An elder brother in Christ once told us that in all his christian life when he sees something he doesn't like inside his heart then he spends two to three days in fasting and praying and it goes away.
Luke 18:27, "...The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
The Lord has provided the means to fight the lust of the flesh.
-- Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Stop letting the flesh and its lust drive the bus. When the flesh rises up, take back control of your thoughts, quote a verse. I have found for me all that is needed is to repeat a few times: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty.
-- Revelation 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
-- Isaiah 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
(I do not suppose that there is anyway of applying BOLD or Italic text in the comments and responses?)
Amen, the Lord has given us advice how to avoid getting into a risky situation. I often do something similar to what you do, I stop thinking a bad thought or think about something else, or even do something that keeps my mind busy and away from a bad thought or pray and give praise to God. Some other brothers in such cases ask for Jesus' Blood or think of verses from the scriptures that are against such thoughts or desires.
These are human efforts to protect ourselves and can be very successful. What I meant in my post is that we often rely on our own human efforts and avoid going to God for help. We avoid asking for His grace to guard us in our daily lives. There are cases that we are completely incapable of resisting to something. As an example a bad desire or a bad feeling for someone. Or an incapability to forgive someone who hurt me. So what do I do in a case that my efforts are not enough to keep me holy?
The answer to all that is that is that I succeed through God's grace. The purpose of fasting and praying is to ask strongly God for providing us His grace and help us. Fasting and praying are the strong weapons of a christian in his war against his enemies. An enemy can be myself, my own desires.
There is the example of Jesus going to the wilderness in the beginning of His ministry. The scriptures say that He entered the wilderness full of the Holy Spirit and after 40 days of fasting and praying He went out filled "with the power of the Spirit". Fasting and praying provides christians with God's power.
In my christian life I have come across two cases of christians claiming that the presence of the Spirit is so strong in them that nothing can affect them. Not for a day or two but for months and years. I believe them because I know them. They are serious people. I believe that when a christian is serious about his salvation and his relation with God then God is also serious with him.
(We can not write in bold or italics as far as I know)
-- Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but **be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,** that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Having trouble with sinful or lustful thoughts, it is due to having the desire to follow the flesh, being a babe in Christ. We have to mature by renewing our thoughts and desires. Men have freewill of desire, inclination, passion, aspirations, motivations, intentions, likes, dislikes, loves, hatreds. what we would like to do or would do if we could get away with it. We have the power to direct, command, our hearts and put down the flesh. We have to change those desires through our love and knowledge of the Lord. "The love of Christ constraineth us;" 2 Cor 5:14. This is done through the knowledge of God's word through the reading and diligent study of the Bible; "Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me."
To the chagrin of some, the Lord does not change our freewill desires, we have to. We have to arm ourselves with the weapons to do so, the word of God, growing in faith and understanding. There are things that come with salvation that we have no control over, others we not only have control but the responsibility for. From Romans 12 through the rest of Pau's writings, 90% of what he says it telling us what we are to do and not do: how to act, talk, dress, wear our hair, what to think, etc. Our Christian life is under our control and guided by our heart's desires. The Devil does not make us do anything, he plays to our desires. It is our responsibility to command our hearts to follow the Spirit within us rather than the lust of the flesh.
One thing we must control is our emotions. They must be guided by the Spirit and truth and not the lust of the flesh. There are many things we get wrong due to wrongly directed emotions, fleshy emotions instead of led by the Spirit.
An elder brother in Christ once told us that in all his christian life when he sees something he doesn't like inside his heart then he spends two to three days in fasting and praying and it goes away.
Luke 18:27, "...The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
The Lord has provided the means to fight the lust of the flesh.
-- Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Stop letting the flesh and its lust drive the bus. When the flesh rises up, take back control of your thoughts, quote a verse. I have found for me all that is needed is to repeat a few times: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty.
-- Revelation 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
-- Isaiah 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
(I do not suppose that there is anyway of applying BOLD or Italic text in the comments and responses?)
Amen, the Lord has given us advice how to avoid getting into a risky situation. I often do something similar to what you do, I stop thinking a bad thought or think about something else, or even do something that keeps my mind busy and away from a bad thought or pray and give praise to God. Some other brothers in such cases ask for Jesus' Blood or think of verses from the scriptures that are against such thoughts or desires.
These are human efforts to protect ourselves and can be very successful. What I meant in my post is that we often rely on our own human efforts and avoid going to God for help. We avoid asking for His grace to guard us in our daily lives. There are cases that we are completely incapable of resisting to something. As an example a bad desire or a bad feeling for someone. Or an incapability to forgive someone who hurt me. So what do I do in a case that my efforts are not enough to keep me holy?
The answer to all that is that is that I succeed through God's grace. The purpose of fasting and praying is to ask strongly God for providing us His grace and help us. Fasting and praying are the strong weapons of a christian in his war against his enemies. An enemy can be myself, my own desires.
There is the example of Jesus going to the wilderness in the beginning of His ministry. The scriptures say that He entered the wilderness full of the Holy Spirit and after 40 days of fasting and praying He went out filled "with the power of the Spirit". Fasting and praying provides christians with God's power.
In my christian life I have come across two cases of christians claiming that the presence of the Spirit is so strong in them that nothing can affect them. Not for a day or two but for months and years. I believe them because I know them. They are serious people. I believe that when a christian is serious about his salvation and his relation with God then God is also serious with him.
(We can not write in bold or italics as far as I know)
GBU
-- Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but **be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,** that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Having trouble with sinful or lustful thoughts, it is due to having the desire to follow the flesh, being a babe in Christ. We have to mature by renewing our thoughts and desires. Men have freewill of desire, inclination, passion, aspirations, motivations, intentions, likes, dislikes, loves, hatreds. what we would like to do or would do if we could get away with it. We have the power to direct, command, our hearts and put down the flesh. We have to change those desires through our love and knowledge of the Lord. "The love of Christ constraineth us;" 2 Cor 5:14. This is done through the knowledge of God's word through the reading and diligent study of the Bible; "Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me."
To the chagrin of some, the Lord does not change our freewill desires, we have to. We have to arm ourselves with the weapons to do so, the word of God, growing in faith and understanding. There are things that come with salvation that we have no control over, others we not only have control but the responsibility for. From Romans 12 through the rest of Pau's writings, 90% of what he says it telling us what we are to do and not do: how to act, talk, dress, wear our hair, what to think, etc. Our Christian life is under our control and guided by our heart's desires. The Devil does not make us do anything, he plays to our desires. It is our responsibility to command our hearts to follow the Spirit within us rather than the lust of the flesh.
One thing we must control is our emotions. They must be guided by the Spirit and truth and not the lust of the flesh. There are many things we get wrong due to wrongly directed emotions, fleshy emotions instead of led by the Spirit.
Much could be said, but I am out of characters
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