- Mar 5, 2024
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Bringing Passion Under Submission, Part 1
Sometimes being a soldier in the army of God and operating with others in the spiritual gifts can lead to some unforeseen problems. Many of the gifts were created to be operated in tandem together - tongues with interpretation of tongues, dreams with interpretation of dreams, prophecy with the gift of revelation (1 Corinthians 14:27-33). The only problem with all of this is that when it involves members of the opposite sex, especially those specifically called to work together, sometimes the spiritual attraction can be very strong, and bleed over into the natural. Naturally, if one or both are married, this can be a problem if it leads to temptation.
It's why the passions in every soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ must be brought under submission. It would not be a manifestation of the Holy Spirit to wander off into sin. What His soldiers must do, therefore, is master the emotions by disciplining the mind, so that the attraction that exists remains ONLY in the spiritual and never goes beyond it.
The world's influence will naturally fight against this discipline, however, because they know nothing of being under submission to the Holy Spirit or remaining obedient unto God. So their influence has to be shunned and avoided.
This was the message of the following dream, sent a few months ago by a friend. It speaks to the potential pitfall of being spiritually derailed by worldly influence. The dream was centered around a soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ who was trying to guard his spiritual "chastity." It begins in a movie theatre, where the scene playing out on the screen was becoming somewhat "steamy" in the passionate sense, and overwrought with emotional intensity. The man of God eventually makes the right decision, and removes himself from that environment so as not to set his mind on it. Others (i.e. presumably other Christians in this dream) do not, however, and stay, seeing no danger in doing so. But as I will show, overly intense passions can not only disorient the soldier of Christ, they can ultimately lead to a type of idolatry that takes God off the throne of our hearts.
Passion In The Theatre Dream
I'm watching a film in a theater. I don't know which film. I was trying to strap a leather armor leg piece on. It was a sign of celibacy. The theatre became filled with white steam during emotional parts of the film and a majority left, almost like a firedrill. But some stayed in. It happened twice I believe. The second time Radiohead's "Creep" is playing in the film. Half of the people were still in the theatre crying and hugging each other. But instead of going back in, I headed to the concession stand. The server is gone, so I served myself a drink for 3 dollars. I put my 3 dollars down and started making change. I tried flipping through my small change to get rid of the nickels and dimes. There were pennies in there, and some were curled up on the edges like leaves. The server finally came back, and I just gave up and gave him all my big change, bit after I woke up I realized I should have actually been getting change back. The drink was $2.75 and I put down $3.00. It didn't make sense why I was giving him change because he owed me money not the other way around. End of dream.
The end of the dream was a key element. Instead of staying in an environment that might draw his mind to passions and lusts, the servant of God was instead "making a change" from someone lured into the throes of passion to someone remaining focused on the things of God, no longer allowing his eyes to be consumed with "steamy" love scenes, or his ears with idolatrous "love" songs.
That passion can ultimately lead to idolatry is hinted at by song "Creep" by Radiohead. The lyrics speak of a man hopelessly in love with a woman whom he idolized, and considering himself to be utterly unworthy of, telling her:
When you were here before
I couldn't look you in the eye
You're just like an angel
Your skin makes me cry
You float like a feather
In a beautiful world
I wish I was special
You're so [......] special
Like others in the dream, the soldier heard a type of spiritual "fire drill" going off in his head, a warning to "get out" before the fires of passion started consuming his mind. Scripture itself speaks of romantic passion in somewhat dangerous terms, which I will get to in Part 2. But the driving point of this set of Devotionals is this: Although God sometimes calls us to those we find attractive in the Spirit and exciting to be around, the passions must nevertheless be brought under submission. If not, they could taint a soldier's witness and ultimately lead to emotional, financial or even spiritual ruin. As Paul told the Thessalonians:
1 Brethren... this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust even as the Gentiles do who know not God; 6 that no man transgress and sin against his brother in a matter, because the Lord is an Avenger in all such things as also we forewarned you and testified. 7 For God has called us not unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification. (1 Thessalonians 4:1-7).
The "transgression" Paul was speaking of here was adultery, which can ultimately ruin marriages and lead to great emotional despair, not to mention possibly judgment from God for showing complete disregard for their fellow believers.
I will go into greater detail on this in Part 2, but the message throughout these devotionals is not to confuse spiritual attraction with the soulish or fleshly variety. They are entirely different things, and only spiritual attraction is approved of by God unless a couple has been granted the privilege of marrying one another.
Blessings In Christ,
Hidden In Him
Sometimes being a soldier in the army of God and operating with others in the spiritual gifts can lead to some unforeseen problems. Many of the gifts were created to be operated in tandem together - tongues with interpretation of tongues, dreams with interpretation of dreams, prophecy with the gift of revelation (1 Corinthians 14:27-33). The only problem with all of this is that when it involves members of the opposite sex, especially those specifically called to work together, sometimes the spiritual attraction can be very strong, and bleed over into the natural. Naturally, if one or both are married, this can be a problem if it leads to temptation.
It's why the passions in every soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ must be brought under submission. It would not be a manifestation of the Holy Spirit to wander off into sin. What His soldiers must do, therefore, is master the emotions by disciplining the mind, so that the attraction that exists remains ONLY in the spiritual and never goes beyond it.
The world's influence will naturally fight against this discipline, however, because they know nothing of being under submission to the Holy Spirit or remaining obedient unto God. So their influence has to be shunned and avoided.
This was the message of the following dream, sent a few months ago by a friend. It speaks to the potential pitfall of being spiritually derailed by worldly influence. The dream was centered around a soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ who was trying to guard his spiritual "chastity." It begins in a movie theatre, where the scene playing out on the screen was becoming somewhat "steamy" in the passionate sense, and overwrought with emotional intensity. The man of God eventually makes the right decision, and removes himself from that environment so as not to set his mind on it. Others (i.e. presumably other Christians in this dream) do not, however, and stay, seeing no danger in doing so. But as I will show, overly intense passions can not only disorient the soldier of Christ, they can ultimately lead to a type of idolatry that takes God off the throne of our hearts.
Passion In The Theatre Dream
I'm watching a film in a theater. I don't know which film. I was trying to strap a leather armor leg piece on. It was a sign of celibacy. The theatre became filled with white steam during emotional parts of the film and a majority left, almost like a firedrill. But some stayed in. It happened twice I believe. The second time Radiohead's "Creep" is playing in the film. Half of the people were still in the theatre crying and hugging each other. But instead of going back in, I headed to the concession stand. The server is gone, so I served myself a drink for 3 dollars. I put my 3 dollars down and started making change. I tried flipping through my small change to get rid of the nickels and dimes. There were pennies in there, and some were curled up on the edges like leaves. The server finally came back, and I just gave up and gave him all my big change, bit after I woke up I realized I should have actually been getting change back. The drink was $2.75 and I put down $3.00. It didn't make sense why I was giving him change because he owed me money not the other way around. End of dream.
The end of the dream was a key element. Instead of staying in an environment that might draw his mind to passions and lusts, the servant of God was instead "making a change" from someone lured into the throes of passion to someone remaining focused on the things of God, no longer allowing his eyes to be consumed with "steamy" love scenes, or his ears with idolatrous "love" songs.
That passion can ultimately lead to idolatry is hinted at by song "Creep" by Radiohead. The lyrics speak of a man hopelessly in love with a woman whom he idolized, and considering himself to be utterly unworthy of, telling her:
When you were here before
I couldn't look you in the eye
You're just like an angel
Your skin makes me cry
You float like a feather
In a beautiful world
I wish I was special
You're so [......] special
Like others in the dream, the soldier heard a type of spiritual "fire drill" going off in his head, a warning to "get out" before the fires of passion started consuming his mind. Scripture itself speaks of romantic passion in somewhat dangerous terms, which I will get to in Part 2. But the driving point of this set of Devotionals is this: Although God sometimes calls us to those we find attractive in the Spirit and exciting to be around, the passions must nevertheless be brought under submission. If not, they could taint a soldier's witness and ultimately lead to emotional, financial or even spiritual ruin. As Paul told the Thessalonians:
1 Brethren... this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust even as the Gentiles do who know not God; 6 that no man transgress and sin against his brother in a matter, because the Lord is an Avenger in all such things as also we forewarned you and testified. 7 For God has called us not unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification. (1 Thessalonians 4:1-7).
The "transgression" Paul was speaking of here was adultery, which can ultimately ruin marriages and lead to great emotional despair, not to mention possibly judgment from God for showing complete disregard for their fellow believers.
I will go into greater detail on this in Part 2, but the message throughout these devotionals is not to confuse spiritual attraction with the soulish or fleshly variety. They are entirely different things, and only spiritual attraction is approved of by God unless a couple has been granted the privilege of marrying one another.
Blessings In Christ,
Hidden In Him
