But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God). ~Galatians 5:16 (AMP)
Oftentimes we believe that if we have enough willpower, we can fight off every temptation that comes our way. But the truth is, sometimes willpower works and sometimes it doesn’t. Willpower is only our best friend when things are going well. For most of us, willpower tends to jump ship when we start getting weary. Have you ever noticed the easiest time to declare you are starting a diet is right after a big meal? That’s because there is no room for temptation when you are full. It’s like going to the grocery store hungry. Who doesn’t spend more because everything they see looks good? There isn’t any sense in even trying to stick to a plan when you go to the grocery store hungry. We have to face the truth about ourselves, and that truth is that our true strength does not lie in our own ability. When our mind and emotions gang up on our will, we need the Holy Spirit to win that battle. Our minds are proficient at formulating thoughts that can give us plenty of reasons why we shouldn't do what we know we should and when our emotions step into agreement with our mind and start talking to us too, our willpower is doomed!
They say a person’s soul is made up of their mind, will and emotions. And our soul would love to run our lives, but the Bible says we are to be led by God's Spirit. We are never told in God’s word to be willpower-led, we are told to be Spirit-led. Determination and willpower are necessary to a successful life, but alone they won't be enough. Determination gets us started and willpower can keep us going for a little while, but those alone will not bring us through to success. Zechariah 4:6 says "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the Lord of hosts.” (NASB) Don’t turn to willpower in your time of need, turn to God. His power can energize you for every commitment and help you to see it through. Have you ever started something and just couldn’t muster up the desire or motivation to finish it? That happens a lot when we take on a commitment in our own strength or in our own time. It also happens when we try to continue in something the Lord wants us to let go of. Sure, God will help us through, but wouldn’t it have been better to move with God than to lean on ourselves and our abilities? We all need someone a lot stronger and a lot more stable than ourselves to lean on every day to be able to accomplish all God has called us to do and that someone is the Holy Spirit. Subject your will to the Holy Spirit, let Him show you when, where and how. Allow patience to prevail. Don’t jump out ahead and don’t let your mind and emotions talk you into believing you can accomplish anything worthwhile in your own strength. God has equipped us for everything He expects us to do. He has given us His Holy Spirit. We need to follow Him. Commit today to lean on God and you will succeed in everything you do.
Not in your own strength for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure. ~Philippians 2:13 (AMP)
What are you leaning on the Holy Spirit to help you accomplish or get through today?
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