Sin No Longer Tempts Us

 

Human beings are born with a body, a soul and a spirit. At birth, our spirit is dead in the sin of the first Adam (Colossians 2:13; Romans 5:12). It remains that way throughout our life until we come to Christ, the second Adam, for salvation (1 Corinthians 15:45). This keeps us from experiencing the second death in hell (Revelation 21:8), because our spirit is Born Again through the blood of Jesus (1 John 3:9).

God’s Holy Spirit within us conforms us into the image of Christ through sanctification (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18). This is a process in which we can cooperate and participate in order to have our mind renewed more quickly (Romans 12:2). If we fight the work of God in our life through our carnal nature, then we suffer longer from the effects of our pride and rebellion.

The good news is that God works in our soul – our mind, will and emotions - on several levels. Jesus delivered us from a life of carnality and death (Romans 7:24-25). He gives us both the desire and the power to surrender fully to God’s will and way (Philippians 2:12-13). His truth sets us free indeed (John 8:32-36). What we find impossible, Christ in us makes possible (Matthew 19:26; Philippians 4:13).

Once the Spirit of God does His regenerating work in us (Romans 7:17), we can face the sin that tempts us, without the need to give in to it (1 Corinthians 10:13). Over time, our desires are renewed, and sinful pursuits no longer have any value for us. The Holy Spirit renews our mind and sets us free from the need to live in sin (Romans 8:13). We walk in victory over both sin and death through Christ in us (1 Corinthians 15:57).

If you are still living a lifestyle of sin, and making excuses for it, then your spirit is still dead in sin (1 John 3:9). You have not been truly Born Again, even if you go to church and work for God. You simply need to choose to turn away from sin and to totally surrender your entire life to God (1 John 1:9). Yield your body, mind, will and emotions to God rather than to sin (Romans 6:13). 

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for not leaving us as orphans on this earth (John 14:18). Your Holy Spirit within us leads us into all truth (John 14:26, 16:13); so that we will despise sin as much as You do, and we will not follow deceiving spirits and lies taught by demons (1 Timothy 4:1). We are no longer blinded by the deceitfulness of sin, but we walk in newness of life (Hebrews 3:13; Romans 6:4). You cause us to die to sin and to live, move and have our existence only in Christ (Romans 6:8; Acts 17:28).

Thought for the Day:

Due to the anointing of the Holy One within us, we walk in the truth and no longer fulfill the lusts of our flesh. – 1 John 2:20; Galatians 5:16-25

Free at Last

 

Once we walk with God for any amount of time, the spiritual life is more familiar and natural to us, than the ungodly, sinful lifestyle we lived before we were Born Again. We are uncomfortable around sin now. Watching, listening to and speaking sinful words or concepts are no longer entertaining. The Spirit of God within us is grieved over what grieves God’s heart. Our self-life is no longer supreme, and the will of God transforms any goals or desires we used to entertain.

Satan wants us to believe that we are helpless victims of the flesh, the world and his demons; however, with every temptation, God gives us a way to escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). When we draw near to God and resist the devil, he has to flee from us (James 4:7). The more we mature spiritually, the less Satan finds in us to tempt us (John 14:30). Christ truly reigns as the master over our life. God’s divine nature now dictates our thoughts, words and deeds (2 Peter 1:4).

As God renews our mind, we move from one level of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18). We are holy, as God is holy, through the blood of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:10,14,19). We live a holy life because of our intense love for the Lord and His Kingdom. Holiness is our new nature and we despise whatever grieves God. We no longer exhibit the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21); but instead, the fruit of the Spirit shines from both our spirit and soul (Galatians 5:22-23).

This is not to say that we refrain from serving or socializing with the “publicans and sinners”; but we no longer imitate their behavior. We love them with the heart and mind of Christ. Our carnal nature is dead (1 Corinthians 2:16; Ephesians 2:5; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3). We no longer entertain sinful desires. We realize once and for all time that we are free indeed (John 8:36). What used to tempt us no longer has any value to us. Our only desire is to please our Heavenly Father.

Prayer:

Father God, we may have certain sinful habits that linger over the years of Your regenerating work within us, but there is no way that they can persist as we walk by Your Spirit (Galatians 5:16,25). Our yoke is easy and our burden is light, because they come from You (Matthew 11:30). We relate to life, people and government on a daily basis, but we allow Your Spirit to give us wisdom and direction on the best way to influence our sphere of society.

Thought for the Day:

Jesus is not ashamed to call us His family. - Hebrews 2:11

 

 

Forgiveness, the Two-edged Sword

Read: Matthew 6: 14-15 

“Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.” – Luke 17:4

People use all sorts of crutches to endure their times of loneliness and despair, which they feel deep within their soul. They use alcohol, drugs, relationships, shopping, food, money, gambling, codependency, internet, breaking the law, pornography, video games, etc. to mask their pain. They live in denial and make excuses for their behavior. The pain of past encounters usually drives people to make poor choices. They use these alternatives to mask their pain and to deal with life.

These crutches lead to erratic behavior, impaired thinking and judgment, slower reaction times, loss of control, moodiness, slurred speech, double vision, impaired memory, depression, infertility, premature babies, birth defects, increased heart rate, potential cardiac problems, lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, asthma, defective immune system, reduced resistance levels to disease and illness and a host of other maladies. They are not a very good way to cope with life’s issues.

There is only one way to fill the void in your soul, and that is to surrender your life to Jesus Christ. He calls us to be converted and to repent of our sins, so that our sins may be blotted out of His record book forever (Acts 3:19). If we confess our sins, He is faithful and honorable and He forgives them. He not only forgives them, but He also cleanses us from the penalty of all our unrighteous deeds ( 1 John 1:9). Our sins are like scarlet, but He washes them white as snow with his own blood (Matthew 26:28). Though they are red like crimson, He makes them white as lamb's wool (Isaiah 1:18). Then He brings us times of refreshing as we bask in His presence (Acts 3:19). 

Once we are in Christ, we are a new creation; old things have passed away and all things are becoming new through the process of sanctification (2 Corinthians 5:17). In Him, we have redemption through His blood and forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7). Though we have lived in rebellion against Him, He grants us mercy and forgiveness (Daniel 9:9). He has removed our transgressions so completely that, He casts them away as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). He also casts all our sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). He promises not to remember our sins and lawless deeds ever again (Hebrews 10:17; Isaiah 43:25).

Forgiveness is actually a two-edged sword. If you do not forgive others their trespasses against you, then neither can your Heavenly Father forgive your trespasses against Him and other people (Matthew 6:14-15). For some reason forgiveness is foreign to many people. We punish ourselves inordinately and we punish others by holding them accountable for their actions toward us. As soon as you come to Christ in repentance, He forgives all of your sins. Then you are free to forgive others their trespasses against you. Actually, because we freely received God’s Love, we can freely forgive our self and others by realizing that we are all mere mortals striving to do our best.

So, when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive them; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you (Mark 11:25). We have redemption and forgiveness of all our sins through His blood, now and for all time (Colossians 1:13-14). Forgiveness gives us freedom from the bondage of bitterness (Hebrews 12:15), which will defile our whole body, soul and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5: 23). Forgiveness actually turns those who offended us over to God to deal with and to extract revenge in His timing and in His way (Romans 12:19). We also often fail to accept His forgiveness of our sins as a free gift (Romans 6:23). We attempt to earn it by our works, or we refuse to appropriate it to our lives by forgiving our self and those who mistreat us.

 
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when I fail to forgive my self and others, please remind me that You died to insure our forgiveness. I often find myself attributing mortal characteristics to You, forgetting You are an immortal God. Father God, Satan wants me to fear that You will tire of my failings and eventually reject me totally. I know that the good news is that we may make mistakes, but Your love is not contingent upon our works. You call us to aspire to perfection, but You know that without You we can do nothing (John 15:5). You created us as human beings and You know our character will grow with each trial through which we persevere.

Thought for the Day:

Jesus endured the cross to ensure that we will join Him in eternity.