“But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.” 1 Timothy 5:6

Even though people who live for pleasure may seem to lead a normal life, the reality is that they are dead. This particular kind of people seek only worldly pleasures and have no self-control. In fact, they can be compared to zombies. A zombie is a fictional entity with no mind of its own. It is controlled by a basic urge to feed and is literally a walking dead.

If you are constantly drawn to things that give pleasure to your flesh, it means that your flesh reigns over your spirit. It also implies that you are spiritually dead. You must take complete control of yourself. Do not let the desire to sleep outweigh the need to work. Do not let the urge to eat overshadow the need to fast.

The key to maintaining control of your life is discipline. The cost of discipline far exceeds the cost of indiscipline. A man who always gives in to pleasure will die poor. Here is what the Bible tells us in Proverbs:

“He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.” Proverbs 21:17

No one ever achieves anything great by indulging in pleasure all the time. Anyone who does so will come into the world and leave unnoticed. Being a lover of pleasure is so dangerous that the Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 that you should not associate with people who only seek the pleasures of life. It says you must turn away from people who love pleasure and love themselves more than they love God. A tree does not eat its own fruits. It exists to meet the needs of others. Similarly, people are created to have an impact on others and contribute positively to society. They are not created to serve only themselves.

When some people talk about self-love, what they are actually talking about is selfishness. If you truly want to live, then you must have an impact on those around you. Anyone who lives only for themselves is already dying. The best way to impact those around you is to lead them out of darkness into the light of Christ. This is the true essence of living as a Christian, for you have been chosen to bear fruit (John 15:16).

Beloved, make sure to stay truly alive by seeking not only your own good but also that of others.

This text is an excerpt from the book “The Open Heavens 2024: A Daily Guide to Intimate Communion with God 2024” written by Enoch A. Adeboye.

We invite you to read the following article “GENDER AND SEXUALITY 1.”