Matthew 26: 41 "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."Okay, I am not sure about all of you that have taken up the 30 Day Negativity Fast, but I have never found the above mentioned scripture to be so true. I am so much more aware of what is coming out of my mouth. I have mentioned in my blog before, that by nature, I tend to be pessimistic. The first thing I notice in a situation is the wrong and not the right. But even knowing that about myself, I have been a bit surprised at how quickly negative or death filled words slip out of my mouth.
With that being said, I thank God that there is always an answer in His word. He says to, "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation." Every morning I know that if I am going to succeed at speaking words of life (Prov 18:21), planting trees of life in my children's hearts (Prov 15:4), speaking pleasant words that bring healing (Prov 16:24), speaking soft answers that turn away wrath (Prov 15:1), and if I will open my mouth with wisdom and have the law of kindness on my tongue (Prov 31: 26), I need the Lord's strength and encouragement. I need to watch for those same ol' situations that bring out the worst in me and stop and pray and ask the Lord to help me to respond differently. I need to stop frustration in it's tracks by asking the Lord for the wisdom I need to be a life-giver in the midst of my testing. Is it really that simple......yes! Over and over again accessing the Lord - that's what being an overcomer is.
The second part of the verse says, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." I am so glad that the Lord knows me. He did say in His word, that in the flesh dwells no good thing. So really, I should not be surprised when those negative and death filled words come to my mind and desire to roll right off my tongue. But the good news is that I do not live after the flesh any longer. As I was reminded this weekend by Kay Arthur: we live and walk by faith in the power of God working in us. We don't owe the flesh anything (Romans 8:12)!
So if any of y'all out there are like me and finding that you needed this fast a little more than you had thought, take heart. Know that your Father in heaven, knows what you have need of. He knows your frame. He made you. Be mindful of the times, situations, and people that tend to steal all your kind words away (smile) and pray. Ask God for wisdom. Ask Him for His strength to overcome the flesh and access the power of His spirit to become a life-giver! It is He that works in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure!!!
1 comment:
Hey Lisa good word sis. In this season on of Speaking those things that are pleasing to the King - I pray the words of our mouth and meditations of our hearts be acceptable to Jesus our Lord and all those that hear and are affected by our words.
PS I saw you guys in photos on Beth Moore's Blog. I wish I could have been at the conference with you all :).
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