Carnality is the Culprit

Not every battle is visible. Before you fix what's around you, let Him deal with what's in you.

At the root of disorder, disease, disbelief, disorganization, downfalls, division—even the very need for deliverance—is the carnal, fleshly issue within ourselves.

Not just what’s around us.

But what’s in us.

Our instinctive responses to stimuli—people, places, things—will determine what fruit comes forth. Why?

Because what’s been planted is what will grow.

That’s why we must make time to be still.

We must love ourselves enough to sit with Him—our Heavenly Father—and let Him deal with us.

Then we deal with ourselves accordingly.

We’ve got to stop thinking certain ways.

Stop behaving and speaking things over our lives that don’t align with who He says we are.

We must renew our minds—daily. Sometimes moment by moment. (Romans 12:2)

We must believe He is enough when we simply aren’t—

Not in our own strength, power, motivation, or action.

And when we show up—

To our jobs, at the grocery store, with family, in gatherings...

How are we showing up?

Are we just going along to get along?

Merely existing?

No pep in our step?

And more importantly—

When we pray... how are we showing up?

Is it humble, with a quiet expectancy?

Is it a genuine yearning to be in His presence?

Or are we robotic, unmotivated, disengaged—just trying to get it in and check it off the to-do list?

If it’s the latter, we’ve failed Him… and ourselves.

It’s a choice.

Will there be times we just don’t feel it?

Yes.

Will we get caught up in the busyness of life?

Absolutely.

The cares of this world will consume us and swallow us whole if we allow them to.

When we sow to the carnal rather than the spiritual, we set ourselves up for frustration and cycles we were never meant to stay in. (Galatians 6:8)

Let us make the time we’ve been given meaningful, purposeful, engaged, and hopeful.

Let us pray and ask the Father to give us His mind:

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Yahusha Ha’Mashiach”

(Philippians 2:5)

Let us decrease.

Let this carnal nature be surrendered—

Grudges.

Control.

Animosity.

Spitefulness.

Unrest.

Gluttony.

Addictions to unhealthy habits—

The ones that keep us in a loop:

Regret.

Depression.

Angst.

Defeat.

Dishonor.

Unbelief.

Self-sabotage.

People-pleasing…

The list goes on.

Let us seek balance in all things, disallowing the flesh—especially when mixed with unchecked emotion—to steer us closer and closer to cliffs we were never meant to approach.

Let us be led by His Spirit.

Let us grow—emotionally and spiritually—so we can discern when we’ve chosen carnality, knowingly or unknowingly.

“...Use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”

(Galatians 5:13)

Let us re-align.

Adjust.

Tweak our prayer life, our perspective, our attitude.

So that we show up how we ought to—

Full of light.

Full of love.

Ready to be used for His glory—

As the children of the Most High Yah that we are.

Reflection: Take a moment today to ask yourself: How am I showing up—before Yah, in prayer, and in life? Am I sowing to the Spirit… or feeding the flesh? What carnal patterns am I still holding onto that need to be surrendered? Let Him show you, and then, let Him lead you into freedom.