Christian Blogs, Discipleship Encouragement and Correction, Millpond Ink Musing
Millpond Ink Musing, 2015 – On Mortification
How often it is that we cry out to God that He remove those obstacles that lead us to temptation? Yes, I know that we were taught to pray, ‘lead us not into temptation,’ but that is in His leading. It presumes that we will obey God where He leads us. However, we only need to read what happened to Israel after Joshua’s death. Within one generation, the people were serving Baal; marrying and giving in marriage among the native peoples; who served to become their obstacles even until today!
So, what do I conclude from this? Even as Israel, if we did what we were first instructed, our land of promise would have been delivered as promised; without the obstacles. However, where we transgress God’s Law and instruction, we will continue to live with those obstacles as temptations until we do what we were told from the beginning. The process related to the removal of those obstacles; which leads to our sanctification, is called the mortification of the flesh… putting away through obedience those fleshly enticements and situations that we know if we go there, we will be tempted. It is only by overcoming those obstacles, and resulting temptations through faith and obedience, that we will see the obstacle; not removed, but put behind us. From there? If we just do what He says as He leads us, He won’t lead us into temptation and our prayer is answered.
The biggest obstacle for us in obtaining God’s promises? Us, and our refusal to do what He has told us from the start.
