Cravings I Psalm 119: 103
“How sweet are your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth.”
“How pleasant to my taste is what thou hast said.” (Berkley)
By this time you are probably saying to yourself, “what did I get myself into”, because the body is starting to rebel. It wants its coffee, its sweets and the things that it has come accustomed to.
Bringing this flesh into subjection to the Spirit man can be difficult. One of the principles we learn through fasting is discipline. Learning to discipline the flesh, so that the Spirit man can grow, and the works of the flesh will decrease.
As the body is starting to crave those “pleasant” foods remind it of who’s the boss.
The word crave is the Greek word aiteo, it means to be adamant in requesting or demanding something. It portrays the attitude of a supplicant, the petition of one who is lesser in position than he to whom the petition is made.
The flesh always tries to usurp its position demanding control. Like a child it is not very happy and it begins to try to justify just one more time, one cup or just one piece.
Remember this one thing before you take that bite; whomever you feed will become stronger and will put the other in subjection.
I remember many years ago I was craving something sweet and no matter what I ate it did not seem to satisfy me. I talked with a dear sister in the Lord and she said to me have you ever stopped to think that maybe what you are craving is the Word of God? I was amazed maybe that is why I could not find satisfaction in one more cookie because it was the Spirit man who desired the sweetness of the word.
Oh when we hunger I pray that we would hunger for the sweetness of the Word after all it has everything that we need. It is the living water for the thirsty, bread for the hungry, seed to the sower, it is spiritual food. 1 Peter 2:2 says:”As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby:”
So next time you start craving think, maybe what you really want is more of the bread of life or a drink of living water.
Who will be the superior one today, the flesh or the spirit? Feast on the Word today and nourish the spirit man who longs for the sweetness of God and say like the Psalmist “Oh how sweet are your words they are sweeter than honey to my mouth.”
Psalm 19:10
Psalm 119:72
Prayer: Lord I hunger for you today, fill me with more of you. I realize that nothing can satisfy the longing and the craving that I have in my soul like you can. Forgive me for wanting to give in and run to other things instead of running to you. Lord you are my portion and you satisfy the longing of my soul. Thank you Lord I confess that you are sufficient for me.