ICS Daily Devotions
Have You Been Deceived?
Galatians 6:7-8 (NJKV) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
“God is not mocked” means that He will allow us to reap the consequences of what we have sown to the work of the flesh even if it is painful and unpleasant for us. This is because He is just, holy and righteous. If He were to obstruct those consequences resulting from the acts of our flesh, the devil is able to accuse Him of being unjust as we are supposed to be free moral agents. The devil has deceived us into thinking that we want absolute freedom and acting in rebellion. As a result, we have allowed a hole in the fence or the hedge that God has built around us. The devil enters to steal, kill and destroy our lives. God will never tempt us because there is no evil in Him. All temptations come from the devil and he knows our weaknesses such as old sinful habits that cause us to stumble and fall. Many Christians still live in such a way that they want the salvation of God without the Lordship of Christ. We must repent if we have sown to our flesh.
Some examples of sowing to the flesh include:
- Fights and quarrels
Galatians 5:15 (NKJV) But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
The flesh would like to have a tit for tat response towards offenses. We tear each other down with our words and relationships are destroyed. We need to walk in the Spirit which means walking in love, forgiveness and restoration.
- Fornication
2 Corinthians 12:21 (NKJV) lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.
The world is very liberal in non-committal and mutually consensual relationships outside marriages. A believer could even be practicing this kind of lifestyle if they are not grounded in the Word or not living a sanctified life. However, the Bible teaches us to keep our marriage beds pure.
- Envy, strife and division
1 Corinthians 3:3 (NKJV) For you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
The flesh is selfish and envious of others and likes to create discord through strife and division to promote self. However, the Spirit wants to put others before self and to work as a team.
- Being unequally yoked
2 Corinthians 6:14-15 (NKJV) Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
The world tells us that it does not matter whom we partner with in marriage or business, but we know that being unequally yoked often leads to discord because of differences in values.
Have you been blindsided into sowing to the flesh? If you have, it is not too late to repent and decide to sow to the Spirit instead and reaping the joy from it.
Sermon Series: God, the Devil or me
