Heart of the flesh
Posted by Donnie Crawford on Thursday, December 27, 2012 Under: Witnessing
How strong and how powerful is our flesh? Do we understand that our flesh is what wants us to go against GOD? Do we realize that our flesh is what separates us from our spirit? Let's take a closer look into this.
In Genesis 2:4-25 We see that GOD created the heavens and the earth. He created man. He created a garden and put man in it to dress it and keep it. GOD also made a covenant with man not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil that is in the middle of the garden.
Now look at this very closely. Then GOD saw it was not good for man to be alone, so HE took from man and made woman.
Notice here: Woman, the help meet, was not formed from the dust of the ground but from the rib of man. Adam describes his help meet as bones of his bones and flesh of his flesh and she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man.
Bones of his bones and flesh of his flesh. Not created from the dust of the earth, but from the flesh.
Adam told his new help meet/wife of the covenant that he had with GOD and that she was also under the same covenant .
Moving on....
Genesis 3:1 Here we see that the serpent came to the woman and asked one question and made one statement. The woman answered the question and gave into the statement and went against what her husband had told her of the covenant they had with GOD and broke that covenant.
Notice this: That the serpent didn't go to the man but to the woman. WHY? Going back we see that it was because she was made from the man not from the dust of the earth. The serpent knew that he could not deceive what GOD had created but he could deceive that to which was made of the flesh.
Before the serpent came to the woman we see that there was a problem to begin with. Many have their own ideas, but I believe that the woman went by what she felt in her heart, not by what she knew in her mind to be true. The woman at some point got the feeling of not being loved by GOD as she felt she should have been. I believe she felt that GOD loved Adam more than her. As this feeling boiled up in her she was becoming more and more hurt by this feeling. The flesh goes by the way it feels and not by what it knows to be the truth.
Looking closely we see that the flesh was deceiving the woman way before the serpent ever came along. We see that it is the heart of the flesh that causes us to feel certain ways about certain things.
Moving on........
Genesis 4:1-12 Here we see that as time went on the woman gave birth to two son's Cain and Able. As we read we begin to see that at some point Cain started going by what he felt in his heart and not by what he knew in his mind to be true. Once again this feeling from the heart of the flesh caused him to go against GOD.
All through scripture we see that it always comes down to the matter of the heart. In Isaiah we read that the heart is so evil and wicked that no man can know his own heart. Over and over in scripture we see that GOD speaks of man's heart becoming hardened toward HIM.
The only way to keep our heart in check is to renew our minds everyday with the word of GOD. In John 1:1 we read that the word is GOD. In 2 Timothy we read that all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Transforming our hearts to become unhardened toward GOD is a life journey.
Each day we must spend time with GOD not only in prayer but in scripture as well. In prayer we talk to GOD and in scripture GOD talks to us. Without doing each we are wasting our time for in order to be in a relationship we must not only talk but listen as well. As we listen to what GOD has to tell us our hearts become more and more softened toward receiving GOD'S love for us. HE loves us so much and desires to be in a relationship with us.
I have heard many say that they are being tempted by satin or they are being tempted by satin's angels. The truth of the matter is that we are being deceived by our own fleshly hearts. We must take a stand and realize that our fight is not with satin but with our flesh. Feelings can be tested by using our minds and what we know to be truth in scripture. When we feel that we are not loved then we can put that feeling in check with our minds knowing that GOD says in scripture that HE loves us so much that HE sent HIS only son to die for us. When we feel that we are all alone we can put that feeling in check with our minds knowing that GOD says in scripture that HE will always be with us even until the end.
I have come to find that when we say we are being tempted by satin then it is at that time we should know that we are being deceived by our flesh and that we need to put it in check. For satin has no power over the truth. It is the truth of scripture that keeps our flesh in its place. For if we give into our flesh we become weak and we can start to believe the lie of satin and our hearts can start to become hardened toward GOD. Not only by listening to our feelings but by our actions that follow.
If you have come to the conclusion that your heart has been causing you to feel a certain way and that you have been listening to the way you feel and acting on those feelings then today is the day you need to let go of those feelings and ask JESUS to come into your mind and heart and help you to know what the truth is and feel the truth breaking through the hardness of your heart. JESUS will come and HE will renew your mind with the truth and HE will soften your heart to feel the love of GOD.
If you have been saved and have come to the conclusion that you have believed the lie and that you have been going by what you feel rather than what you know to be the truth then take this time to thank GOD for HIS Forgiveness. Praise HIM for HIS Grace and Mercy. Ask HIM to meet you in scripture and to show you HIS love and to fill you with the joy of truth.
Each day from here forward we must see ourselves as crucified with CHRIST and buried and raised in righteousness. We must renew our minds with the word of GOD each and everyday. We must seek to build a relationship with our creator GOD like no other. We must not become distracted by the things of this world, but we must focus on the things of heaven. Let's all seek to focus more on the truth of JESUS and less on what we feel to be true. AMEN!
In : Witnessing
Tags: heart of flesh