originally victoria — unfiltered blog

CRUCIFY THE FLESH SERIES: PART THREE

As I made clear from previous my blogs, I am far from perfect but my desires in life look so much different than most. Yes, temptation is a real thing, but you have authority over that. You can either form to, or turn away from. My dad has always told my brother and I “every action has a reaction, and every decision has a consequence.” This saying has stuck with me for years and the older I get, the more accurate it reveals itself. Your desire for God should be evident by your fruits. Don’t think you can be sneaky around true discerning, spirit filled people. Social media has ruined relationships and some people’s lives. You put something out on the internet, someone reposts it then your boss, your pastor, or your parents see it; boom you’re in trouble. The desires by having a relationship with God look so much different than one who goes to church on a Sunday morning and goes back through the same cycle Monday-Saturday. The Sunday-Saturday Christian is not a just a righteous believer but is an everyday relationship seeker who will be rewarded for their good deeds. A relationship with God is having more than a Sunday morning faith. It’s an everyday commitment.

My desires for the world have never been greater than my desire for God. Of course, temptation comes and the flesh puts up a fight with it, but the bible says my words have power so I speak over the situation and circumstance. It is so important to know your identity in Christ. Temptation is really hard when you have no idea who you are, whose you are, what your purpose on earth is, or what your calling and giftings are. Everyone has a calling and spiritual gifts that God has placed in their lifes. In the secret place with Jesus is when those get revealed to you.

Oftentimes, we see individuals that are so lost and have no idea who they are— nowhere to even start feeling loved. These are the people who try to find themselves in the world because either building a relationship with God is too hard for them, they weren’t raised in a Christian home, they don’t know where to start , or their parent’s have put a false expectation on their lives that they will never meet and their whole life they strive to feel approved, appreciated, affirmed, and genuinely loved. These people get sucked into sin because they feel so helpless— lust, alcohol, drugs, cussing, etc. It is so sad to see this take place in one’s life because I know the love and the plans that God has for each and every one of us.

Jesus doesn’t want passive followers– those who are truly committed will draw deeply into a relationship with Christ looking for truth. To truly find Jesus, I encourage you to read the beatitudes. Participate in the healing of this world, not its destruction. Truly following Jesus is not just a statement, it’s a lifestyle. Hebrews 13:1-6 talks about living a life pleasing to God. Living a life pleasing to God allows us to stand confidently knowing the Lord is for us no matter what people may do to us.

It is so important to remember we have no city here on earth, no permanent home here on earth. We are to seek the city that is destined to come– New Jerusalem. We must desire to live honorably in all that we do. Live a life of humanity. True humanity is revealed through the love, compassion, sympathy, and empathy we choose to freely give to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Living this life should come easy to us. As we continue to read into Hebrews 13 it tells us that Jesus is the Great Shepherd of His flock, which is us, and by the power of the blood he will work perfection into every part of our lives giving us all that we need to fulfill our destiny. Although we may not see perfection in our eyes, He never stops working and He never sleeps nor slumbers. Our God is always on the move.

The Lord has been teaching me about perspective and mindset. To tie along with not seeing perfection in our eyes, when we become in a lifelong-union with Jesus, He will express to us all that is excellent and pleasing to Him. As John 15 says “I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.” The prayer I pray is Lord, teach me to abide in you, the vine, to consistently remain in you. Lord I yield to you. To have that fear of the Lord, and giving God your undivided attention is where that life-long unity takes place.