January 19, 2016
We do what we want to do. To think otherwise is to play a mind game that locks us into a cycle of habitual disobedience. ""I can't do that,"" is an excuse. The reality is this; by the grace of God, and our willingness to obey, and dependence upon the Spirit, we can do anything the Lord commands in His word.
The problem is this: We don't think it's valuable.
OBEDIENCE follows VALUE.
What we value, we do. The Psalmist illustrates this: ""Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul observes them."" (Psalm 119:129)
The Psalmist loves God's word, believing it's wonderful; therefore he obeys what God instructs.
But there is another important part of this equation
OBEDIENCE follows VALUE,
and FREEDOM follows OBEDIENCE.
The Psalmist understands this secret and says, ""Establish my footsteps in your word, and do not let any iniquity have dominion over me."" (vs. 133).
When we simply obey what God says by the power of the Spirit, we will overcome sin. No iniquity will ""have dominion over (us)."" We will find ourselves liberated by following ""every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
When we struggle with a stubborn, besetting sin, don't blame God. It is a value problem, first and foremost. This is why the continual renewing of the mind through careful attention to the Word of God is so important, because what I value is what I seek. I am, today, either becoming more enslaved to sin or more liberated from sin.
But the problem is our values.
""Lord, help me to read and meditate on the Word of God so that your values become mine. Help me to love what you love so that my feet will gladly, willingly follow You. Thank you that, because of he Spirit in me, I have all the power I need to obey and follow You today. Help me remember that my values determine my obedience and my obedience determines my level of experienced freedom!""
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