For The Kind Of Sorrow God Wants Us To Experience Leads Us Away From Sin And Results In Salvation
Walking In The Spirit & Deliverance
2 CORINTHIANS 7:10
“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
“II Corinthians 7:10 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/2co.7.10.NKJ
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Repentance is more than simply being sorry.
We are all sorry when we get caught, but true is, repentance is to have deep sorrow for the effects of the victim, taking responsibility for our own behaviour and then making the decision to turn from such behaviour toward God, to submit to His will, and change one’s ways and direction, and ultimately, sin no more.
My beloved, since Jesus fulfilled the Law on a cross, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
I Corinthians 6:12-20 NKJV
The truth is, we believers are not able to simply change our behaviour by our own strength, sin is complicated, often driven by addiction, unclean spirits and demons, and things such as culture, fear, and false beliefs.
The truth is, we need God’s help to set us free from the lies and bondage of the enemy before we can change the way we think and walk in His righteousness.
James said, ”Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.“
James 4:7-10 NKJV
That is to say, submit to God’s will and direction in all things and turn from all sin, rebuke the devil (verbally evict them), and they shall flee from you.
But having been set free, one must stay free by closing the doors that let them in, such as sin, generational curses that come through our ancestors, and ungodly soul ties, produced by sexual immorality, idolatry, and inappropriate relationships, and by filling the vacant rooms of the flesh with God’s furnishings, such as His Word, truth, and love. For Jesus said, ”“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”
Matthew 12:43-45 NKJV
These demons if allowed, shall infiltrate our very souls, our mind, will, and emotions with sinful desires and lies. Their job is to steal, kill, and destroy your relationships, marriage, finances, and ultimately your life.
They bring temptations, sickness, disease, disabilities, mental health issues, depression, suicidal thoughts, and ultimately death, but Jesus came to give us life, and that we shall have it more abundantly (JOHN 10:10).
Furthermore, many people are born demonised, for the demonic enter not only by our own sin, but also through the sins of our ancestors, bringing all kinds of generational curses.
My beloved, deliverance is key to a changed life and healing, but without true heart felt repentance, it cannot happen.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:1-2 NKJV
These two verses give us instruction for change.
1) submit to God (Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service, the least one can do.
2) Cooperate with God (do not be conformed to the things of this world, but rather walk by God’s leading and separate from the sinful things and systems of this world, taking in His word regularly and be obedient to it. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 NKJV
God’s word is living and powerful; He actively works within doing great works, revealing the thoughts and intents of the heart.
But it can’t be active within you unless you take it in, digest it, and walk in it.
Thus, you allow God to transform you by renewing your mind; [the results] that you will be able to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
You will come to identify what is wrong in one’s thinking and to understand His perfect will for your life.
We believers cannot meet the mark of holiness in our own strength because of our sinful nature, but the truth is, we don’t have to.
Jesus said, ”“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.“
John 14:15-18 NKJV
God sends His holy Spirit to help, lead, and guide us in all truth (JOHN 16:13).
His Spirit joins with our spirit and we become one spirit with God (1 CORINTHIANS 6:17).
“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
Romans 8:12-17 NKJV
The Holy Spirit then manifest Himself through our soul, our mind, will, and emotions, giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases Him (PHILIPPIANS 2:13), and just as Jesus told us, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his (belly) heart will flow rivers of living water.””
John 7:38 NKJV
But we must make the decision to walk in His truth and leading and put the passions of the flesh to death.
At this time a battle begins within our soul, for the flesh had dominion throughout one’s life and will not let go of its culture, sinful habits and lust without a fight.
My beloved, we can do nothing good in the flesh, particularly when influenced by the demonic.
Therefore, we must ask ourselves, who is in control, me (my spirit) or my flesh?
Is it not time to make your spirit king, your soul, servant, and your flesh slave to the king, that the King of kings can lead you in His righteousness to do good works through your flesh. To “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
Matthew 10:8 NKJV
While the fruits of the Spirit bring life, the lust of flesh bring death.
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.“
Galatians 5:16-22, 24-26 NKJV
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
