WALK BY THE SPIRIT.

 Come away from Satan's fleshly pig-troughs 🐖 

A word Given to Pieter Kirsten.

God's calling His people out of the flesh to walk with Him in the realm of the Spirit, behind the veil of carnal fleshly lusts. 

1 John 2:15  Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him,

16  because all that is in the world, 

🐖  the lust of the flesh, 

🐖 the lust of the eyes,

🐖 and the pride of life, 

is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17  And the world passes away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever.

When we look at what happened in the garden we discover that Satan tempted Eve in 3 areas, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life and the lust of the eyes. 

Gen 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her; and he did eat.

1. Was good for food = 🐖  the lust of the flesh

2. Pleasant to the eyes = 🐖 the lust of the eyes

3. A tree to be desired to make one wise = 🐖 the pride of life                                                 

THE LUST OF THE FLESH

The lust of the flesh which refers to sensualism talks about a desire for sensual fleshly pleasures. 

The ethical doctrine that feeling is the only criterion for what is good. A sensualist therefore is a person that is preoccupied with the stimulation of the 5 bodily senses. 

This is a frightening reality to discover because Satan as the god of this temporary materialistic and fleshly world deceives the masses by keeping them enslaved and subject to their carnal senses.Ever heard the worldly term, IF IT FEELS GOOD, DO IT ? 

Scary indeed when we consider the preoccupation of society through fleshly indulgences. It is really being imprisoned in a huge carnal maze in which the devil causes his victims, like a dog, to chase their own tails or as the scripture says like a dog returning to its own vomit over and over again, or like a sow that refuse to leave it's wallowing in the mud)

Even the Apostle Peter through his intense admonition by the Spirit commands us as devoted followers in 1Pet 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

He uses the terminology, dearly beloved, strangers and pilgrims because as heavenly citizens and love-slaves of God this world and it's influence should be foreign to us as a people now operating through a contrary nature. 

Sensualism presents itself to us in many ways and in many forms and is easily recognized through the works of the flesh recorded in Gal 5 and these are areas through which the enemy operates: Adultery (spiritual and physical. As the called bride of Christ we prostitute ourselves with demons when we sin. 

Extramarital sex that wilfully and maliciously interferes with marriage relations), fornication (Voluntary sexual intercourse between persons not married to each other), uncleanness (The state of being unsanitary, dirtiness), lasciviousness (Feeling morbid sexual desire or a propensity to lewdness), Idolatry (anything or person that we exalt above being devoted to God) , witchcraft (The art of sorcery to manipulate the fulfilment of ones own desire. 

The violation of a persons will, also emotional manipulation or playing the witch with a persons feelings), hatred (The emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action. Can also result in bringing harm to another even to the point of murder), variance (A difference between conflicting facts, claims or opinions. Discord that splits a group. 

An activity that varies from a norm or standard), jealousies (A feeling of jealous envy, especially of a rival), wrath (Intense anger, usually on an epic scale that can result in destruction. aggressiveness aroused by a real or supposed wrong personified as one of the deadly sins), strife (Bitter conflict; heated often violent dissension. 

Disagreement among those expected to cooperate. A conflict of people's opinions, actions or characters) , seditions (an illegal action inciting resistance to lawful authority and tending to cause the disruption or overthrow of the government. Violations, a disrespectful act) , heresies (Any opinions or doctrines at variance with the official or orthodox position. Also carnal sinful human reasoning against the sovereign will of God.

The forming of ones own doctrines contrary to the truth revealed in scripture) , Contentions (prideful competition, A contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement, being argumentative)  , murders (Unlawful premeditated killing of a human being by a human being, rooted in hatred) , drunkenness ( in a spiritual sense being inflamed with the wine of worldly pleasure, A temporary state resulting from excessive consumption of alcohol, intoxication)  , revelling (worldly partying. Celebrate noisily, often indulging in drinking; engage in uproarious festivities)

Working through the lust of the flesh our adversary keeps multitudes in bondage as he establishes various strongholds in peoples lives. Through our intense need for love and acceptance this empty world can only offer superficial comfort and deceptive temporary satisfaction or pleasure. 

Through Satans evil scheme of things he misleads us and causes us to pursue things and stuff we do not even need. We settle for the pig-pen and the fleshly troughs of worldly comfort and carnal indulgences when the King of glory has extend the invitation to feast with God around the table of His heavenly bounty. 

There cannot be a greater pleasure; there cannot be found a more satisfying indulgence; and there is no other pursuit more important than the great God Almighty. He is the eternal bread that stills our hunger for love; He is the living water that satisfies our thirst for acceptance and He is the wine that keeps the human soul satisfied and always strengthened through the joy of the Lord. 

He is the ultimate experience, the ultimate satisfaction and the ultimate fulfilment to the human soul. Happy and to be envied is the man that lives a life in pursuit of God because He dwells where no earthly desire can match-up. 

God is the most-high which means there can be NOTHING higher than Himself, as He declared to Abraham, I AM YOUR EXCEEDING GREAT REWARD Gen 15:1                                                            

THE LUST OF THE EYES

Lust defined speaks of a craving, appetite, or great desire for something. the lust of the eyes can be understood as a lust for gain or being greedy for gain, never being satisfied with what one has and always being enslaved and driven by a desire for more, especially for more than what we need. 

You see beloved this world has so deceived us to make us believe that your value lies in the stuff you have and through its many deceptions we come into each others worlds with an attitude to impress. I have seen this even in ministry. 

There is such a competition amongst many preachers about whos ministry or church is the biggest or the greatest comparing themselves with one another and these dont even realize that they have been deceived and enslaved by the lust of the eyes. 

How shallow are we when we want to place value on people by what we can get from them or how we measure up to them when Christ should be our only standard? This is all devilish and the result of lust in the heart of man. 

Lust in the heart is whenever I come into your presence and I want to see how I can somehow use or manipulate you to enrich myself. Whenever I compare myself with you I am in deception, blinded by my own pride and driven by a spirit of competition.

The Lord declared in Luke 12:15 And he said to them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.16 And he spoke a parable to them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully 

17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have much goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

20 But God said to him, You fool, this night your soul shall be required of you: then whose shall those things be, which you have provided? 21 So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. 

22 And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat; neither for the body, what you shall put on. 23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them: how much more are you better than the fowls?

25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 26 If you then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take you thought for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say to you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith? 29 And seek not you what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, neither be you of doubtful mind. 

30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knows that you have need of these things. 31 But rather seek you the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added to you. 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell that you have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that fails not, where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupts.

We need to understand the Lord's heart regarding earthly treasure because most are enslaved by the money god and it is shocking when you think about the reality that money just gives you things and this should never be the pursuit or obsession of a bond-servant of Christ. 

By the grace of God I can testify to this because today I truly understand what godliness with contentment means because my heart has been healed, delivered and conquered and satisfied by the all-satisfying love of God. 

A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions rather his life should be enriched through the eternal gain of godliness

CHRIST-LIKENESS) according to 1Tim 6:3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine, and doesnt consent to sound words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, 4. he is conceited, knowing nothing, but obsessed with arguments, disputes, and word battles, from which come envy, strife, insulting, evil suspicions, 

5 constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. Withdraw yourself from such. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we certainly cant carry anything out.8 But having food and clothing, we will be content with that.9 But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction.

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.12 Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.We must understand that the doctrine of Christ transforms us to become like Christ.

It can therefore be clearly seen in the above text that those who are in pursuit of riches have been led astray from the faith and has become, like Judas, sons of perdition. We are servant to the master we obey and our devotion becomes divided through the love of money. 

Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

The lust of the eye is also described by the Lord in Matt 6:23 as having an evil eye. Jesus said, But if your eye be evil, your whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Deut 15:9 Beware that there be not a thought in your wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cry to the LORD against you, and it be sin to you.10 You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him: because that for this thing the LORD your God shall bless you in all your works, and in all that you put your hand to.

11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command you, saying, You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor, and to your needy, in your land. Here we can see that when the love of God takes money from you to help the needy, it is to multiply your increase.

Prov 28:22 He that hastens to be rich has an evil eye, and considers not that poverty shall come on him.

The Lord wants those He has blessed with abundance to be a river of His blessing to those in need as is written in Prov 14:31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors Him. 

Ps 37:25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,  nor his children begging for bread. 26 All day long he deals graciously, and lends.  His seed is blessed. 

Prov 19:17 He that has pity on the poor lends to the LORD; and that which he has given will He pay him again.

James 1: 27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

When the Bible speak of godliness with contentment it is talking about us finding satisfaction in godly character because the word godliness signifies godlikeness and as God's children it is our purpose and our goal to become like Jesus, free from greed and fleshly lusts.

Jesus is the most joyful, content and righteous Person that has ever walked this earth and when He came here in the flesh His pursuit was not earthly treasure but the hearts of His children. 

Jesus said to me the reason why He lived such a simplistic selfless-life here on earth was to change the value structures of men in that He introduced himself as the real treasure. 

Our heart's pursuit reveals what we truly value. 

He came into this world knowing that man's standard of value was rooted in material gain and that is why He rebuked the Pharisees in Luke 16:14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they scoffed at him. 15 He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. 

The lust of the eyes promises fulfilment through material means. Our brokenness and need for love and acceptance cannot be healed or satisfied by gorging ourselves with carnality.