176. Do You Know Your Spirit-Led Desires?

Welcome to episode #176! This week, Matt and Braden talk about how identifying our desires can help us in the war of temptations and addiction.

Ask yourself: what am I desiring?

There is something deeper than just looking at porn. There are desires that fall underneath the surface of all these behaviours. It’s important to identify what they are, which leads to understanding and healing and opens us up to receive.  The trigger - what we’re really looking for is the key. Once we learn what it is we are looking for, we can go to God with that. The acceptance that God gives is greater than whatever we are looking for on the screen. Ask the question, learn what it is, and you will experience way more inner peace and joy. You are receiving that desire from God - not a distorted truth from porn. 

The flesh and the Spirit are in conflict.

Galatians 5:17 says, “The flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit.” When we desire pornography, sexual release, etc, those are desires of the flesh. When we learn what our spirit desires, we can focus on that. We can bring it to prayer. Everything that God calls us to is in alignment with what our Spirit desires. We need to understand the desires of the spirit because it leads us into what God wants us to do and leads us out of temptation. A better way to win the war of temptation is to identify the desire of our Spirit and praise for satisfying that rather than simply fighting against the desire of our flesh. 

The enemy wants us to feel a lack in things that we already have from the Lord. 

What am I trying to achieve that I actually already have in God? When Adam and Eve were tempted, they were already made in the image of God. The enemy came and said, “no, if you eat from this tree, then you'll be like God”. They were already like God. But they felt this lack, a void that came from a deception from the enemy. It’s important to realize that when the desires of our spirit are being neglected, we will look for these things to be fulfilled through worldly thighs. It highlights an idol - work, marriage, other relationships, etc. God already has peace, love, kindness, affirmation, etc, for you. When we turn to him and praise and thank him for these things it gets them established in us. The desires of the flesh point to where we need to surrender. When we deny our flesh and we seek the Lord, we become alive in Christ. 

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Podcast Hosts

BRADEN HAFNER

Braden is the Regional Director in Alberta for FamilyLife Canada. He has been married for 14 years to his wife Kristen, and they live in Edmonton, Alberta. He is passionate about seeing marriages grow and thrive, and helping couples move to a deeper oneness with one another and with God. FamilyLife Canada has a variety of resources and events to help you and your spouse take your marriage to the next level. See what would benefit you at www.familylifecanada.com

MATT CLINE

Matt and his wife Louise raise their little guys, David and Oliver, in Edmonton, Alberta. He is honoured to do what he can to tackle the epidemic of pornography and sexual perversion in every way possible. Seeing lives and marriages get free and experience the love of God in profound ways is what drives him every day. He leads Restored Ministries, is a certified speaker and coach for the John Maxwell Team, and formerly played hockey in the WHL and for Hockey Canada. You can visit www.restoredministries.ca.