It is true and I have said it any times, our biggest struggle is not with satan but is with God. The devil uses the flesh and the world and the mind but all he can do is tempt Without God's nod, he can do nothing to us or without our own giving in to the brief pseudo pleasures he offers. Yet, with God, He gives a Book of Counsel, a Spirit for strength and sensitivity to the Book's truth and He gives absolutes for our actions, good and bad, that alters the future for us and others.
I can feebly illustrate with the half cup of cool coffee in my hand. It was hot when I began to sip but neglect and time cooled it. If I add more coffee to the half cool cup I will have lukewarm coffee. If I pour out the old and fill the vessel with fresh hot tasty brew, I am pleased. I often stubbornly cling to the lukewarm rather than fill with fresh. So it is with our lives, we cannot have the fire of God until we empty out the ways of the world. Our lips say we love the Lord but our half full life says otherwise, lukewarm.
Let me persist a little further with my "good-to-the-last-drop", illustration. In the cabinet are smaller vessels which would contain or hold a smaller amount of coffee. However, the principle would be the same and the preferred cup is the larger by design and by use. Why would I diminish my spiritual life by cutting back on the Word, prayer, obedience, love and faith. We have all done that. No, the larger vessel is best by far.
There is also some Styrofoam cups which could be used but they are artificial. Some leak, some flake off and some change the taste of the liquid inside. We can be just as synthetic as the Styrofoam cup by being religious and ritualistic and compromise. God has use of the real, the genuine to fill with the Spirit and truth. Forgive me for my own choice of the artificial in life and not seeking to be a genuine vessel of God.
An old song says, "Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up Lord.", today I ask for a filling of the real thing - You Lord. Amen
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