Sometimes there are people around us who are troubled, their heart like a bottomless hole as if it can never be filled, their emptiness causes a dissatisfaction that can never be satisfied no matter what we do. In fact, each of us, when we are driven by our desires and emotions, our hearts will be like the bottomless pit, which can not be satisfied.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Galatians 5: 16-18)

This passage tells us that because of the dual nature of man, the spiritual (heavenly) nature and the material (animal) nature are in a state of confrontation. Before we know and understand this spiritual nature, we are often driven by the material nature (it becomes like a familiar habit). We may know that we should not act according to our material nature, for instance, we may know that getting angry won’t help to improve things, but involuntarily we will become angry. But if we have faith and are guided by the Holy Spirit, the spirit of faith, we can avoid being controlled by the animal nature.

Think of what happens in our life. Why do we have fear of others taking advantage of us? Why are we afraid others will take away our belongings or seek the opportunity to steal our belongings? We think freedom of speech is being able to express whatever we want to say. Think about this: when we lack security we have the tendency to try to be our own master instead of trusting God’s arrangement or believing we are under His protection. We want to manipulate things the way we like and we believe we are capable of dealing with everything instead of needing God. When we do not know God, the result is to let the desire grow into lust, and finally evolved into the slave of the lust. One of the purposes God created human being is to partake in the civilization of the world with Him as if we were with Him on the throne. But under our driven lust, we choose to create our own world, our own kingdom, “to abandon God’s spring of living water, and have dug our own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water” (Jeremiah 2:13). We are sitting on the throne of our own ego. We protect it carefully to prevent it being destroyed by others. How great is the difference between these two types of throne? We won’t know which throne we are sitting on unless we know God and love God. We not willing to step down from our own throne and humbly put ourselves in front of the Lord.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5: 25-26)

The desire for prestige can also produce a very negative effect. When others say something about us which we don’t like, we will feel hurt as if we have been slandered. Because of this feeling of destroyed reputation, we generate the feeling of hatred. To pursue fame, we compete with each other and try to create a group of people who agree with us. In competition, we disagree with each other and generate disputes, hearsay, jealousy and suspicion, and try to subdue others in this way. This is the type of behavior which we see around us every day.

If we have faith and live in the Spirit, we will accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit and follow His guidance. We need to learn to rely on the Holy Spirit to learn more about God and to follow the commandments of God. When we gradually learn more about God and start to develop our relationship with Him, God’s love will replace the lust and fill the unsatisfied empty space, which forms desires in our heart. God’s love will begin to make wondrous changes in our life.

When we love God, God’s love will flow to us. Those who have been changed through God’s love have the same experience, knowing the power of God’s love. We can be healed and the problems we have can be solved by the power of this love. This change can have a positive impact on others and change the environment surrounding us. It is not about trying to fix other problems when we encounter a challenge in our life. When the problem occurs, it usually also reflects our own lusts. If we can come back to look to God, learn more about God, and establish a deeper relationship with Him, we have more of His love to fill the void that we have not yet filled. It is very difficult to rely on personal restraint to overcome the weakness that arises from our lusts. It tends to fail us. But if we love God and let God’s love fulfill our dissatisfaction, the feeling of emptiness from desire will gradually disappear. And gradually we are immersed in the love of God. Spiritual purification can occur by relying on God’s love, He can create in us a pure heart again as we were born to be. Is the spiritual battle really a battle? By the power of God’s love, we will be able to win without fear, as long as we learn to love Him with all our heart and strength. This is the meaning of “relying on God”.

God’s love is light, and there is no darkness in light. Let’s illuminate the darkness of our material (animal) nature! Do not be afraid to repent in front of God. Don’t we all wish our children be able to see their mistake and not be afraid to admit it in front of us? God has the same wish for us. Let God’s love shine in the dark corner inside our heart. Let the light illuminate inside us. Protecting the love is protecting the light. Loving God is the force to make the connection between us and Him. God’s love has the power to take down the wall which we have to protect our ego. When the wall has been taken down, the relationship will be strengthened. To solve the problems around us, we must solve our own problems first.

An interpretation of the story of Battle of Jericho in the Bible (Joshua 6:1-21) may be though of in this way: O City of Jericho! You are the foundation of our ego! O, people of Israel (children of God)! Circling around the city is the test of obedience and love from your Lord. When your faith in the Lord is strong enough, your Lord will collapse the stronghold of the ego without your effort. You will enter Canaan and have inheritance from your Lord. Glory to God! God’s love is so great and immeasurable!

I hope you see the importance of Love God. God’s love is the richness of His creation. It is full of grace. Whoever walks the Path of God is blessed! They fulfill themselves with Grace and can reach up to heaven’s height.