THIS WEEK, BEWARE OF PLEASURE
That’s right! If you want to achieve your goals or do more meaningful things this week, then the first thing you must do is eliminate the possibility of giving unnecessary pleasure to your body and soul.
Pleasure has its advantages, but if it’s not controlled, it can neutralize your desire for spiritual growth and development. Water is good, but it will always be an enemy to fire. If you want your fire to burn, then it’s simple wisdom to keep water away from it. While pursuing growth, giving room for pleasure is like pouring water on the fire you’ve lighted. If it doesn’t quench the fire, it will reduce the volume.
Don’t play video games this week, neither should you watch those movies you watch when you return from work at night. I know some of you have planned to download new movies in the office today, so that you can use them to relax yourself at night before you sleep. But hey, do you really want to relax again this week? Wouldn’t you like to be at your best or be on fire all through the week, day and night?
Instead of playing games or watching movies, do something that will add to the fire that you started burning earlier in the day. Read books or biographies, listen to messages, or even use the time to pray. If you can’t pray, use the time to worship or praise God. And if you don’t feel like doing any of those, use the time to meditate on something valuable you can do for the rest of the week.
If you feel tired when you get home, sleep for an hour (not on your bed😁). From experience, your body will naturally resist your desire to do anything meaningful when you return from work. At that time, it wants to relax and have fun. It takes some level of discipline to still be productive even at night. So if your body resists you, that’s totally fine. Sleep, but not without setting an alarm to wake up after an hour. And just incase you are too tired when you wake up, then go to bed for the night, that’s totally fine. You’ve successfully informed your body that it won’t be as usual this week.
By the next day, prepare for the night. In other words, save some strenght for that which you’d do when you get home. Food is good, but a man that eats every day will hardly remain hot spiritually. I’ve often said that as Christians, if you eat today, you should fast tomorrow. The reason why some of you have not been able to pray at night is because your stomach is usually too full during the day. Try not to eat in the evening and see if your body won’t be ready to pray at night. The body naturally won’t let you sleep until it gets fed. And even if it sleeps, it would wake up early and strong. The key to strenght at night is to maintain a light-weight during the day.
You own your body, stop living as though your body owns you. Don’t be lost in your own body. In Romans 8:12-14, the Apostle said, “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live”. That’s right! You’re not owing your flesh anything, so you should put it under subjection to your spirit without apology. Pleasure is a trick!
You have to understand this; anything that gives pleasure and excitement to your flesh should be disciplined. Discipline your eating, discipline the time you spend on social media and watching movies, discipline the time you use in playing computer games, discipline yourself! I’ve received several messages from people who tell me that the only reason why they open their social media apps is if they want to read my articles. Once they’re done reading, they’re out again till the next day. By doing that, they’ve been able to maintain their zeal and passion for the Lord.
Apostle Paul made this clear in many of his writings. Let’s see one of them:
Galatians 5:
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulful 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.
Did you see that? If you don’t want to fulfill the lust of the flesh, walk in the Spirit. The flesh will always do things that are contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit will always want things that are contrary to the flesh. Think about it, how does those endless season movies support your spirit man? How does the hours you spend in playing computer games help your spirit? How does the mundane video skits you watch on social media contribute to your growth?
If you’re not married and don’t intend to marry anytime soon, then this is not a week to be lusting over a lady or even a guy. Some of you go straight to visit your “babe” after work, just to give pleasure to your flesh. How long do you intend to do this? Can’t you even see that it’s wasting your precious time?
Some of you have projects you’ve abandoned, not intentionally, but because you won’t trade your pleasure for productivity. It’s probably something you were working on before you got a job, and now that you got a job, you haven’t continued because you’d rather have fun during your evening.
As I conclude, don’t just fast on food this week, fast on TV, social media, video games, romance, and anything that gives unsolicited pleasure to your body and soul. Focus on your growth, from today all through till Saturday. On Sunday, sit down with your family and share the things you were able to achieve. If it doesn’t blow your mind, then this was all a lie.
I hope this has brought enlightenment to someone.
Remain ever blessed, in Jesus precious name!
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