Eliminating Thoughts of the Flesh

The last few days we've been talking about the importance of reigning in our thought life, and eliminating worldly influences.  Today we'll look at how our sin nature affects our thoughts. Unfortunately turning off the TV is infinitely easier than trying to change our sin nature.

We're each born with sin, and we live in sin until Jesus redeems us, unfortunately He doesn't completely take away our sin nature this side of heaven.  We still struggle, daily, if we're honest with ourselves.

Paul writes in Galatians 5:16-18

" ¹⁶This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

 ¹⁷For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

 ¹⁸But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law."

Our sin nature may remain after we are saved but we can choose to "Walk in the Spirit" rather than our flesh. This of course is easier said than done because our flesh would much rather that we didn't pursue the things of God.

So our typical day might look like this.  We wake up with the best intentions of praying and reading our Bible, but we hear a child cry so we tend to them.  Instead of taking a moment after tending to our child we start making coffee and breakfast for everyone.  Instead of opening our Bibles at breakfast we start doing the dishes.  Prayer get's forgotten as we watch the news, check our e-mails, call our mothers, vacuum, do the dishes, make lunch, get kids down for their naps, make dinner, and clean up for the evening.  

None of those things are sinful by any means, but by forgetting to pursue godly things, we allow sinful thoughts to creep in during the day rather than the thoughts of God.  Our thoughts become filled with frustration, anger, ungratefulness, and selfish desires, which do lead to sin.

We can never hope to eliminate our sin nature, just control it.  We must pray, we must read scriptures, we must meditate on the things of God, if we even have a hope.

Today I challenge you to pray many times today asking for guidance, and asking that ungodly thoughts be exposed.  Don't feel as though your prayers need to be long, rather pray any time you think of it.  Try to pray every time you notice the hour change.

Tomorrow we'll look at the pure and noble things we should be thinking on.  I hope you'll join us.

• Thoughts on Thoughts
• Why our Thoughts Matter
• How Worldly Wisdom Finds it's Way In
• Completing a Media Fast
• Eliminating Fleshly Thoughts
• Noble and Pure Things to Think On

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Also, I am looking for some guest posters this month as I try to finish writing a book for the course I'm teaching next semester.  My only request is that you be willing to allow me to guest post on your blog a later date.  If you're interested please e-mail me at joyful kasey at gmail dot com.

Blessings!