Passage
[Romans 8: 12-16]
“So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh [13] for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. [14] For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. [15] For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” [16] The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,”
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Many people nowadays try to maintain their health and make themselves look young.
So, they show great interest in healthy diet, exercise, and cosmetology.
And many people look younger than their age these days compared with the past.
How is it with you- Do you look younger than your age- Or do you look older than your age-
But the age of men is not just decided by appearances or the physical age. It also depends on the age of the mind.
Though they are old, some people keep on seeking changes and improvement.
They have young minds.
On the other hand, those who just want to take everything easy being satisfied with the current situation do not have the vigor although they are young.
One of the ways to keep yourself young is to constantly realize your shortcomings through the word and change yourself.
Those who improve themselves will be full of energy and newness everyday.
Psalm 103:5 says, “Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.”
In order to hear the clear voice of the Holy Spirit, we have to cultivate our heart with the truth.
This way, our fleshly thoughts will be demolished and we can hear the Holy Spirit’s voice clearly.
I hope you will diligently change your heart with the truth as you listen to the message.
I pray in the name of the Lord that you will not only hear the voice of the Holy Spirit clearly but also receive the answers to your heart’s desires and live with youth and vigor.
Main
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this is the 12th session of the Voice and Guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Continuing from the last session, I will give you some examples of fleshly thoughts that are derived from self-righteousness and frameworks, which is the third level of fleshly thoughts.
In the fleshly thoughts that are derived from self-righteousness and frameworks, there are fleshly thoughts that come from the frameworks of temperament or personalities hidden deep inside one’s nature.
Also, there are momentary fleshly thoughts coming from the minute untruths you have.
There are fleshly thoughts that are covered by good environment that you have.
Some people have fleshly thoughts, but because they are in a spiritually good environment, they just think they always have spiritual thoughts.
But if they face any hardship, their fullness of Spirit will go away.
The measure of truth that they have cultivated in their heart will be revealed.
We should not just be happy on the shallow part of our heart in our Christian life.
We have to circumcise the depths of our hearts to have true hearts and perfect faith.
Of course, those who stand on the rock of faith will not lose their joy easily in any kind of trial.
But without having the perfect fullness of Spirit that stems from the depth of the heart which never disappears in any situation, they may just remain where they are.
The kind of fleshly thought that I will talk about now is the fleshly thought that come from a deficiency of the body.
People go through many stages in their physical growth and maturation.
In each step, they must experience and be trained to do certain things in their homes and schools.
A deficiency of the body is a lacking in this experience and training, and they may have such shortcomings even into adulthood.
For example, when children go to school, they are trained to concentrate on the words of the teacher.
And those who are not trained to listen to the teacher may not be able to focus on what others are saying even after they become adults.
This deficiency may affect their life in faith, too.
They cannot focus on the sermons and the messages in seminars.
Perhaps they cannot listen to others carefully in conversations.
In case of workers, they may not be able to pay close attention while listening to what their boss is saying and they make mistakes.
For example, sometimes I give instruction on certain matters, telling you the biblical ways to deal with them.
Though I say it many times, still some workers cannot keep them in mind.
Some of them don’t even remember what I said.
It’s not that they want to disobey the will of God, but they cannot obey because they cannot keep it in their mind.
Finally, they use their own fleshly thoughts and work within their own fleshly thoughts.
Also, some people are raised in a kind of closed environment, and they lack communication skills.
They do not really understand other people’s way of thinking or way of expressing themselves.
So, they do not really understand others and they lack common consideration for others.
They don’t mean to do it, but they cannot really get along with others smoothly.
Within their own experience and thinking, they think, “I like this, and I’m sure he thinks the same way too.” But their thinking it not right.
Those who have this kind of ‘deficiency of the body’ are likely to be controlled by the soul.
It means they have many facets of their character on which Satan can work to disturb them from obeying the truth.
Therefore, you can go into spirit and whole spirit only when you fill up such deficiencies of the body.
Of course, you cannot easily overcome such deficiencies just with your own strength.
You can do that only when you receive the strength of the almighty God.
To tell you the way to do it simply, first of all you have to diligently learn and listen to the word of God and reflect upon yourself using the word.
And you have to pray fervently.
Then, you will be able to realize what you have to know, what you have to have, and what you have to refine in spirit and body.
As you pray, the Holy Spirit might remind you of your past so that you can realize what your deficiencies are.
As you realize things that are not in accordance with the truth, you have to try to change yourself point by point beginning with small things
You have to try again and again to follow the desire of the Holy Spirit.
The reason why you have to pray is to receive the strength to follow the desire of the Holy Spirit.
Also, it is to gain correct understanding of the truth.
If you understand the word literally or within your frameworks of thoughts while having the deficiencies, you might create an improper framework of truth again.
Then, listening to the word of God will rather have adverse effect on overcoming the deficiencies.
Therefore, we have to understand and realize the truth correctly by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
We should not interpret the word of God within our own limitations. We have to understand the heart and will of God contained in the word correctly.
As we understand the word of God and practice it diligently this way, we will be able to fill our deficiencies one by one.
As we have the manners of the Lord, we will be beautiful persons in spirit and body.
