Paul wrote in Romans 13:12-14, “The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”
The “Night” of the darkness of this world is nearing an end. Jesus Christ will return soon and the beginning of our eternity with our Savior will begin. In light of that, stop living like the world. Satan bids us “Make yourself at home….” in this world, and our flesh eagerly seeks to accept that offer at times, but God tells us we are NOT OF THE WORLD, we are to live a life HOLY and DEVOTED to Him.
Paul reminds us in the verses above, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ!” Seek Him first in your life, seek to follow Him and Obey His Word! And he warns us “make NO PROVISION for the flesh.” Paul knew how easily our sinful nature tends to pull us down the path we shouldn’t follow, and he tells us don’t even give it a chance! We too often think, “Oh, I just want to open this door and take a look….I’m not going in there, I just want to see what’s going on…” And before we know it, we are sucked in. Because all the flesh needs is one small grasp at our lustful heart and mind to pull us aside.
In other words, if we’re trying to give up drinking, don’t go hang out at a bar. If we’re trying to give up cursing and filthy talk, don’t go hang out with those who talk like that. If we’re trying to give up gossipping and back-biting, don’t read the stuff that is filled with gossip and slanderous information.
Put on the LORD JESUS, make a CHANGE in our lifestyle, follow HIM in EVERYTHING we do.
In Matthew 6, when Jesus told us not to worry about tomorrow, He said, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) Seek FIRST to KNOW GOD, and then SEEK to LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY, the way His Word commands us to live! THEN, we have NOTHING to worry about.
I know it’s not easy, and Paul knew it’s not easy. That’s why he admonished us, “MAKE NO PROVISION FOR THE FLESH!” We argue, “Oh, well – I’m just going to do this tonight, then I’ll go back to following God.” It won’t work, we’ll keep falling victim to our flesh and this world until we are VERY far away from following Jesus Christ!! Don’t even give your flesh an opportunity to drag you down. Focus EVERYTHING on HIM who loved us and died for us!!