The Persuasion

Kristine Cucinotta Murphy

Most of us fell subject to persuasion, especially when our eyes first opened coming into faith.

We were hungry for that bread of life but even with such crave, we can be misled into some serious issues of gluttony and pride in our new life and walk.

We are running out of the gate persay and find ourselves caught up in some confusing situations.

Now living in and for the Spirit, and once lived in and for the flesh, we become torn even greater, one arm being pulled one way and the other pulled another. We find ourselves being ripped at the very seams God needs us pulled apart from.

Psalm 34:18-20
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

We think we know better now, we think we have everything we need and yet our flesh screams for us to feed it again. And, that flesh is highly manipulative and will try to lie in thoughts and ways to twist and deceive to get what it wants. The flesh wants what the flesh wants. But, the Spirit has what it has and won’t for a minute let it go.

That Spirit of the Living God has been to the very pit of hell and back to the highest heaven. That Spirit of the Living God knows way more than us and how far to let us go. That Spirit of the Living God will never fail us.

As believers and now followers of Jesus Christ, just learning to walk may take many stumbles and falls before we learn how to, before we build up our muscle of faith and let balance take it’s course in our new life.

There will be many things that will weight us down, top heavy and leaning to one side more than the other.

We are excited and amped, ready to take off sprinting down the way, but find ourselves looking up from the ground like a toddler first learning to walk, crying hysterically not knowing what just happened. Only that we knew, we saw where we were going, went for it and find ourselves defeated on the ground and hurt.

We all need to learn how to walk as a believer and a follower of Jesus Christ. There will be stumbles, things that may try to discourage us. We also have to be weened off of milk and start eating meat, so our muscle of faith can grow and gain mass to keep us up, going and strong, in the LORD; walking in the Spirit.

Not just hearers only but doers of the word. No more diaper changes, we wear big girl and big boy pants now! And if we make a mess, we definitely gonna know it and it will be even more so uncomfortable. Because, we experienced that dry, clean bottom and it’s nicer than sitting in it waiting for someone to change us.

We know how to keep ourselves from messing ourselves! Let us keep our bottoms clean, eat meat and walk to not grow weary, we shall finish this race clothed in all humility!

Knowing evenso, some things we are now expected to do for ourselves we are yet still totally and fully dependant on God Almighty and his Holy Spirit in which we were not just born in but we now must walk and live in.

Galatians 5:7-17
Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.

9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.

11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.

12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.