Actions Speak Louder Than Words

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
(Ephesians 4:17-32)

The Apostle Paul clearly shows us the process of wrong thinking producing wrong believing producing wrong confession and finally producing wrong actions. These are all a product of the old nature. But believers are to put on the new nature. The attitudes of the heart and mind are to be renewed, edifying speech is to come from their mouths and their actions are not to be sinful. Believers need to pay close attention to verse 27. The devil cannot read minds but he hears our words and see our actions, which are a reflection of what is in our heart. He then lays out his deceptive game plan in hopes that the believer will greive the Holy Spirit through wrong thinking, etc.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:22-26)

Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit in the believer produces wonderful attributes to live by. But the question comes as to whether believers are walking in the Spirit where the passions and desires of the flesh are squeleced? This is easily uncovered if believers are not living out Galatians 5:26 and Ephesians 4:31-32.
We simply need to get Gods Word into our hearts and act upon what it says. Acting upon Gods Word is faith in action. Again, it is wrong thinking, wrong believing wrong speaking and wrong actions that defeat most believers, not the devil. The devil has already been defeated and the weakest believer has the authority to overpower him if he is standing on the integrity of Gods Word and his faith is in Jesus Christ.

If our thinking is right our believing will be right. If our believing is right then our confession will be right and if our confession is right then our actions will be right. If one of these areas is wrong, then they all we be wrong…