Keep in Step!
by Daniel Carandang
The world is always out to dare us.
There's just too much of the hustling and the bustling everywhere that we are being prodded to do something in order to prove ourselves.
To prove what we're made of.
If we're going to be honest, it's quite hard being a Christian in a world such as ours. We keep on forgetting that we are set apart and we should not be one with this world because we are in Christ. Paul reminds us in Galatians 4:4-7:
4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.[a] 6 And because we[b] are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”[c] 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child.[d] And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.
We shouldn't be living for ourselves. As Children of God, we should set our priorities straight. Do things out of love for Him rather than for His love.
But- reality check:
We experience temptations everyday. Without fail.
We can't help but peek at our neighbor's paper during exams or talk about the latest gossip in school or just plainly think lustfully about this pretty girl.
Our sinful nature causes us to fail God.
But we shouldn't lose hope!
With proper determination, we should aim for the possible: not sinless, but to sin LESS every day. God wants us to overcome our sinful natures with the help of the Holy Spirit.
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
Galatians 5:16
The Holy Spirit guides us with the rights and wrongs of life. It's up to us if we're going to take heed of what He says or choose to play deaf.
13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
Galatians 5:13
We were called for FREEDOM, friends. Freedom to live this life to the full. But Paul reminds us to be wise in using this freedom. We have this tendency to abuse the freedom we are given by partying till the end of the world, drinking to our hearts' contents and just living life as we want it to be.
No, guys!
We shouldn't be stuck in the sinful nature because of our wrong image of freedom. Satan uses this wrong view and persuades us to do the exact opposite of what God wants.
17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
Galatians 5:17
There are two forces constantly at battle within us: sinful nature vs. the Holy Spirit.
We're often caught in the middle of these two when we're faced with temptations.
For example, the usual question during exams: TO CHEAT OR NOT TO CHEAT?
If you did not study for the exam because you spent the hours yesterday on computer games or unlimited social networking, you know you're facing a big fat zero. But since you don't want that, you have this option to cheat. That's what your sinful nature prods you to do.
But, if you accepted Christ, this isn't easy.
There's this heaviness inside, the feeling that just won't go away, consistently reminding you of how wrong cheating is. There's an inward struggle.
That's the Holy Spirit reminding you.
Ever heard of the virus named TAXOPLASMA?
Taxoplasma is a virus found in the bowel wastes of cats.
You see, the cat's favorite prey, mice, can have this tendency to eat the cat's poop containing the virus. The taxoplasma then affects the brain of the mouse causing the part responsible for fear to manufacture feelings of pleasure instead. So, the mouse, who is naturally afraid of cats, falls in love with their predators.
And when that happens,
They gain a one-way ticket towards death.
The same applies to sin. SIN can twist our heads if we entertain it. We are drawn towards something we should hate. Sin overhauls itself, making itself look pleasurable to us. We get deceived! When we allow ourselves to be deceived, we're too late and we fall towards the consequences.
As long as we are alive, Satan will be always out to get us. We will continue to struggle with our sinful nature, unless we learn to fight.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Galatians 5:16 (NIV)
WALK in the original text means to LIVE.
Live in the Spirit!
Life is like a roller coaster: Unpredictable and unstable. There's tons of ups and downs. Sometimes you're high in the faith, happy and content, other times you're discouraged and you lose hope in God. Life can be happy yet at the same time, it can also break your heart.
The Holy Spirit should serve as our spiritual GPS, meant to guide us towards the RIGHT DIRECTION.
When life get's tough, it's time to just pause and practice SPIRITUAL BREATHING.
How does one breathe spiritually?
EXHALE
- acknowledge your sins
- acknowledge the fact that it's only God who could forgive you through the power of the Cross
- repent; promise to never do that sin again
INHALE
- surrender the control of your life to the Holy Spirit
There are also Christians who know a lot about God, the Bible and the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, all they know is just stuck in their heads but no FRUIT or results. Their life does not bear any evidence of the Holy Spirit's guidance. It's just plain head knowledge.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
A life lead by the Holy Spirit showcases the fruit of its labor as written above by Paul.
Keeping in step with the Spirit should be a way of life. If we are in Him, then we walk by His Spirit.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Galatians 5:24-25
Don't miss out on what God has to offer! Keep in step!
Written by Ashley Bernadette Petallano (c) 2013
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