When I was little I loved it when my mom would cook up a batch of popcorn with salt and melted butter, we’d sit and talk and watch TV and enjoy each other’s company. When I was a little older I tasted my Aunt Peggy’s caramel corn and was amazed, it was better than Cracker Jack. But it wasn’t till I was married that somehow we stumbled upon using parmesan cheese along with the salt and melted butter that really created the ultimate treat.
If you think this article is about popcorn it’s really not. You see if you take the word popcorn and remove the 2nd, 3rd and 4th letters (opc) you reveal a real problem for men. If I type that word here, many keyword blockers will keep you from seeing this. So, I’m just going to assume you know what I’m talking about.
God made man to be a visually stimulated and driven being for a reason. He wanted him to be a go-getter; a doer; one who would see something he wanted and go after it with all his heart. I believe this is why Paul says in Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” He’s trying to get hold of your desires, to harness them so the mighty power He put in you can be used for His purposes.
God made women beautiful and visually stimulating for many reasons, one of them is: the propagation of the human race is mighty high on His agenda; that’s why it was the very first commandment ever given to mankind in scripture: Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it…”
But there are many men in this world who have already taken part in that process yet the drive behind their eyes has not abated. Proverbs 27:20 “Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man.”
Ecclesiastes 1:8 “All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.” Well, Solomon, that is true, but there’s got to be more hope for the regenerate, for those of us who have been born again. Romans 8:5 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. Galatians 5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
A friend of mine, fresh out of prison, was really battling with the desires of his flesh. He came to me for advice and prayer. I told him, “If your body won’t line up with the word don’t feed it.” He took my words to heart and went on a fast, not that long of one, but he returned with an amazing report. “What you told me really worked. When I fasted that overwhelming desire left.” Things had come under control.
Once when I was struggling in this area, I went to the Lord for forgiveness and counsel. His reply was interesting, “Go to war, son!” It reminded of me of David in 2Samuel 11:1 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army... But David remained in Jerusalem. 2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful…
David was in a posture of leisure, he was not fulfilling his responsibilities, he was pushing them off on others, letting them carry the burden so he could be at ease. His divine purpose had been pushed on someone else’s shoulders.
God said to me, “Go to war, son!” When we are busy with our life’s purpose; when our shoulders are harnessed with the yoke of God; when we are at war sin will have a hard time even presenting itself as an option. Uriah couldn’t be moved off of this posture of war. 2Samuel 11:8 Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. 9 But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master's servants and did not go down to his house. 10 When David was told, "Uriah did not go home," he asked him, "Haven't you just come from a distance? Why didn't you go home?" 11 Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my lord's men are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!"
The destruction David reaped in his life from this was terrible.
So, my friend, I hope these two bits of advice bring power to your Spirit to resist the wicked temptations that seem to abound in our culture. The next time you are tempted to enjoy some popcorn, remember the Devil is not presenting this temptation to you because he likes you, he’s doing it because he wants to kill you. It’s time to either fast or go to war.
–Joe Barlow (copyright 2010)
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