Read: Philippians 2:12-15
It is God Himself who is at work in you to help you to. desire it as well as do it (Philippians 2:13, Williams).
Different Desires
We shall still be tempted through the channel of our natural desires even after we have been sanctified wholly. But we must not assume that the desires of the sanctified Christian are no different from what they were before his heart was cleansed. It is in this fountainhead of human life, in the deepest motivations of the soul, that the Spirit of God performs His cleansing work. What difference, then, does sanctification make in my desires?
The sanctified man feels no real approval for any impulse that he knows to be wrong. If in my experience of temptation I become aware of any desire contrary to the will of God, I know that this impulse does not represent the real attitude of my spirit. In the hour of testing I may have some temporary desire for the object of temptation, but I know a deeper and more permanent desire to love and serve God.
What has the Holy Spirit done for me in answer to my prayer for a holy heart? He has given me a very great love for God. Because I love God with all my heart, that love keeps me faithful in the hour of temptation. God’s Holy Spirit also gives me a sincere love for men. There is within me a positive desire to share another’s load. When I see someone in need, it is the indwelling Holy Spirit who makes me want to be helpful.
Affirmation For Today
The sanctifying Spirit of God has made a difference in my life. He made me different the day I invited Him to come in. He has often helped me to be more like Jesus than I could have been even when I honestly tried. I promise anew today to keep my life wide open to the sanctifying power of God’s Holy Spirit, who has come to live in me.