Servias Ministries Blog

Lust means: a desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden.  There are people who lust for sex while others lust for power, fame, and fortune.  They all have a similar problem- they are respond primarily to their fleshly desires at the expense of others.  They will use manipulative means to get what they want at all costs.  The Apostle Paul knew exactly what lust was when he was Saul for he took no prisoners when he was rising up in the ranks among the Jews.  As we know, Jesus had a  corrective interview with him.  The good news is that Paul repented and penned two thirds of the New Testament by THE HOLY SPIRIT.  In Galatians chapter 5 he wrote:

13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Those who lust consume and devour at others’ expense.  They look for ways to extract resources from others without regard of the consequences.  They attempt to exalt themselves above others, wanting to be served at all cost.  King Saul represents this mindset.  Saul had everything going for him as we see in 1 Samuel chapter 9:

1 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.

2 And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

Saul looked the part of a king- tall and handsome.  FATHER told Samuel to anoint Saul King because of the cries of the people so FATHER gave them what they wanted.  He was selected king but was unable to handle the anointing given to him for he was not patient and took matters into his own hand.  This resulted in Samuel’s response when Saul failed to wait for his arrival before presenting burnt offerings in chapter 13:

13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”

This story provides us a contrast between a person who uses the anointing for his own benefit versus one who Loves FATHER fully and completely.  David’s anointing was proven by the lion, the bear, and Goliath.  This shepherd boy simply wanted to do FATHER’S Will and understood FATHER’S Heart.  He was willing to serve whereas Saul wanted to be served.

Saul’s impatience cost him the crown.  If he had only waited another 24 hours and allowed the proper order to be fulfilled.  How sad, but things get worse.  In chapter 16, Saul develops a new problem, a distressing spirit comes upon him and he can’t sleep:

14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him.

15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you.

The only solution to this distressing spirit is to bring David into his midst to play the harp:

16 Let our master now command your servants,who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.”

David’s anointing kept the “distressing” spirit at bay and Saul was able to function for a time.  But in the end, Saul would be replaced by Love’s anointing.  Lust may prevail for a time but it has no future.  You have a choice to walk in the Spirit of Love or walk in lust as Saul did.  Paul urges us in Galatians chapter 5

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

In the Old Testament we find two men with different spirits: one of lust and the other of Love.  In the New Testament we see one man who walked in those same two spirits: lust (Saul) and Love (Paul).  Thankfully men can die to the flesh and become a new creation for Paul proved this reality.  What better person for FATHER to use to convey the Truth of Love versus lust.

When FATHER created Adam and Eve HE spoke the following over them in Genesis chapter 1:

28  Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Blessing in this case is to cause to prosper resulting in being fruitful and multiplying.  This blessing expects growth and expansion in somewhat of a dramatic fashion, not barely getting by at a subsistence level of living.   FATHER expressed HIS clear Divine Intent for their lives.  After the flood, FATHER once again reiterated HIS Divine Intent with Noah in chapter 9:

1 So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.

2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand.

3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.”

From Adam to Noah, FATHER had no variance in HIS intent for those who wanted to walk according to HIS Divine Intent- to be blessed.  Once again in Deuteronomy chapter 28 FATHER established HIS Intent by proclaiming to the children of Israel:

1 “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.

2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:

3 “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.

4 “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.

5 “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

6 “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

7 “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.

8 “The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.”

Has FATHER’S Divine Intent changed since these declarations?  Not at all.  Our expectations or lack thereof may be keeping us from HIS blessings.  The ego wants to keep you in submission by rationalizing away your current orientation of scarcity.  I am not talking about worldly excess but instead I am focused on those resources you need for the fulfillment of your purpose.  Paul wrote in Philippians chapter 4:

19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

If you need seed to plant a crop, expect FATHER to provide.  If you need to travel to minister life to others, expect FATHER to provide a means.  True abundance is unique to each person’s calling.  Some may require more assets to complete their mission while others require minimal resources.  Each calling has its own specific resources to fulfill what FATHER has ordained.  Look to HIM, not others’ faith as your source. 

There are those who want to ride along and extract your resources for their consumption.  These circumstances require your discernment and ability to hear from FATHER concerning your interaction with them.  When fruit trees fail to produce, FATHER has commanded that they be cut down and thrown into the fire.  When they take up resources meant for others and fail to produce, they are given an extra year by HIS Grace to be fruitful.  Otherwise, they are to be removed.  Be fruitful for FATHER ordained it.

Many people try to avoid pressure at all cost but without pressure one will never be promoted to a higher and more mature level.  Exercise requires the muscle to have resistance or pressure applied for it to grow.  Test after test will bring forth strength to withstand even greater challenges.  This is true for those who are called to do greater things in the Kingdom.  Enemies will rise up against you and you will be challenged to see how you handle the stress.  Will you walk in the confidence that FATHER is with you or will you display fear?  Will you explode into rage?

Jesus had to endure great pressure.  In Matthew chapter 26:

36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.”

37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”

39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

The word “Gethsemane” means oil press.  What an appropriate meaning for the place where Jesus had to place His mind, will, and emotions into submission for the good of all mankind.  The betrayal was at hand and His enemies were soon to arrive, the pressure was building to a crescendo as the fulfillment of His purpose on earth was about to be completed.  This process was necessary for Him to be exalted to the Throne over men’s lives here on earth.

When pressure comes, Love, faith, and hope should have you prepared to overcome your enemy.  On the other side of the battle is your next promotion.  These writings are meant to prepare you for greater things and the fulfillment of your purpose.  You will have times when you have to go to your own Gethsemane and be encouraged before the confrontation arrives.  Fear not but know FATHER will muster the resources to bring forth victory in your life.  King David brought forth this declaration of faith in Psalms 27:

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;

​​Whom shall I fear?

​​The LORD is the strength of my life;

​​Of whom shall I be afraid?

2 ​​When the wicked came against me ​​To eat up my flesh,

​​My enemies and foes, ​​They stumbled and fell.

3 ​​Though an army may encamp against me,

​​My heart shall not fear;

​​Though war may rise against me, ​​In this I will be confident.

​4 ​​One thing I have desired of the LORD,

​​That will I seek:

​​That I may dwell in the house of the LORD

​​All the days of my life,

​​To behold the beauty of the LORD,

​​And to inquire in His temple.

5 ​​For in the time of trouble

​​He shall hide me in His pavilion;

​​In the secret place of His tabernacle

​​He shall hide me;

​​He shall set me high upon a rock.

​6 ​​And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;

​​Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;

​​I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

Remember, without the lion, the bear, and Goliath, David would not have been anything but a shepherd.  Without Pharaoh, Moses would not have been needed to deliver the children of Israel.  Without the enemies of Christ, the cross would not have happened.  Deal with whatever life sends your way knowing that your Loving FATHER is with you.  Pressure builds strength, strength brings forth victory, and victory results in promotion.

A promise is a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen.  In Psalms 77, it is written:

8 ​​Has His mercy ceased forever?

​​Has His promise failed forevermore?

Throughout Scripture, FATHER has declared WHO HE is and what HE does with 100% consistency, trust, and reliance.  Stop and think about this before proceeding…

How would you like everyone you dealt with to have the same consistency as FATHER?  Yes it would be refreshing to be able to trust the words of others, especially those who declare themselves to be Christians.  These days you must frequently assess the intent behind the words you hear to see if they are truly genuine or are they simply trying to manipulate and exploit you for their own benefit.  On the other hand, FATHER makes promises and does not fail to keep them.

In the old days, a man’s word was his bond and then it was followed up by a handshake.  These days it requires a legal document, the longer the better, to cover all potential attempts to break the promise made.  Men looking for loopholes are simply lawless and manipulative.  The U.S. has more lawyers per capita than any other country on earth which speaks volumes concerning the state of morals and ethics of our population.  Is there any wonder why things are in such a mess?  Is it surprising to you to find every financial market manipulated by those in control?  The hearts of the people are reflected in the leadership.

We, on the other hand, should reflect our FATHER’S Character.  When we make a promise we should do everything in our power to keep that promise.  We should never make a promise we don’t intend to honor.  In the early 1980’s we were attending a small church and made an unsigned financial pledge for a particular need.  The pastor asked only to write an amount on a piece of paper and place it in the offering box.  No one knew our pledge amount.  Later we were led to help start a gathering on the north side of the city.  After only a few weeks, FATHER brought our pledge to remembrance.  We immediately called the pastor and met with him to hand him the check.  It was sizeable for us but nonetheless it was important to follow through.  Most people simply “forget” their word and hope there is no record of it… anywhere.  The former pastor was a little surprised but thankful.

FATHER has a full and complete record of your words.  Job tells us in chapter 16:

19 ​​Surely even now my witness is in heaven, ​​And my evidence is on high.

And in Revelation chapter 20:

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.

Words have power and often contain promises or declarations.  When FATHER promises us eternal life, we expect HIM to keep HIS Word.  When HE proclaims HIMSELF to be the GOD WHO HEALETH THEE (Jehovah Rapha), we should also expect HIM to keep HIS Word in the area of healing as well.  It is important to identify HIS promises and then be fully persuaded that HE will fulfill every promise HE has stated.  Identifying and believing the promise brings forth hope.  Trusting that HE can and will keep the promise brings forth faith.  Mature Sons and Daughters will exude the same level of consistency as FATHER.  Their promises will be as solid as HIS.  Let us keep the reality of HIS Promises before us each day.  Let us be reminded of these Promises in our daily interactions with others.