Basking & Marinating…but in What?
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Joshua 1:8 (ESV)
Preparation is always a vital instrument. Our ability to successfully outwit the adversary is to sensor the type of “marinating” that our spirit man is being exposed to. Today, as never before, it is essential that we are ever cautious and remain on our guard concerning the types of material that we are constantly permitting to enter through our ear and eye gates. Far too often we are permitting our spirits to be marinated with; and to become saturated with the concepts of this world – without our knowledge! However, if we maintain the proper relationship with the Lord, He will always alert us to the ploys of the enemy.
Don’t permit your spirit to become desensitized to what God has established as our foundational principles and guidelines. With the advancements in technology, we have the ability to have God inspired materials at our disposal as often as we desire. Therefore, it is our responsibility to “choose” what we will permit our spirits to bask, soak… marinate in.
Here is a prime example. I very, very rarely watch television programs – with the exception of the news. However, I can recall an incident which occurred. I had watched the News and a program had come on immediately after the News that caught my attention. I think that it was some type of detective story. About a minute into the program; the Lord said, “You can’t watch this”. So I instantly turned it off. Some time later, when I asked Him why, He said that the program had the potential to introduce the spirit of fear and deceit into my spirit. He also said that if I had permitted my spirit to marinate in such for just an hour – I would have availed myself to every negative concept from the program. Now… would I have gone to hell for watching the program? Absolutely not. However, like Sampson, upon my next encounter with the enemy; I might not have had the necessary wisdom, power and authority to successfully outwit and discern his various diabolical maneuvers.
Warriors! If we are going to stay at least a step or two ahead of our adversary – we must be on our alert at all times. Everything that is a “good” thing may not be a “God” thing!
We of our own accord can’t possibly be aware of every current device that the enemy will use in an attempt to bring defeat and or demise to our plan of action. Nevertheless, when we begin to marinate in the presence of the Lord, we will have the ability to maintain a consciousness of Him – that will always alert us to every potentially adverse situation.
Yes… preparation is vital. Remember, marinating is a preparatory process. Any cook will attest to the fact that marinating is an essential preliminary process when cooking. When food is permitted to marinate in a given substance it will absorb the characteristics of that substance. Therefore, even after the food is removed; the effects of the marinate will be experienced. Marinating in the Word and presence of God is a “current” procedure, whose results will assure us of our future success.
So, the problem is not “if” we are marinating, resting, relaxing and basking…. But “what” are we using as the material, our substance and our source? I would like to challenge you to monitor and physically write down for one day everything that you are permitting your spirit man to be influenced by hour by hour. What are you really marinating in? At the end of the day – your results will reveal the source from which your spirit man is really absorbing!
“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.” Psalm 119:15 ESV
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