THE DETESTABLES

We begin a new week of Devotionals focused on Rejection of Gossip, Slander, Lies and Discord. Sounds salacious, right? In these next 7 days allow your hearts to be ministered to by these challenging devotionals and make it your aim to commit this scripture to memory and to live by it!

Many baby boomers like me tuned in weeknights during our “wonder years” to watch Eliot Ness and his crew in “The Untouchables” do battle with the mobsters of the 1920s. I enjoyed revisiting the takedown of the same “nogoodniks” when Kevin Costner and Robert DeNiro were cast as Ness and Al Capone, respectively, in the movie version of 1987. These notorious thugs were relentless, but Ness and his crew were more so! (Relentless, I mean). In these screen depictions of actual conflicts, some battles were lost, but in the end they always got their man! The law enforcers won the war—at least the one contained within that screen drama.

So it is in OUR ongoing battles with things God deems detestable! Our battles, though episodic, are sure to resurface until we learn to consistently master them by the Spirit’s enabling power working in and through us [Galatians 5:16]. What He has said He WILL do; ALL of His words are true [Numbers 23:19; John 17:17]!

We are not to dabble in, let alone embrace, any behaviors or heart attitudes cited in today’s scripture reference! In light of God’s truth in 1 John 4:4, when it comes to the sinful practices revealed above and throughout His Word, our objective as kingdom people bought with the precious blood of Jesus must decidedly be to win every battle! Surely, when His Spirit indwells a soul, he or she immediately recognizes when the enemy rears up-- be it the flesh, the evil world system, or the devil [Romans 8:9]. We are commanded to subject thoughts of responding in the flesh then and there to the “obedience of Christ” [2 Corinthians 10:5]!

Why would a King’s kid ever choose for even a moment to engage in life wearing the behavioral apparel of the enemy, being a walking advertisement for the evil one, and belying his or her calling to walk in the Spirit? Praise the Lord for the victories He has ALREADY WON for us; all we need do is WALK in THEM! HALLELUIAH!

PRAYER: Dear Father, help us to STOP being spiritual paupers in our daily lives. You’ve given us every spiritual weapon necessary to soundly defeat every spiritual enemy. Help us to consistently and uncompromisingly walk in the victory over our flesh, the world, and the archenemy of our soul! Thank You, Abba—in Jesus’ almighty name, AMEN!
 By Sis. Denise Diggs