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WHISPERS TO AND FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT

In The World, But Not Of It

Lord, show me how
I can cooperate more
fully in living with you,
for you and by you.
I feel there’s so much
more I can do to fulfill
your will. So often, the
weight of the world
pushes me down and
away from you. I strive
to be free of all concerns
of the world so I can
better serve you. It is
not that I am asking you
to rid me of worldly
matters but rather to
show me how to
remain in your will,
love and peace
in the midst of them.
This is my whisper
and prayer to you
this day. Praise You.

             Dr. Don’s Reflections           

For me and I suspect many others the call of the world is always the war we fight against the call of Jesus. And then, of course, there are the temptations of Satan and the weaknesses of self. In this Whisper, I am asking Jesus to show me the way to serve him better.  Paul the apostle was so right when he said that I should be in the world but not of it. That is sure easier said than done. It is just so tough getting there and even tougher staying there. I try to remember that I am a spiritual being on a human journey and not a human being of a spiritual journey.  You may want to read this sentence again because but it truly is part of the mystery of life.

My purpose is not to achieve the progress of the world but rather the progress of the Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is the gift of the Father to see to it that I can do that because I cannot do it by myself. Every time in some way I pull away from the Holy Spirit, I get bogged down in worldly matters. Every time I pay more attention to my “self” rather than the Holy Spirit, I become a weaker Christian.  Every time I fall in temptation to Satan, I sin, and for me, that causes great contrition and well it should.  

So here I am asking the Dear Lord just to let me stand in the midst of the world, in the face of Satan and in and with my “self” in such a way that I can better serve you, my God.  No, I cannot eradicate the Satan, the world, and self but I can get strong enough in the Holy Spirit that I can stand in the midst of all three and not be taken down.

Dr.Don’s Comments

There are three challenges to your salvation that you must deal with always.  I call them “The Three” They are Satan, the world and self. To know Christ is to enter into battle with “The Three.” The other side of that is if you do not know Christ, then you do not battle with “The Three” because they control you. There is no fight. Whether this is so or not you will surely know.

When Christ enters your life slowly, but surely, he wants to take control of who you are and what you do. Not for control sake but for your sake. Christ saves you from Satan, the world, and your “self.” Christ is the only way to be free of “The Three” these three evils. There is no other way. For sure, you may try or have tried different things, like booze, food, drugs, sex, work with the hopes that your life could get free of them, but things only get worse. I am sure you can see that.

Now I know you understand the evil of Satan, but you may question me as to how I characterize the world and self as evil. The world and self as created is not evil. God does not and cannot create evil. But self and the world can turn evil.  How can you look at the world today and not see its evil ways? The question is how that affects you, and without Christ, it affects you at the core of your “self.” for Satan is coy. He does not try to make the world evil. He does not tempt the world, no, not at all.  He tempts people. Then the people will do evil, and then their sin corrupts the world. What is sin? Sin is moving away from God. Let me ask you do you think the world is as you see it is moving away from God; of course, it is.  the real question is are you moving away from God?

When I talk about self, I am talking about your  “flesh.”.  Have you ever notice that no matter what you give your flesh (self) it always wants more. The flesh will always rage for more of what it wants. It will do so to excess because it knows that excess corrupts and kills. Ask any drug addict or workaholic.  The only way you can control the excess of the flesh is by controlling self, and the only sure way you can do that is through Christ and that creates the battlefield with evil, Satan, the world and self.

BOTTOMLINE:   You cannot let Satan, the world, and your “self” rule you if you walk with Christ.  Because to know Christ is to know love, peace, contentment, joy, and all the gifts that you can receive through the Holy Spirit that you will never get from “The Three”.