Guess who’s against us? (Desire - Part 2)

The Enemy's Desire

The Psalmist prayed: “Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence” (Ps.27:12).

Even the enemy has got desires too. The enemy uses our sinful desires to enslave us. Sin is crouching at the door, it desires to have you but you must master it (Gen.4:7). The Bible states the motives of the enemy clearly: he desires to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). 

Similarly, desire is a form of seed planted in our hearts. We are the ones to decide whether to water it or let it dry up and die… James 1:15 tells me that desire is first conceived before it gives birth to sin; and sin, when full-grown, it gives birth to death. But hear what the Word says about our hearts: Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown" (Mark 4:18-20).

Evil Desires

The Bible says the unfaithful, are trapped by evil desires (Prov.11:6). Are we unfaithful in our love to God? Or are we unfaithful in giving our tithes and offering? How about unfaithfulness in our marriages? Are we unfaithful in following through our plans and goals? How is our usage of time? Are we able to stick to just one hand-phone for years and change it only when it wears out? Hmm…

Rom.6:12 “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires”. For sin produces evil desires or deceitful desires and every kind of covetous desire.

Fleshly deceitful desires includes lustful desires (2 Pet.2:18), foolish and harmful desires (1 Tim.6:9), evil desires of youth (2 Tim.2:22).

God’s Desire for Us

However, “you were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires” (Eph. 4:22) “and clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom.13:14). As you are being renewed day by day; so are your desires renewed and cleansed to reflect the desire of the Spirit of God. How do you do that? Well, it all begins in the mind. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires (Rom.8:5). It is only natural if you find your desire in contrary to the Spirit, so that you do not do what you want (Gal.5:17).

The good news is “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires” (Gal.5:24). “The world and its desires will pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:16-18).

How can God be so confident of us or so confident of Himself (Him-selves)?

God is a God of integrity; God knows our hearts and He tests them (1 Chro.29:17; 1 Sam.16:7; 1 Thes.2:4). The Word says, when we seek Him, we WILL actually find Him when we seek Him with all our hearts (Jer.29:13). Amazingly, God also tells us where to find Him. Give a guess? Matthew 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” The Father is said to be in the secret place waiting for us to come to Him. 

It is true that we have lots of desires, plans and dreams. But unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labour in vain… (Ps.127:1). Proverbs 19:21-23 says it best: “Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. What a man desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar. The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.”

Knowing that the fear of the Lord leads to life, I can now rest contented and untouched by trouble. God is not cruel; He does not want to destroy our dreams and desires. But He wants to bring it into His light and give it life. Just as the Lord has chosen Zion and has desired it for his dwelling: "This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it” (Ps.132:13-14); He has also chosen our hearts a place for His dwelling.

Being as human as we are, we have built walls of defences against people who hurt us, or might hurt us; built walls against pain, against receiving love, against trusting others, against disappointments, against desiring the best or even for the better… and the list goes on. But hear me out! The word “Zion” essentially means “fortification”. Our heart is a stronghold that God wants to strengthen by building defensive structure like walls or mounds for the purpose of resisting and defending us against the influence of Satan. Instead of trying to build our own walls using “Lego blocks”, why not allow God to build and fortify our hearts? Why “Lego blocks”? Because you and I know they will tumble one day. I trust, God is a much more skillful and talented builder compared to me. Another definition of fortified is used for wines that had grape spirit added to them. Here, the definition not only applies for wines; but for our lives too. God adds His Holy Spirit upon us to desire His will and with that, He strengthens our will. DONE! See how God strengthens and builds His wall around our hearts for His own dwelling? Let me re-quote Ps.127:1 “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labour in vain…” (and the lyrics of this particular song continue with), “So let’s take time, to wait upon the Lord”.

Let this be our prayer: Isaiah 26:7-9a “The path of the righteous is level; O upright One, you make the way of the righteous smooth. Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you”.

Selah

Having said so much about desire, learning to be contented is a great way to live. One of my favourite quote from Elisabeth Elliot's Let Me Be A Woman, quoting her husband Jim Elliot, “Let not our longing slay the appetite of our living”. Truly, as the Apostle Paul puts it: “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim.6:6). Nothing else beats being contented in Christ!