Living Beyond Temper and Lust
Devotional Credit: eManna by Witness Lee
Photo Credit: Unsplash
In Matthew 5, Jesus raised the standard of life far above what the law required. He showed that sin is not only found in outward actions but also in the heart. Murder is tied to anger, and adultery is tied to lust. Both temper and lust trouble us constantly, and both expose our inability to live righteously apart from Him. As Witness Lee points out, we cannot escape these struggles through our own effort. If we were stone, untouched by human weakness, perhaps we would not be bothered. But as living people, our temper flares and our desires stir. These weaknesses are too strong to be mastered by self-discipline alone.
This is why Jesus spoke of a higher life. The law told us what not to do, but only in Him do we find the power to overcome. Lee explains that we need not just forgiveness, but another life altogether. The abiding life of Christ within us is the only life that can triumph over anger and lust. Salvation by faith is the doorway, but fellowship with Him moment by moment is the pathway forward.
Living in fellowship with Jesus is not a burden, but a new freedom. Instead of counting how often we fail, we draw from His indwelling Spirit, who is both able and willing to live His life through us. Anger and lust lose their grip when His life is allowed to govern our hearts. The call to a higher standard is not a crushing weight, but an invitation to live out of a higher source.
This devotional reminds us that life in Christ is not about polishing the old nature but about resting in His new life. The temper that once erupted and the lust that once consumed no longer have authority. We abide in Him, and His life overcomes what we cannot. That is the miracle of the higher life.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My child, I have not left you to manage your anger or your desires alone. In Jesus, you are a new creation. Sin no longer has dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What once controlled you has been crucified with Him, and now you live by His indwelling life.
Do not be discouraged when temptation presses in. Remember that I have given you everything you need for life and godliness. Your temper and lust are not masters over you, for you belong to Me. When you abide in My Son, His peace rules in your heart and His purity flows through your thoughts.
I am not asking you to try harder, but to trust deeper. Yield to Me, and I will bear the fruit you long to see. I will give you patience where you once lashed out, and purity where you once stumbled. The higher life is not your achievement, it is My gift, lived out in you as you rest in Jesus moment by moment.
Scripture References: Matthew 5:27-28, Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:6-14, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Colossians 3:3-5, John 15:4-5, Romans 8:1-4, 2 Peter 1:3-4, Colossians 3:15, Philippians 2:13.
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine a kettle on the stove. As the water heats, steam builds, and the pressure whistles loudly. If no release is given, the kettle shakes under the strain. In our own efforts, anger and desire rise like steam, building pressure within us. But when Jesus lives through us, it is as if the lid is lifted and the steam released. The pressure no longer controls us, for His life steadies us.
Today, when irritation or desire threatens to rise, I can rest quietly and say, “Lord, I trust You to steady my reactions and to live Your life in me right now.” In that yielding, His patience and purity flow where mine fail.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, I thank You that I no longer live under the tyranny of my temper or lust. In You, I am free from sin’s dominion. I rejoice that You have given me a new life that is higher than anything the law required. Today I rest in the truth that You are my patience, my purity, and my peace. I yield to You with gratitude, knowing that Your life in me is more than enough.