In today's devotional, join Dr. Michael Youssef for a look at Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians and how it applies to us today.
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[00:00:00] You are listening to MY Devotional, the Daily Devotional from Dr. Michael Youssef and Leading The Way
[00:00:07] Transformed by Christ, written by Dr. Michael Youssef Paul's Prayer for the Thessalonians and all believers including you and me is that we would decrease daily so that Christ may increase daily in us.
[00:00:23] God is not satisfied with our partial sanctification. As Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5 23, God wishes us to be sanctified through and through. Christ living in us must completely take over every part of our lives.
[00:00:39] We must come to a point where we can honestly say not an inch of my life is withheld from the Lord's control. I am completely submitted to him.
[00:00:49] That's what Paul means when he says, we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
[00:00:56] Sanctification cannot begin on the outside. It must begin within us at the level of our thoughts then radiate outward to our actions.
[00:01:07] Sanctification is an inside job. It starts deep within the soul and spirit and then it moves to the body.
[00:01:14] Your spirit is the most distinct and individual part of you. It's the dimension of you that connects with the Holy Spirit when you come to Christ, when the Holy Spirit dwells in your spirit, then your body will respond in obedience.
[00:01:29] The ancient Greeks thought that the body was evil but the soul was good, so they let their bodies be involved in all sorts of immorality. They could do whatever they wanted with their bodies if they were thinking lofty thoughts.
[00:01:43] It's a compartmentalized way of thinking and it's completely unbiblical.
[00:01:49] The scriptures present an integrated view of our humanity. Yes, there is a spirit, soul and physical dimension to our being but we don't compartmentalize these different parts of ourselves and we don't dismiss one dimension as less important than any other.
[00:02:04] The word of God teaches that our thoughts produce our actions and our body is no less important than our soul and spirit. The scriptures tell us that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
[00:02:17] How do we become sanctified through and through? Is it a matter of human effort, will power and trying harder to be good? No. Righteousness comes only from God.
[00:02:29] As Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 524, the one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. Our job is to live in total dependence upon him.
[00:02:42] Let's pray together. Lord help us to decrease so that Christ may increase in us.
[00:02:50] Thank you for continuing to work in our lives to sanctify us and set us apart for your glory. Help us to submit entirely, soul, spirit and body to you.
[00:03:01] We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
[00:03:19] We pray for more visit LTW.org today.