Last month, we learned that Jesus will come for a church that is holy. We also learned that holiness is what allows the glory of God to be manifest. We asked ourselves "Are we doing the best we can?" or "Are we doing the best we want to do?" We learned that our flesh is our responsibility, not God's.

God hasn't called us to make our flesh comfortable. He has called us to crucify it. He has called us to "mortify [or put to death] the deeds of the body" (Romans 8:13). God has given us His Spirit to enable us to mortify the deeds of the body. He has given us His Word and His Spirit to teach us what we need to do. Now, it is our responsibility to obey Him. It is our job to sell out completely to God and to do everything He tells us to do.

Some people say "Well, God hasn't told me to do anything." That just means they haven't been putting themselves in position to hear His voice. He is always telling us to come up higher. He is always saying to step up to another level of spiritual life. He has more for us!

Some of the things the Lord may ask us to lay down on this road to holiness may not necessarily be sinful. They may simply be the weights referred to in Hebrews 12:1. Weights are natural interests or pursuits that take up our time or energy and hold us down in the natural. They are earthly distractions that may not be bad in themselves, yet they keep us from going higher in spiritual pursuits. Weights are also anything that takes God's place in our heart. God is supposed to have the first and supreme place in our lives. He is not meant to be one of many treasures in our lives. He is meant to be the treasure of our lives -- our first love.
Colossians 3:1-2 says "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

Notice this verse doesn't say the Lord will set your affection for you. It says you must set your affection. It is your responsibility. Actually, our affection follows our attention. So when our affection toward some earthly pursuit or hobby grows too strong, the Lord will often prompt us to set it aside and turn our attention completely away from it for a time, so we can once again set our affection firmly where it should be and that is on Him.

If you haven't been devoting much time to the Lord, you may find it very difficult to overcome your fleshly desires. You may find yourself laying them down one day and picking them back up the next because, spiritually, you are just not strong enough to do what you know you should do. When you find yourself in that condition, spend more time reading and meditating on the Word of God. Start spending more time in prayer and fellowship with Him. Your union with the Lord is what makes your spirit strong. You will then find you have more than enough strength to overcome that stubborn sin, turn off that television program, set aside that golf game, or cancel that trip to the mall when the Lord prompts you to.

As you spend time with Him in the Word and in prayer, you will begin to get victory on the inside. And, once you get victory on the inside, victory on the outside is a sure thing!