WAR OF THE WORLDS – Day 2

Get Honest – Not Defeated

Paul said, For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. Romans 7:18 (ESV)

What did Paul do? Paul got honest but he didn’t do what many of us do; he didn’t let it defeat him. When we understand that there really is not any good thing in us, we’ve finally moved to a place where our thinking will have the opportunity to become the wisdom of God rather than our own. Admitting we’re confused is different from taking an honest evaluation of your thoughts and motives. An honest evaluation can move us to freedom, if we don’t allow it to defeat us.

So here’s realization #2: Victory comes only through an honest evaluation of the truth about us and the truth about God. What is the truth about us? WE CAN’T! What’s the truth about God? HE CAN! So what do we do about it? All this honest evaluation can do is to bring us to a morbid end if there is not an answer to our plight. Here is how our daily journey will be changed:
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. Galatians 5:16 (NLT)

Therein is the battle! Either your sinful (old) nature will have first place or the Holy Spirit will have first place through your spiritual (new) nature, but not both. This is either/or, but never both. To better understand and know which nature you’re empowering, take a moment today and read the following passage on the war we're engaged in:
Galatians 5:16-26.

Honestly, God makes us holy by forgiving our sin; making us innocent before Him. That’s something only He can do. Then we are able to, through the power of the Spirit who lives within us, become a fruitful vine and produce the fruit of the Spirit (v22-23). Why?

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Galatians 5:24 (NLT)

Remember this: It’s not a struggle, its surrender. It’s what we focus on.

We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew that later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side of God's throne! Hebrews 12:2 (CEV)

Keep your eyes on Jesus – you’ll be glad you did!

Tomorrow – Part 3 Failed Testimonies