Overcome & Leave Behind Self-Indulgences
James 5:5
It is written, “Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days … You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.” (James 5:3,5) “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” (1 John 2:16) “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” (Romans 8:5)
I do not know whether to thank Yahveh (the Lord) for the blessing that we have lived in such a society as ours, because we are self-indulged and we continue to indulge ourselves. It is the way we are taught by the world. Only by Yahveh’s grace and mercy are we going to be able to get out of this snare that is so common to many in the United States of America and similar affluent cultures.
We cringe at the thought that maybe our flesh might have a hunger pain that lasts more than ten minutes. The thought of our luxuries and self-indulgent lifestyle being taken away causes us to fear. "Woe to you … hypocrites … inside [you] are full of robbery and self-indulgence.” (Matthew 23:25) Many of us are pitiful, poor, and naked—not physically, but spiritually. Now, what are we going to do?
We are going to enter a spiritual fitness program and get fit. We are going to learn to persevere, to run the race, and not to grow weary of well doing. (see Hebrews 12:1, Galatians 6:9) We are going to learn to have spiritual endurance, so we can stay strong to the end. The exhortation to overcome and endure to the end is spoken over and over again in the book of Revelation, by Yahshua (Jesus). “Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of Yahveh (God) and their faith in Yahshua” (Revelation 14:12).
Sitting in our comfortable homes, with our cars in the garage, food on the table, the television preoccupying many attention spans (worldly preoccupation and self indulgence has dissipated most peoples time and energies) the last days are upon us and we are coming to the end of such luxury and indulgence. What are we going to do in that day that more and more judgments fall? Are we going to stand firm because we were wise enough to get rid of the wisdom and love of the world and go into a fitness program to become faith-filled, obedient, righteous children of the Righteous One?
We may all be sitting one day, like in a dream I had —In an instant the American flag came down; and suddenly, a new flag went up. There were soldiers all around; and we were in concentration camps under a new regime. The soldiers had big guns, and we had nothing but dirt floors and concentration camp clothes. We had no luxuries—no bed, no toilet. All we had was life, breath, and hopefully a faith that would endure to His praise, honor and glory.
Prayer:
Precious Father in Heaven, please help me to “put on the Master Yahshua Messiah, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” (Romans 13:14) Knowing “those who belong to Messiah Yahshua (Christ Jesus) have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:24) It is the desire of my heart to live the rest of my life no longer for my lusts but for Your will.
You have mightily proclaimed, “the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” (Matthew 24:13) Please help me to become part of the righteous remnant who lives by faith and will not shrink back. Please help me to “endure to the end” and overcome my flesh, the world, and the fear of what is coming on this earth. In Yahshua’s (Jesus’s) name, Amen.
