Scriptural readings: James 4:6-8; Revelations 3:15-16; Ephesians 6:10-18.
King James Version
James 4:6-8
V.6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
V.7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
V.8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double-minded.
New Living Translation
V.6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”
V.7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
V.8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty, is divided between God and the world.
Have we honestly been thinking about conviction and conscience lately? It might not be interesting to talk about, but one thing for sure is that we dealt lightly with these things, or we never tried to reach the point of reflecting on it seriously. A lot of us may probably respond to this question by relying on human reasoning. And currently, these words are a subject of controversy. And there are so many things about these terms to be accepted. However, we might have possibly failed or overlooked the terminology moral or morality. And for Christians, what should be our response?
What are we thinking?
We are sinners. It is a reality that no matter what we think or do, we cannot escape from this reality. No matter what arguments we have, we will always sin against God. Whatever we should think, it has to be of spiritual significance. We have to put in our minds the power of God, not anything else. When we accept Jesus in our lives, our spiritual lives must be our priority. Our relationship with our Father, Jesus, His Son, and the Holy Spirit has to be the most significant part of our lives. It is the truth that we have to address first. The truth is not in us. We think we are doing the will of God, but in reality, we do not.
The bottom line to this is that we will have second thoughts. And we will choose from a lot of options. The Holy Spirit can live in us. And this is the only way we can have victory.
King James Version
Revelations 3:15-16
V.15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
V.16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
New Living Translation
V.15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!“
V.16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
What are we doing?
We have to have God at the end of every second that passes in our lives. Why? The moment that we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, everything will change. Of the many things that we are going to experience is a powerful conviction from the Lord. Aside from this conviction, we will also experience the enemy’s presence. Yes, the enemy will be both inside and outside of us. The old fellow inside us entices us to bow down to the external evil influences that this sinful world offers. Unless we reckon death to the aged fellow inside us, we will have difficulties dealing with our sinful nature. God knows how we think and our every move.
God’s way
We have to make choices in life. Since there is no other way but to choose, our decisions must be unmistakable. Morality will always be a part of our decisions. It will separate confusion from confirmation. Once there has been a conviction, morality takes action. It is the one that God never lifted or took out from us when our first parents sinned against God. When Adam and Eve died spiritually, they separated from God. As a result, we can presume that our morals died as well. God could have taken the volition out of us, leaving the situation of nothing left but having only the worst things until we die. But it did not happen that way. God left morality because He wants us to know that goodness exists and we can find it through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
King James Version
Ephesians 6:10-18
V.10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
V.11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
V.12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].
V.13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
V.14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
V.15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
V.16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
V.17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
V.18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
New Living Translation
V.10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
V.11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
V.12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
V.13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then, after the battle, you will still stand firm.
V.14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.
V.15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.
V.16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.
V.17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
V.18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
The enemy is always busy. We are always under attack constantly. The enemy is spreading lies every second that passes by. But we have conviction. Conviction is an audible voice of God heard by our spiritual senses. We do not have to face this battle alone. It points out our mistakes, and it also instructs us on what God wants us to do. It is why God left these convictions that either way; we are going to be alarmed or face the enemy with the Holy Spirit.
We cannot handle ourselves. Anything can easily control us, and we cannot guarantee all that we believe in had better be for our advantage. The enemy is always busy. We can be under the influence of evil any second from now. We have to hand over our lives to Jesus Christ. There is no other way we can have a righteous and contented life unless we are under the control of the Holy Spirit who will produce in us the fruits.