"I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes!" - Psalm 119:11-12
The longing to live God’s way, the desire to be right and clean inside, to leave sin behind and avoid it in the future, is a work of the Holy Spirit. Our natural inclinations are the exact opposite of all these good desires, because our sinful nature naturally loves sin and wants all the wrong things.
When Jesus comes into our heart with His forgiveness and the Holy Spirit begins to awaken in us these good desires, our sinful flesh still continues to lust after the things that God has warned us to avoid and rebel against the good way of living that He has shown us.
The Holy Spirit, enlightening our hearts by His Word, keeps working in us, awakening good and godly desires and giving us the strength to go after them.
“It is God who is at work in You, both to will and to work His good pleasure.” - Philippians 2:13
Fill your mind and heart with the Word of God! Give the Holy Spirit material with which to work. He will take the things that Jesus has spoken and make them clear to you, to keep you in the Way.
Lord, take the Word stored up in my heart and enlighten me with it. Show me the good way. Fill me with the desire to live in it and strengthen me to be faithful, today. Keep me from temptations that would overwhelm me today. Guide my feet on your paths of righteousness, today, for Jesus’ sake. Amen. Pastor Dan Giles