Day 61 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Tripped Up

Proverbs 11:5-6  [NKJV] 5 The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness. 6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the unfaithful will be caught by [their] lust.

Ever heard the saying “he is his own worst enemy”? Solomon seems to be saying that here – that my own wickedness or my own lust is what will trip me up, more than any outside pressure.

Whether it is stealing a car or trying to steal someone else’s mate, drunkenness or gluttony, lust plays a role in leading to bad behavior and sin. First, we desire something – first it’s a thought or a want. Then, if we don’t deliberately stop it there, we take.

We’d be a lot better off if we’d stop sin even before the desire hits. Then, we wouldn’t need to try to stand between the desire and the deed. Before the thought takes root is where the Holy Spirit does some of its best work.

Galatians 5:22-23 [NKJV] 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

The Greek word translated “self-control” means “one who masters his desires and passions.” The Holy Spirit helps us to stop sin and bad behavior at the desire level. It helps us to master desire before it even takes root and has a chance to lead us forward to action.

Human nature and the world around us and Satan himself are on the side of sin. Without the leading of the Holy Spirit, we have the wrong desires and they lead to the wrong actions. With the Holy Spirit, our desires change and our actions change too. We are no longer tripped up by our own lusts and, therefore, we stop before the action occurs.

Sisters, this is just one more reason to be thankful for the Holy Spirit, which is a piece of God in us. Isaiah 55:8 [NKJV] says "For My thoughts [are] not your thoughts, Nor [are] your ways My ways," says the LORD. But that is before the Holy Spirit leads us. Once we are led by the Holy Spirit, that can change. Our thoughts can become aligned with God’s because that is the work of the Holy Spirit – leading us by God’s thoughts and then guiding us to godly actions.

We need the Holy Spirit to guide us so that we have self-control at the thought level. We need the Holy Spirit to keep us from being tripped up by our own lust. Thank God for His willingness to give us His Spirit in abundance.

 Prayer — Father God, Thank You so much for sharing your Holy Spirit with me. Thank You for the work it does in me, stopping sin at the thought level, changing my thoughts to Your thoughts and my actions to godly actions. Jesus promised us this helper and we need it very much. So, please fill us today with Your Holy Spirit and the self-control it offers. Align our thoughts with Your thoughts and our deeds with Your will so that we glorify You in all thought, word and deed. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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