Joan Boney ... apostle and prophet of Jesus Christ
by the will of God
according to Ephesians 4:11-12.
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Romans 8
Our flesh wants to go in the way of the flesh which is: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft (superstitions), hatred, variance (debatings/arguings), emulations (competitions/winning out over others), wrath (wanting to see others punished), strife, seditions, heresies (falling away from the truth of God), envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings (drinking, partying, orgies), and such like:
of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
Our flesh tries to rise up in us to do such works of the flesh.
But the Spirit of God in us will remind us of things of God so we can choose God's way over the desire of our own flesh and go in the way of God, thus causing our own flesh to suffer because it did not get its way in the matter.
For example: During a previous presidential election in USA, I became interested in the candidates because one was a woman. We've never before had a woman president and I wondered what would happen. I am very non-political and do not vote. I try to keep myself free from hatred of either party. But because of my interest in this election, I began watching TV news. (I usually do not watch election news.)
After a few days, I was visiting my neighbors. I really wanted to ask them what they thought about the election. But the Holy Spirit reminded me of the following scripture: Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29)
I knew it would not edify my neighbors if I asked them what they thought about the up-coming election. It would stir up their flesh and set their flesh on fire and do evil.
But I really wanted to ask this. I was surprised how strong this desire was in me to ask them.
I kept resisting through prayer, asking God not to let me ask this ... and finally I just got up and went home.
By prayer and scripture, I was able to keep my tongue from asking this question which would have provoked evil.
James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
For example: During a previous presidential election in USA, I became interested in the candidates because one was a woman. We've never before had a woman president and I wondered what would happen. I am very non-political and do not vote. I try to keep myself free from hatred of either party. But because of my interest in this election, I began watching TV news. (I usually do not watch election news.)
After a few days, I was visiting my neighbors. I really wanted to ask them what they thought about the election. But the Holy Spirit reminded me of the following scripture: Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29)
I knew it would not edify my neighbors if I asked them what they thought about the up-coming election. It would stir up their flesh and set their flesh on fire and do evil.
But I really wanted to ask this. I was surprised how strong this desire was in me to ask them.
I kept resisting through prayer, asking God not to let me ask this ... and finally I just got up and went home.
By prayer and scripture, I was able to keep my tongue from asking this question which would have provoked evil.
James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
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Romans 8
(We choose to follow the Spirit in the matter rather than allowing our flesh to do what it wants to do.)
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
(They that yield to the will of the flesh cannot please God.)
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.
(The flesh wants to do a work of the flesh but the Holy Spirit reminds us of the way of God so we can go that way and refuse to yield to our flesh and its desires. Or we can call on God when tempted and God will make a way of escape so we can go another way in the matter at hand.)
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
(We must not live after the flesh, allowing the flesh to do what it wants to do and to rule over us for we belong to God and have HIS Spirit in us. The Spirit must rule over the flesh.)
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
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One of the works of the flesh is "witchcraft". To participate or believe in superstitions would be a form of witchcraft.
Recently I realized I had allowed the number 13 to become a problem for me. (superstitions: bad luck)
I tried to ignore it but it kept surfacing, when anyone would mention the number 13. I kept reasoning that I didn't believe 13 was unlucky. But I was troubled. Therefore I called on God for help. (I knew I could not remove this problem by myself.)
The Holy Spirit reminded me of a scripture:
I Timothy 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
I added this scripture to those scriptures upon which I meditate day and night.
I know this will uproot the problem that was planted in me by this world through the years.
The apostle Paul said: I can do all things through Christ (The Word) which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13
I have always found this to be the case. When I have The Word on the matter at hand and when I meditate on That Word day and night which enables me to do That Word, it, the Word overcomes the evil that has been planted in me and the Word rules over my flesh, in time.
Thus ... but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Romans 8:13
We over rule the things of the flesh by the Spirit of God and the choice of the Word of God over the thinking of our flesh.
We renew our minds to that which God has said in the Bible and we set ourselves to agree with the Bible and to believe that as truth, which it is.
We focus on that specific truth from God as long as is needed in order to overcome the flesh and to resist living by the thinking of our flesh.
Thus we walk in the Spirit rather than in the flesh.
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