We have been led to believe that we can do anything as long as we set our minds on it. Have you ever attempted to quit a bad habit in your life? It’s not as easy as setting your mind to it. Self willpower sounds like a great thing. You just tell yourself what to do and your body simply follows those directions. The problem with willpower is it only works when things are going well. It’s the first power to go against you when things slow down or those desires rise to new heights and your body starts to crave the old ways. Your mind starts telling you all the reasons you should stop trying to quit and your emotions joins in telling you that it’s not working for you anyway. John tells us that “apart from God, when can do nothing.” We need to understand life is not to be overcome on our own. We are not strong enough to quit or to conquer our selfish desires by ourselves. (Galatians 5:16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.) It takes more than us to be able to overcome life’s issues. It takes the Holy Spirit to direct us and give us the stamina to make it through those days when self-control gives up. It takes God directing our life and efforts to be victorious over our fleshly desires. Your determination will keep you going for a while, but it was never intended to get you over the hump, to the finish line, or make you a victor. Self-control, discipline, and determination are vitally necessary in your life, but they were never intended to take the place of a God-directed, Spirit empowered life. Zechariah 4:6 “not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit”, says the Lord. You can’t do life on your own. You are not strong enough. Pastor Don. [image: image.png]