THURSDAY 10 November, 2016
What do you Desire?
And Joab said to the king, “Now may the Lordyour God add to the people a hundred times more than there are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?” - 2 Samuel 24:3
Joab tried to give David sound advice and place a check in the heart of the king––as if to say, “Why do you want to do that, when God has won all these battles? Do you not trust God David?” Despite Joab’s attempt to reason and question the king’s motives to number the people, David would overrule him. At this time, David was following his own desires.
The Bible reveals that our flesh and soul have a natural desire to do evil: The soul of the wicked desires evil (Proverbs 21:10). Even after we come to Christ there is a daily battle between the Spirit and 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 - (Galatians 5:17).
How can we overcome the flesh? Galatians 5:16 says: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Our desires should be aligned with God’s will; our soul should crave to be in his presence. When David’s heart was right before the Lord, he desired nothing else:
How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lordof hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God… For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness (Psalm 84:1-2, 10).
Check all your hearts desires; are they in line with God’s Word and His desires for your life?
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
~Psalm 37:4~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit Somebodylovesyouradio.org!