We who are of God are kept by the Spirit of God.
We will be going along and all of a sudden we will be reminded of something, usually a scripture ... sometimes a dream ... or we will be given a word ... and by this we see the wisdom of God in the situation.
And as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God ... Rom. 8
So as we stop and heed that word given by the Spirit and do what it says, we are led by the Spirit of God. And by this we know we are the sons of God.
-----------
But also we have to keep our flesh under control as we live here.
We will decide to do some secular thing, but always we keep in mind these secular things are only temporary and though the flesh tries to tell us they are wonderful, basically they profit nothing. (The Spirit quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing...Jn. 6:63)
But it is important to keep that in mind so we will not be swept away by the seemingly wonders of the flesh as the world is swept away.
I Cor. 12 ... Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
I Cor. 9 ... Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
A few days ago, the following scripture kept going through my mind over and over ... "HIS pleasures are for evermore ..."
Psa. 16 ... Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
So as we go along, we remember the difference between the "dumb idols" the world follows ... all the various secular enjoyments that seem so enjoyable but perish quickly vs HIS pleasures which are for evermore, a word from the Spirit of God would be one of HIS pleasures and many more pleasures invisible to us lie in store for us with God.
Like Paul, we need to "keep under our bodies and bring them into subjection", not allowing the flesh to carry us away. It is only temporary and it will never satisfy. We will just want more.
As we are tempted in the flesh, we turn to God in prayer, asking God for HIS help.
I Cor. 10 ... There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 14Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
Yesterday I watched the Master's Golf Tournament on TV. But all the time I was aware of the idolatry and I thought often of how little this really means. I did not take part in the idolatry because I knew what they were doing meant nothing. The people of the world think their various idolatries are so important. They will find out it means nothing. My neighbor was dying of cancer a few years ago. Before he died, he looked at me and said, "Joan ... I've decided it really doesn't matter who wins the Super Bowl."
Jesus said ... My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Jn. 18
When we learn this concept ... and our kingdom is not of this world ... we will stop striving to perfect this present life. The only thing we do now that matters is the assignment God has given us to do on this earth.
One of the most freeing things I've ever learned is to live by "my kingdom is not of this world" ...
(Please read "My kingdom is not of this world" page one, right hand side of Internet site.)