ICS Daily Devotions
Flee Away From Iniquities
1 Timothy 6:11(NKJV) But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
We as Christians are urged to flee lustful desires. We know that we are free and the devil has no more stronghold over us. Therefore, we should disassociate or distance ourselves from sin. In this case flee from any places, movies or websites that cultivate the sensual craving, or places that stimulate unlawful sensual desires.
We should also be fleeing from unwanted approaches, suggestions and even flirtatious ways of men or women. Flee from suggestions to visit drinking holes that lead to inability to control our senses, flee from entertainment joints that have sleazy activities, flee from friends and wrong companies that influence you negatively.
Don’t be like the popular caricature of an ostrich that deceives itself by burying its head in the sand, pretending that nothing is happening and allowing the devil to steal, kill and destroy! Flee like a real ostrich from its predator!
The ostrich is actually one of the fastest running animal that reach a top speed of 70km/h or 45mph. The simple term for fleeing is to run away quickly! That’s active faith. You are blessed when you act on your belief that you are free and no longer in need to identify yourself with all these above-mentioned iniquities.
Let us, therefore, pursue godly things, just like the refugees from war tone countries are pursuing a place of peace and safety for them and their families. Spiritually, pursuing also means that you want be a doer of the work and not a hearer of the word only!
Pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Pursue spending time with our spouse, pursue topping up their emotional reservoir by loving them with their love language so that they feel loved. Pursue peace with your spouse by quickly asking for forgiveness, work on reconciliation and restoration. Chase after it and be in hot pursuit after righteousness, love and peace!
Those things that we need to flee from are obsession with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and the love of money.
Flee or run away quickly from any disputes that arise from the flesh, divisive conversations, unnecessary confrontation without facts or figures, and the love of money that leads to unrighteous action.
Flee away from getting even in words that tear down and destroy by holding back your tongue. Go for a walk, choose to crucify your flesh by carrying the cross, pray in tongues and reign in your flesh! Refuse to allow the flesh to have dominance over the situation!
Pursue doing what is right! Pursue forgiveness! Pursue unity and oneness in relationship at home, in cell group and in church! Pursue godliness with contentment because it is a great gain.
We get stronger spiritually every time when we listen to the Word, believe it and act on it! Your faith muscle regarding the truth of who you are in God’s Royal Family gets stronger by the day! There is power in the resurrection of Christ in us that help us to live out the active faith in God.
Sermon series: Active Faith
