upgraded August 21, 2008
My main request is exactly what should I do to sin no more?
Matthew 5:6 (NIV) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Luke 11:9-13 (NIV) "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
The Lord God has promised that you will find Him when you seek Him with all your heart:
Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV) You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Deuteronomy 4:29 (NIV) But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
There are some basic principles concerning the salvation process brought forth in the prophecy under the section:
Are You Prepared For The Second Coming Of Jesus Christ? Have You Been Born Again?
ONLY Jesus' Sacrificial Blood Has The Power To Cleanse Your Sins.
Jesus Requires You To Ask Him Into Your Heart And Life As Your God.
Jesus Requires Compliance With God's Law.
There is greater depth, review, and discussion concerning the infilling of the Spirit of God in the sections:
A Holy God Is Worthy Of, Demands, And Will Have A Holy People For His Holy City.
Man Was Originally Designed To Love And Adore God, And To Have God Love Him.
God Is Purifying And Developing The Bride Of Christ Through The Gifts Of The Spirit Of God.
There is only one answer to your question "Exactly what should I do to sin no more?" The answer is that you must be filled with the Spirit of God.
It was necessary to explain the baptism of the Spirit of God to Apollos:
Acts 18:24-26 (NIV) Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
It was necessary to explain the baptism of the Spirit of God to others:
Acts 19:1-7 (NIV) While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 3 So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. 4 Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
I think that the FAQ #4 question stems from the practical approach to being filled with the Spirit of God. I can tell you from personal experience the process that I went through in being filled with the Spirit of God. None of these steps independently, nor the collective group will force the Spirit of God to fill you. You do not need to attempt to force God to fill you with His Holy Spirit. God wants to establish communion with you. God wants to fill you with His Blessed Holy Spirit. In considering how much God wants the Spirit of God to fill you, you must remember that God developed a plan before time began to bring you back into communion with Him. God worked His plan for 4,000 years after the sin of Adam, in order to prepare mankind to receive Jesus, the Christ. Jesus, Our Passover Lamb, suffered and died on a cruel cross in order to conquer sin, so that you could be restored in a relationship to God. God's love is incomprehensible, I cannot comprehend the depths of His love. Know that this same God who went to these great lengths, and paid these great prices, is certainly very eager to establish communion with you.
These recommendations, for moving you toward God cannot force the Spirit of God to fill you, but they can move you as close to God as I know how to tell you. Once that last condition and requirement of God has been met, He will instantly fill you with His Blessed Holy Spirit. That last condition and requirement of the Spirit of God varies with each individual, because every individual is unique; and within that uniqueness, people have chosen different things to worship as their god. In considering the uniqueness of your gods, review the case of the wealthy young man referenced in Mark 10:17-23. It is the responsibility of the Spirit of God to identify and expose your sin when you ask Him to.
As in the original case of the infilling of the Spirit of God on the Day of Pentecost, it may take some time to prepare you. When you are ready, God is ready and He will come into you.
Acts 2:1-4 (NIV) When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
(1) PRIORITIZE YOUR LIFE SO THAT YOU CAN:
(2) PRAY,
(3) STUDY THE HOLY WORD OF GOD,
(4) PURGE THE SIN OUT OF YOUR LIFE,
(5) CRUCIFY YOUR SELF-WILL,
(6) WORSHIP GOD THROUGH YOUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST,
(7) LOOK TO AND TRUST IN GOD FOR THE INFILLING OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD.
(1) PRIORITIZE YOUR LIFE.
The most important thing that you could possibly do in your entire lifetime is to become filled with the Spirit of God so that you can commune with God. It is imperative that you prioritize your life for God. God must be all consuming, or He is not your God at all.
Exodus 20:3 (NIV) "You shall have no other gods before me.
In this fast paced society, it is easy to become so busy that God is not given time to communicate with you and draw you to Him. However, it is necessary that you continue to work in order to support yourself and your family as per:
Genesis 3:17-19 (NIV) To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."
Exodus 20:9 (NIV) Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
1 Timothy 5:8 (NIV) If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NIV) For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
The pursuit of the infilling of the Spirit of God must be your highest priority, with everything else minimized until you are filled with the Spirit of God.
Matthew 6:25-33 (NIV) "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ? 28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:24 (NIV) "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Matthew 13:44-46 (NIV) "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
If you are involved in any form of ministry and you do not know that you have been filled with the Spirit of God - QUIT! Do not attempt or continue any form of ministry until you have been filled with the Spirit of God. Jesus directed the exact same thing of His disciples in the consuming pursuit of the infilling of the Spirit of God.
Acts 1:4-5 (NIV) On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
Luke 24:49 (NIV) I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
If you are teaching others about Jesus Christ, and you have not been filled with the Spirit of God, your diseased self-willed heart will only lead others to hell with you:
1 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV) The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Hebrews 5:13-14 (NIV) Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
If others are looking to you for guidance, they expect that you know about the deeper things of God. You do not know. You are the New Testament leper. You are the New Testament cripple. You are the Gadarene demoniac. You may be a Pope, Cardinal, or General Superintendent. You may be a Bishop or District Superintendent. You may be a pastor, evangelist or deacon. You are the New Testament blind man!
Matthew 15:14 (NIV) Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
When you receive the baptism of the Spirit of God, you will be able to effectively serve Jesus Christ and His Body.
John 16:13-14 (NIV) But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.
Acts 1:8 (NIV) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
(2) PRAY,
Talk to the Father in prayer on a consistent daily basis. In pursuit of the Spirit of God, I attempted to pray at least one uninterrupted hour per day, because of the admonition of Jesus to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane:
Matthew 26:40-41 (NIV) Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
At first you will find that an hour spent in prayer is a long time, and seems a bit mechanical, but as you begin to pray for additional things and people, you will find that your time is well spent. This structured time will allow the Spirit of God to communicate with you concerning His requirements. After you have been filled with the Spirit of God, you will find that you are able to communicate throughout your day with the Spirit of God through the thoughts of you mind. By the way, He gives great counsel when we ask for it.
Luke 18:1-8 (NIV) Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' 4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'" 6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
The Lord's prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13 is the example Jesus Christ gave to us:
Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV) "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'
Consider the prayer of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane for Himself, His Disciples, and you:
John 17 (NIV) After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. 6 "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13 "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. 20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25 "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."
(3) STUDY THE HOLY WORD OF GOD
As God revealed Himself to Samuel through His Word, so God will do for you:
1 Samuel 3:21 (NIV) The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.
Isaiah 28:9-10 (NIV) "Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast? 10 For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule ; a little here, a little there."
Consider the response of Jesus to the rich young man:
Mark 10:17-23 (NIV) As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" 20 "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22 At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
Today, most people do not know the commandments. You must know the commandments of God found throughout His Holy Word including the Ten Commandments, as you know your spouse; However, knowledge of the Holy Word of God in itself is inadequate.
John 5:39-40 (NIV) You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
(4) PURGE THE SIN OUT OF YOUR LIFE
2 Corinthians 7:1 (NIV) Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
It is the responsibility of the Spirit of God to reveal to you those things in your life that are more important to you than God is;
Psalms 139:23-24 (NIV) Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
It is imperative that you change the offensive ways in your life as the Spirit of God reveals them. If you do not change those offensive ways, your salvation process stops. Listen to the directions of Jesus' mother to the servants as you move closer to Him, and simply do what He tells you:
John 2:1-5 (KJV) And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
John 14:15-21 (NIV) "If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
John 14:23-25 (NIV) Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 "All this I have spoken while still with you.
John 15:9-17 (NIV) "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
John 16:23-24 (NIV) In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
(5) CRUCIFY YOUR SELF-WILL
Your self-will must be brought into subjection unto Jesus Christ, just as Jesus Christ had to subject His will to the will of the Father:
Matthew 26:39 (NIV) Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
You must crucify the physical in order to function in the spiritual.
Galatians 5:24 (NIV) Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
Galatians 2:20 (NIV) I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Romans 6:1-6 (NIV) What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Galatians 6:14 (NIV) May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Matthew 16:24-26 (NIV) Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 10:37-39 (NIV) "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
John 12:24-25, (NIV) I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Man is a trinity. He is a soul, he has a spirit, and he lives in a body. In seeking Holiness, you must crucify your body, soul, and spirit.
You must crucify the desires of your physical body.
The desires of your physical body are for food, sex and sleep.
1. Food
Fasting will aid in the crucifixion of your self-will:
Acts 13:2-3 (NIV) While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Fasting for the wrong reason, or in and of itself-will not accomplish moving a person closer to the Spirit of God. A person could starve to death and end up in hell.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NIV) Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
2. Sex - You must keep your sex life within the commandments of God:
Leviticus 18:6-23 (NIV) " 'No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord. 7 " 'Do not dishonor your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; do not have relations with her. 8 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your father's wife; that would dishonor your father. 9 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father's daughter or your mother's daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere. 10 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter; that would dishonor you. 11 " 'Do not have sexual relations with th= e daughter of your father's wife, born to your father; she is your sister. 12 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your father's sister; she is your father's close relative. 13 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your mother's sister, because she is your mother's close relative. 14 " 'Do not dishonor your father's brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt. 15 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son's wife; do not have relations with her. 16 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your brother's wife; that would dishonor your brother. 17 " 'Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. Do not have sexual relations with either her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness. 18 " 'Do not take your wife's sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living. 19 " 'Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness of her monthly period. 20 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor's wife and defile yourself with her. 21 " 'Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord. 22 " 'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. 23 " 'Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.
Leviticus 20:10-20 (NIV) " 'If a man commits adultery with another man's wife--with the wife of his neighbor--both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. 11 " 'If a man sleeps with his father's wife, he has dishonored his father. Both the man and the woman must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. 12 " 'If a man sleeps with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. What they have done is a perversion; their blood will be on their own heads. 13 " 'If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. 14 " 'If a man marries both a woman and her mother, it is wicked. Both he and they must be burned in the fire, so that no wickedness will be among you. 15 " 'If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal. 16 " 'If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with it, kill both the woman and the animal. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. 17 " 'If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off before the eyes of their people. He has dishonored his sister and will be held responsible. 18 " 'If a man lies with a woman during her monthly period and has sexual relations with her, he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has also uncovered it. Both of them must be cut off from their people. 19 " 'Do not have sexual relations with the sister of either your mother or your father, for that would dishonor a close relative; both of you would be held responsible. 20 " 'If a man sleeps with his aunt, he has dishonored his uncle. They will be held responsible; they will die childless.
You must not have sexual relations outside of marriage:
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (KJV) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 10:8 (KJV) Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
Fornication: consensual sexual intercourse between two persons not married to each other - compare adultery - Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
You must not have sexual relations with anyone but your spouse after marriage:
Exodus 20:14 (NIV) "You shall not commit adultery.
Adultery: voluntary sexual intercourse between a married man and someone other than his wife or between a married woman and someone other than her husband; - Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
In marriage, you must render to your spouse the sexual requirements due them. If you are fasting, you must stop occasionally and render to your spouse the sexual requirements due them.
1 Corinthians 7:3-5 (NIV) The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
3. Sleep - Only allow your physical body what is necessary to function as God directs.
You must crucify the desires of your soul:
Your soul will worship something. You must worship the Creator, and not anything within the creation. The lust of the eyes is when you desire to worship the creation rather than the Creator. I want only the material goods that are necessary to sustain myself, my family, and those whom God wants me to support until Jesus Christ returns.
You must crucify the desires of your spirit:
Every person wants to be thought well of. That desire can become the pride of life. You must crucify your spirit of pride in order for the Father to send you His Holy Spirit.
Galatians 1:10 (NIV) Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Your BODY, your SOUL and your SPIRIT must be crucified and brought into subjection to the Father in order for the Holy Spirit to take up residence in you. Through faith in Jesus Christ this is now possible for you.
(6) FILL YOUR HEART WITH THE MAGNIFICENCE OF GOD
He is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Prince of Life, Son of God, Son of Righteousness, Light of the World, Word of Life, Holy One, Lamb of God, Lion of the tribe of Judah, Root of David, Shepherd and Bishop of Souls, Chief Shepherd, The Way, The Truth, The Life, Horn of Salvation, Governor, Resurrection and the Life, Head of the Church, Righteous Judge, Chief Cornerstone, Lord of All, Dayspring, Advocate, Author and Finisher of our Faith, Bright and Morning Star, Lord Jesus Christ, Messiah, Savior, El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty), The Alpha and Omega, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Great I AM.
As you study the Holy Word of God, pay particular attention to the beauty and Love of Jesus. Listen to the directions of Paul:
Acts 16:25-34 (NIV) About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God--he and his whole family.
(7) LOOK TO AND TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST FOR THE INFILLING OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD.
Acts 2:37-39 (NIV) When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
When the Spirit of God has drawn you through the wilderness and removed all of the practices of Sin you learned in figurative Egypt from your heart and life, and your self-will has been crucified; when the vessel is clean and pure, He will come in.
How will you know when you have been filled with the Spirit of God? You will be able to live completely without sinning:
1 John 2:3-4 (NIV) We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4 The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
How will you know if you are NOT filled with the Holy Spirit of God? You will know that you are not filled with the Holy Spirit of God if you are committing sin. If you sin, you are a sinner. If you are a sinner, then you are NOT filled with the Spirit of God:
1 John 1:6 (NIV) If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.
John 9:31 (NIV) We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.
