DESIRE
- Seek to make your shelter and trust in the Lord and to speak of His works. It is good to be near God.
- Seek to walk in a spirit of repentance and to honor your Father by living in truth at the core of who He has made you to be. Remember that your inner thoughts and consequent actions impact those of which you share daily life.
- Seek to live with a sweet and gentle balance that you may bear the fruit of strength and evenness. Pray that your Father will exercise favorable judgments as you seek Him so that you may grow in holiness and truth.
- Seek that you may desire a lowly position in life; to live and look for opportunities to wait upon the needs of others.
- Seek to live with a strong conviction of God’s truth. Speak in faith, do not doubt in your heart, and pray believing that you will receive whatever you ask.
- Seek to have a burning devotion to your Father that is based in knowledge and discernment. Seek to understand that you embrace righteousness through the thoughts and feelings of your mind.
- Seek to direct your strongest feelings toward pursuing spiritual things wrapped in a life of love. Express desire to your Father that you may prophesy for the building up of His church.
- Seek to make room in your heart for those that the Lord has brought into your life. Invest into each-others lives to produce perseverance and fruit.
- Seek to live and see in a way that produces growth in others. This builds confidence and bears fruit for the Kingdom.
- Seek to be steady in the faith, to love the saints, to teach and to be taught so that we all may be complete in Christ.
- Seek to be approved by God for the proclamation of His gospel.
- Seek to be devout, upright and blameless in your behavior toward each other in Christ so that you may walk in a manner worthy of His call to the Kingdom.
- Seek to live and act by faith so that you will be rewarded by God as you seek Him and the ways of His Kingdom.
- Seek to abstain from the lusts of the flesh as it wages war against the soul.
- Seek to proclaim the excellency of God who has called you out of the dark and into the light.
Colossians 1:9-10 - For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
1 Corinthians 14:1 - Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
II Corinthians 7:7 - ...and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more.
Ephesians 2:3 - Among them we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the rest.
Galatians 5:16-18 - But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
Galatians 5:24-26 - Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit as well. Let’s not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
Hebrews 6:11-12 - And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Hebrews 11:16 - But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 13:18 - Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.
Isaiah 26: 8-9 - Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O Lord, We have waited for You eagerly; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls. At night my soul longs for You, Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently; For when the earth experiences Your judgments The inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
James 1:5,6 - But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
But he must ask in faith without any doubting….
James 1:14,15 - But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death.
John 6:35 - "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
- No one is independent, we must draw life from another.
- A state of hunger and thirst surrounds and runs through all of life.
- Our heart hungers for happiness.
- Our intellect hungers for truth.
- Our will hungers for liberty; freedom of all bondage.
- Our conscience hungers for righteousness (to be correct and justified in our thoughts and actions).
- Instead of turning to Christ for life and satisfaction we turn to delusions.
- We behave with lower, animalistic natures.
- We feed our intellect with science and worldly knowledge.
- We entertain our carnal nature with the worlds glory.
- We feed our ambition with money, success & power.
- We feed our conscience with ceremonies and good works.
This is a false appetite and deadens the soul.
John 8:12 - "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
- The atoning blood of Jesus Christ cleanses and purifies us
- Father God is often said to dwell in a thick cloud and darkness
- The life and light of Christ in us gives us boldness to enter the Holy of Holies (The Fathers Presence). So there is precious life in the light (Jesus Christ) and precious life dwelling in the darkness (Father God). Also, His light empowers us to reject the darkness of the world.
Mark 9:35 - Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”
Mark 11:24 - Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.
*What is your basis for all things? What is flowing up out of your fountain of desire? If it's out of your great love for Him, you're on the right track.
Matthew 5:28 - but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Matthew 6:21 - for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 12:25 - “The good person brings out of his good treasure good things; and the evil person brings out of his evil treasure evil things.
1 Peter 2: 1-3 - Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
1 Peter 2:11 - Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.
1 Peter 4:2,3 - so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human lusts, but for the will of God. For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries.
2 Peter 2:10 - … and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt passion, and despise authority. Reckless, self-centered, they speak abusively of angelic majesties without trembling….
2 Peter 2:18 - For, while speaking out arrogant words of no value they entice by fleshly desires, by indecent behavior, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error….
2 Peter 3:3 - Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts….
Philippians 4:17 - Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.
Proverbs 19:22 - What is desirable in a person is his kindness, And it is better to be a poor person than a liar.
Proverbs 22:1,4 - A good name is to be more desired than great wealth; Favor is better than silver and gold. The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches, honor, and life.
Psalms 40:8 - “I delight to do Your will, my God; Your Law is within my heart.”
Psalms 51:6 - Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
Psalms 63:1 - God, You are my God; I shall be watching for You; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and exhausted land where there is no water.
Psalms 73: 25-26 - Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Romans 1:24-26 - Therefore God gave them up to vile impurity in the lusts of their hearts, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
For they exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged natural relations for that which is contrary to nature
Romans 7:8 - But sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead.
Romans 8:5,6 - For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are in accord with the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace….
Romans 10:1 - Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.
1 Thessalonians 2:17 - But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while—in person, not in spirit—were all the more eager with great desire to see your face.
1 Timothy 5:11,12 - But refuse to register younger widows, for when they feel physical desires alienating them from Christ, they want to get married, thereby incurring condemnation, because they have ignored their previous pledge.
1 Timothy 6:9-10 - But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
2 Timothy 2:22 - Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Ambition
A strong desire to achieve success or power. When giving consideration to topics such as this, it seems to often become a black hole of sorts. Is ambition good or bad? If it’s good, then where are the boundaries and how do I safely handle it? If it’s bad, then why and how? Then we may ask, what is success? How does our culture define success and how does the Kingdom of God look at ambition and success? These types of questions go on and on and can lock us down in paralysis of analysis. So, it quickly becomes evident this is no easy subject. We must determine the most fundamental questions and approach to getting on the right path now. Otherwise, we will create our own framework from which to arrive at a conclusion that may lead us astray and even with the best intentions.
Fundamentally, it seems we should know what the bible says about these things. It stands to reason we already know what the world says which is why we wrestle with these type of things to begin with. Let’s look at scripture but this is where we are going; knowledge of this is important and necessary. The wisdom, discernment and understanding of walking this out in everyday life is by the Holy Spirit. If we skip this part we will not make progress. Knowing His ways and character comes from spending time with Him in gratitude and praise, lingering in His presence, learning to speak and listen. This is the basics of relationship 101.
1 Cor 4:7: - For who considers you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
2 Cor 5:9 - Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.
Ephesians 5:8-10 - For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out (trying to learn) what is acceptable to the Lord.
Galatians 1:10 - For am I now seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
James 4:3,4 - You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures (sensual delights / lusts). Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship (fondness) with the world is enmity (hostility) with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
John 5:44 - “How can you believe, when you accept glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?
John 17:3 - “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. “I glorified You on the earth by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do.
1 John 2:15-17 - Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God continues to live forever.
Luke 9:48 - and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great."
Luke 10:20 - “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”
Matthew 6:33,34 - But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (eat, drink, wear?) shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 20:26-28 - “It is not this way among you, but whoever wants to become prominent among you shall be your servant, and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 23:11,12 - “But the greatest of you shall be your servant.
“Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
Philippians 1:17 - the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking that they are causing me distress in my imprisonment.
Philippians 2:3 - Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. (We are to be like minded, having the love of Christ)
Proverbs 22:2 - The rich and the poor have a common bond, The LORD is the Maker of them all.
Psalms 16:11 - You will make known to me the way of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Romans 8:7 - because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so
1 Thess 2:4 - but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not intending to please people, but to please God, who examines our hearts.
1 Thess 4:11 - and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we instructed you