you are unsure who you are and who you want to serve – you even question whether you are saved at all at times!! James said a double minded man (and woman) is unstable in ALL their ways which includes, thinking, and behaving – “…a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]” – biblegateway.com – Amplified Bible.

Make up in your mind today that you will no longer do things your way but God’s way; let Jesus in your heart and let the Holy Spirit lead and guide you in the way God wants you to go!! The Holy Spirit is the One who causes you to have a successful Christian life. In order to be led by the Spirit you must be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) and to be filled with the Spirit is to be controlled by the Spirit – again, not do what you want to do!

Today, put off the old man (corruptible self – decide not to walk as you did before you accepted Christ as your personal Lord and Savior – if you don’t know Him, accept Him and get to know Him – Ephesians 4:17-22) and put on the new man (incorruptible self because of Jesus – He gave us His righteousness when He died for us and we accepted Him – when Jesus died we died with Him and when He was raised from the dead were also were raised with Jesus – we can live new lives because He lives in us – Ephesians 4:23-29; Romans 6:4; 7:6; 12:2).

Remember, this world is not our permanent home (Hebrews 13:14) so don’t build up treasures here on earth but build your treasures up in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20). John tells us in 1John 2:15-17:

^15-17 Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity – biblegateway.com – The Message Bible.

The world is not our friend – Jesus has called us out of the world; it loves it own!!! (John 15:19)

James 4:4-6 says: ^4-6 You’re cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it that “he’s a fiercely jealous lover.” And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble – Proverbs 3:34” – biblegateway.com – The Message Bible.

I pray as you read this message, you will listen to the voice of God and allow Him to do whatever needs to be done in you so you will be able to walk in the Spirit (allow the Holy Spirit to teach you, lead you and guide you in the things of God – reveal God’s will for your life) then and only then will you not fulfill the lusts of your flesh!

Here are the verses of Scripture from Romans 8:5-14 that I promised to add at the end of the message for you:

⁵ For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and ^[a^]pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and ^[b^]seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit.

⁶ Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that ^[c]comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].

⁷ [That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God’s Law; indeed it cannot.

⁸ So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him.

⁹ But you are not living the life of the flesh, you are living the life of the Spirit, if the [Holy] Spirit of God [really] dwells within you [directs and controls you]. But if anyone does not possess the [Holy] Spirit of Christ, he is none of His [he does not belong to Christ, is not truly a child of God].

¹⁰ But if Christ lives in you, [then although] your [natural] body is dead by reason of sin and guilt, the spirit is alive because of [the] righteousness [that He imputes to you].

¹¹ And if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, [then] He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also restore to life your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you.

¹² So then, brethren, we are debtors, but not to the flesh [we are not obligated to our carnal nature], to live [a life ruled by the standards set up by the dictates] of the flesh.

¹³ For if you live according to [the dictates of] the flesh, you will surely die. But if through the power of the [Holy] Spirit you are [habitually] putting to death (making extinct, deadening) the [evil] deeds prompted by the body, you shall [really and genuinely] live forever.

¹⁴ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

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May God bless you, your family and your ministry!

Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks