How does my own will differ from God’s? Isn’t that the struggle defined for each believer in picking up their cross daily following Jesus? Our internal drives/Lusts are the voice of the Flesh, World, Anti-Christ. Do we wish to make war when we were sent to spread a message of Love while standing battle ready impervious to enemy assaults? What is the voice of self and how does it differ from that small quiet voice of God’s Spirit? Are we Listening and differentiating between God and Self? James warns and expresses the skinny Path.

James 4

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Yes, my enemies are wrong most often wicked beyond reckoning, but that has never been my responsibility to define their departure from God’s salvation. It is expected that at some point in my worldliness I am going to face and fail at the opportunity to proclaim someone beyond God’s Reach. That is my own frailty and fleshly imposition. For God loves all creation and only He knows who will refuse to hear and answer His Clarion Call the Covenant of Grace. The agreement is between each person and God I simply extended the reason to review and answer the invitation. For me to determine that Dem’s or deep state or a certain nationality or faith are beyond the Reach of God is the reason James counsels through God’s Holy Spirit otherwise. For blaspheming the Holy Spirit is the only unforgiveable sin, turning down God’s offer of Grace.

Any plan, direction or objective that drives my thinking and actions without congruency and counsel found in; Worship, prayer, meditation and discernment with God is driven by the lusts of the flesh. If I continue to pray Amiss, as God’s Word says for the things of flesh will they be answered in the affirmative? Most likely not as God’s Word never contradicts itself and this is pretty clear direction. Therefore identifying, isolating and being careful to remove those prayers for self is key to mature understanding and efficacy in prayer. Additionally, God knows what I need and He knows that which is for His Good Purposes as indicated in His Word of using all things to the Good for those who love Him and walk according to His Purpose. He says that even when I act wrongly He will turn it to good for His Kingdom. That clearly demonstrates that I am a work in progress, wrestling with the enemy, the flesh and the world against God’s Path and Purpose for my life.

Look to the Heaven’s from whence all Good Blessing comes. God knows what you need but He also can say no to those prayers asked for internal drives, lusts and self. Don’t pray amiss determine the voices that feed your motivation, thoughts and actions. Ask God to determine the voice of the Good Shepherd the only voice that God’s sheep are meant to heed and follow. May God answer all of your prayers as you approach Him in Spirit and Supplication to the Glory of His Name. In Jesus Name.