Fruit of the Serpent
Hear me when I say this… The enemy cannot speak to your soul, only to your flesh. The enemy cannot entice your soul, only your flesh. The enemy cannot manipulate your soul, only your flesh. The enemy cannot fulfill the desires of your soul, only the desires of your flesh. The enemy does not have dominion over your soul, but your flesh lives in his house.
When we draw a distinct line between the soul and the flesh, we make two very important revelations for spiritual growth:
ONE. If satan has nothing we want, he cannot manipulate us, deceive us, or tempt us.
The devil doesn’t have the power to forge a spiritual bond between us and anything or anyone because his domain is purely physical. He has the entire world at his claws to mold whatever we want so if we want nothing he has, his efforts are futile. Remember: While he can’t create a spiritual connection since that’s outside of his realm, what he can do is use physical elements to persuade us either toward or away from things. He does this by creating physical bonds only. Temptation (desires of the flesh) or deception (illusions of the mind.) Both of which must be linked to the physical world in some way. How this works…
Whether we want to admit it or not, we all have weaknesses that are rooted in the flesh, not in the spirit. We don’t need to list them here, but truly think about the things in the world that have power over your human form. It doesn’t have to be something as severe as an addiction. In fact, satan doesn’t tempt us with things that look destructive, but with things that look attractive and innocent, even as small as a subtle suggestion. Manipulation in this form targets the weaknesses of our flesh that were developed from our physical interactions in this world—childhood experiences, fears, unhealed trauma and so on. All of which have nothing to do with our souls or who God says we are. Be vigilant. Guard your heart and mind. Do not allow this kind of manipulation in!
Check yourself… It’s not from God if your interest stems from the flesh and not from the Spirit. If you take a job purely for a high salary but your heart isn’t in it, it wasn’t an offer from God. If you’re in a relationship with someone only because they fulfill physical needs like intimacy or financial stability, that’s not a spiritual connection and that’s not your person.
Conversely, when God sends you something that IS meant for you, the enemy will still use physical experiences to divert you from it… Have a strong intuitive pull, or see signs and synchronicities surrounding a new person that you meet? “Don’t follow that! Remember what happened the last time you opened your heart to love?”—The devil. You see where this is going…
TWO: All that comes into our lives that is OF the Spirit is sent BY GOD and not from the enemy, which means we can trust it!
We can always trust intuitive offers if they align with God’s Word and are rooted in spiritual desires. We never have to question a spiritual connection! This gives us clarity, confidence, and peace! We don’t really have to ask God, “Is this for me?” because it will show itself to be either spiritual or worldly. There is no in-between. If we’re chasing something that is of this world, it’s not from God. Period.
How does the saying go… “If you’re starving, you eat differently when someone offers you food.” Same goes for love or anything else that we feel we’re lacking. Fixing our eyes on God doesn’t need to mean spending 24/7 in worship, prayer, or reading scripture, what it really means is to focus on all things spiritual…
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” —Philippians 4:8 KJV
This verse says to “think on THESE things” as in… to fix our minds on all the good things from the spirit. So, what in our lives bears these good things and what does not? What is okay to focus our thoughts on and what needs to be ignored?
Nothing in this world will ever be able to feed our hunger if we are only hungry for God. This one concept empowers us in our Spiritual walk so much because we can structure our daily lives and decisions around it. Other religions propose that the key to enlightenment is to empty ourselves. The Christian Bible says to empty ourselves of this world so that we can be filled completely with the Spirit of God—in fact, overflowing with it!
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” —Romans 12:2 KJV
Let’s take off our human-suits and start living each day in the Spirit only. This way, any time a demon comes along and offers us something to eat, we can say, “No, thanks. I’m full.”
With Love, Michelle