At The Crossroads Of Opportunity And Desire

 

For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 

Galatians 5: 13 NKJV 

I heard a local pastor this week speak to our desires.  More specifically, that place where our desires meet opportunity.  This is indeed a topic which I can speak to, for there have been many a occasions where my own desires have been brought to fruition by one opportunity or another.  What addiction has anyone ever faced where desire has not been met with opportunity?  My own addiction to pornography was one where my desires were met with the opportunity to act upon them.  Now, make no mistake, these desires will only lead to nothing good if we take the opportunity to allow them to do so.  However, we also have the choice to not act upon our desires in a way that is not conducive to a lifestyle of following Gods lead.  It is indeed a matter of choice.  Boy have I made some bad ones.  We all have.  So, what is it we should do when our desires come knocking wanting to be acted upon?  Well, in these situations we do well to choose wisely the path we will take.  Like a fork in the road, we all have the innate ability to choose between what we know is right and wrong.  I believe This has less to do with some sort of "moral code" and more to do with who it is we really are inside.  The apostle Paul speaks to this identity in Galatians.  Paul makes the observation that it is Christ Jesus who lives in us {Galatians 2:20}.  If we abide by this knowing, our own thoughts and desires are in line with Christ who is in us.  Now, does this mean that we will always choose the righteous way to act upon our desires?  No, I'm living proof of that.  Not only that, I've known many a believer who have run afoul of their own good choices.  Do I regret not following the lead of Christ in some of my decisions?  Absolutely.  However, the road of opportunity has many exits.  

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Galatians 2: 20 NKJV 

I look upon the life of Jesus and the many decisions and choices which He must have been faced with.  His temptations by Satan are some of the most read scriptures in the bible.  Satan presented Jesus with many a opportunity to act upon His human desires.  What was Jesus' response?  "IT IS WRITTEN."  At each and every turn, Jesus countered Satan's opportunities with what was right.  It is Satan who went away empty handed that day.  What can we as believers learn from the temptations of Jesus?  Well, if we have the knowing that He is in us, then we already have the mindset of Christ.  We have the ability to stand up to Satan as Jesus did.  We are not locked into a life of bad decisions.  Far from it.  When we have the realization of Christ Jesus in us, we can prevent any bad decision through His leading.  

~Scott~