A thinker once said that four key desires drive human actions. These are desires; he never really said whether they are good or bad. They are just desires that drive human actions; but if not mastered, can lead to wars, conflicts, and even wickedness.
These brute beastly desires are;
- Acquisitiveness
- Rivalry
- Vanity (love of glory)
- Love of power
1. Acquisitiveness
If not mastered, acquisitiveness degenerates unto covetousness and greed; which is as the sin of idolatry.
Every child of God must tame the desire to acquire and possess. We all have a desire to acquire and possess, but it must be tamed.
2. Rivalry
If rivalry is not tamed, it becomes jealousy and envy. We are not willing to share things that are important to us but we will do well when we master this sense of rivalry.
When Rachel and Leah did not master this desire, they ended up sharing their husband with two other maids. Rivalry can lead to wrong judgments and sometimes, we even end up hurting the people we love. Many of us hate it when we have to share, but we don’t take it too far.
3. Vanity
The third brute desire is a love for glory or vanity. This is called the pride of life. Sometimes, we chase things because it makes us feel good and not even because we need it.
King Solomon said that most of the things we pursue are vanity. Indeed, all is vanity. Sometimes, you desire to do certain things just for the sake of doing them.
4. Love of power
Finally, the love of power is the main source of pain for many people. Many of us want to be in control and that is the source of manipulations and struggles and wars.
Often, we fight for control, even subconsciously and consciously. We must strive our best to let people live their lives.
Sometimes, our obsession drives us to either manipulate or control people. We all love to be powerful. The weaker ones use manipulation and the stronger ones use control.
The Bible says when we walk in the spirit, we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. All the works of the flesh enumerated in Galatians 5, stem from these desires.
[Galatians 5:16-18 KJV] “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”
All the works of the flesh have their roots in these four brute desires.
[Galatians 5:19-21 KJV] “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God”.
The fruit of the spirit is born as antidotes to these brute desires. Let us walk in the spirit. Read this text below.
[Galatians 5:22-26 KJV] “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”
May the Lord guide your hearts to His love.
I love you
