We all have life patterns of sin where we continually get disturbed by the same perturbing perceptions and then always react to them in the same way. The father-of-lies does his job well. He suggests unworthiness and we ACCEPT it, each time. He introduces shame and we RECEIVE it, every day. He offers hopelessness and we BOW to it, all the time.
DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT IF YOU CONTINUALLY SURRENDER YOURSELVES TO ANYONE TO DO HIS WILL, YOU ARE THE SLAVES OF HIM WHOM YOU OBEY, WHETHER THAT BE TO SIN, WHICH LEADS TO DEATH, OR TO OBEDIENCE WHICH LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS?
(Romans 6:16 AMP).
Beloved One, you need to understand that if you CONTINUALLY accept the beliefs of unworthiness from the father-of-lies, you will be taken captive by them. If you CONTINUALLY receive the thoughts of shame from the father-of-lies, you will become trapped by them. If you CONTINUALLY bow down to the suggestions of hopelessness from the father-of-lies, you will be hobbled by them. If you CONTINUALLY heed the counsel of the father-of-lies, you will become his slave, obligated to wait upon him, hand and foot, as you perform his duties.
BUT NOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN AND HAVE BECOME SLAVES OF GOD, THE BENEFIT YOU REAP LEADS TO HOLINESS, AND THE RESULT IS ETERNAL LIFE. FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD
(Romans 6:22-23).
Child, there is a different counsel available to you, every day, moment-by-moment—My Counsel of Hope, Love, and Truth. If you CONTINUALLY receive and believe My Counsel, your life will change. You will be set free from the suggestions of the father-of-lies and your reactions to these. The benefit you will reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal Life.
Whose counsel do you heed continually, every day, moment-by-moment: the deceitful counsel of the father-of-lies…or God’s Counsel of Hope, Love, and Truth?
I urge you to start living in a new way. When the counsel of hopelessness comes, yield it to the Lord Jesus…and receive Hope. When the counsel of unworthiness strikes, lay it at the feet of Jesus…and receive Truth. When the counsel of shame enters your mind, surrender it to God…and you receive His Love.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for showing me that I become a slave to him whom I obey, moment-by-moment. Help me to choose and heed Your Counsel of Hope, Love, and Truth, today.
Maintain an Awareness
So, yes, the deepest urge in human nature seems to be the desire to be important–to matter. But, it is not the PRINCIPLE of wanting to be important that is wrong; instead, it is the way we adapt or the means we adopt to meet this most urgent desire of our hearts.