Based on Romans 12:9-21 (New King James Version)
“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Fulfilling the Word of God will not only produce eternal life, but it will also produce a different life while in this world for us individually. Just as the Lord said it: “…Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” Matthew 4:4b. Absolutely everything, even our daily existence, depends on the Word of God. There is no life in anything else. Everything else is just an illusion. But, along with the Word of God, there must be the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In the life of the believer, of a person who truly wants their eternal life to begin here and continue, there must be both the Word of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And both are interdependent. The Word of God is the knowledge of the truth, but the Holy Spirit is the one who must guide the application of such truth.
The Word of God, which gives us the knowledge we need, speaks of this Holy Spirit, who is the third Person of the Holy Trinity, as it is also written: “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.” 1 John 5:7. So then, we should get our guidance from Him, just as the Lord’s faithful example demonstrates for us: “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit…” Matthew 4:1a. That’s why the Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit taught this: “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of 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 5:16-17.
So, what we read at the beginning is obviously the Word of God, and we must apply it to our lives, but subject to what the Holy Spirit guides. The Holy Spirit is the one who has to tell us how and when, and what applies in each situation, and not our flesh. Why? Because although a person has given their life to the Lord, sin still dwells in their flesh, and is subject to the senses. That connection of the visible world to our flesh through the senses is what still hinders us and does not help us see things clearly. That is the practical side of the matter, and that is why the Apostle Paul advised us not to be led by the flesh. It is part of our nature to look for what is pleasant and attractive at the moment, to let ourselves be carried away by pleasures and bad desires. The senses and the flesh do not know what is spiritual, that which remains forever, but only that which is earthly, temporal, and finally, carnal. If we desire the eternal, the immovable, then we must moreover let ourselves be guided by that. There is only one thing, or rather, one Person who is immovable and eternal, and that is God, and even more exactly, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, three persons, but one God, as we read before.
So, having said this, what should guide us to begin to have this Holy Spirit, and so He can guide us effectively? This is what the Word says: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7. We must take God into account in everything, and with all reverence (which means: fear), starting even with the most basic things. What does God think of me? How can I find grace before this God who is immovable? If we want to belong to God, we must ask Him to be our Lord. This is what the Word says: “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:8-10. So, if you accept Jesus as Lord, treat him as such. If He is the Lord, then only His will must be done. After all, if we neither know nor understand the eternal things of God, how do we think we can arrive at it by ourselves, and by our own opinion? Therefore, we must ask the Lord to show us His way. And of course, that will many times go totally against what we think and feel, because of the sin that we still have. So, we must let ourselves be led by Him, and let His will be done. Because it is written: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21.
What example can we see of this? The Apostle Paul. This is his testimony: “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’” Acts 9:1-6. Paul did the wisest thing in his life. He changed course, and humbled himself before God and he treated Him as the Lord He is. That’s why he also wrote this: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12. And, why with fear and trembling? “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10. Therefore, if you desire good for yourself, cling on to God’s Word and look for the Holy Spirit’s guidance. So then, what is guiding you? Lord bless! John. Support Israel. Pray for Israel. God will bless those that bless Israel.