We Live, Yet Christ Lives in Us

The concept of us living at the same time Christ lives through us, is confusing at best (Galatians 2:20). How much of our self is prominent and how do we give Christ preeminence in us?

Prior to coming to Christ, our spirit is dead, and our flesh is very much alive. We live in the flesh, plan for the flesh and we hunger after more of the flesh, the world and sin (1 Timothy 5:6; Romans 8:5-8). 

Separated from God, we are blinded by the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). Yet, when we surrender our life to Christ, our penchant for sin wanes.

We have no more desire to reap the destruction, which is sin's reward (Romans 6:23). Now, our spirit is born again, and our flesh is dead in Christ (John 3:3-4, 6:63; Colossians 3:4).

Knowing that we are in Christ, and that our old nature is already crucified with Christ, gives us the power over sin. We no longer live in slavery to sin and the flesh, but we are slaves to Christ who dwells in us (Romans 6:7, 12, 14; 8:9).

Each day, we submit to God's Spirit as he crucifies our old carnal nature, and we grow further away from the habits and desires of our old life (Galatians 2:20, 5:15-25).

God sets us free from condemnation and the law of sin and death by His Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1-2). We live victorious lives as we walk in God's will under the direction of His Holy Spirit each moment of our day (Galatians 5:15-25).

Prayer:

Father God, help us not to allow a distracted life to keep us from experiencing Your fullness for us. Fill us with the fruit of Your Spirit, so that we no longer have ungodly character and negative personality traits (Galatians 5:22-23).

Use us for Your glory as we make Christ preeminent in our life. Help us to decrease, so that You can increase within us (John 3:30).

Thought for the Day:

We walk in the Spirit, which prevents us from living in the flesh. - Galatians 5:15-25

God's Ultimate Sacrifice

We know that God loved us before we ever loved Him, even while we are still sinners (Romans 5:8-10). We do not have to make our self holy before we come to Christ. This is impossible to do.

God demonstrated His love for us when He sent His Son to atone for our sins (1 John 4:10; Romans 5:8-10). It is not by our works, or we could boast about our accomplishments (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Jesus was delivered to death by the Jews and Romans, for the purpose of paying the debt of our sin, and He was raised back to life for our justification (Romans 4:25).

Nothing, not even death, or our worry over a life full of trials, or angels or demons, nor the power of hell or any created thing can separate us from God's love, which He reveals to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).

When we come to Christ, our old carnal, fleshly nature dies. Satan still uses it to tempt us; but it is dead in Christ (Colossians 3:3). Therefore, we have no excuse for living a sinful life.

We are crucified with Christ. Although we now live in our body, we live by the faith of God's Son who abides within us, because He loves us and died for us (Galatians 2:20).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for the covenant You made with us and for putting Your laws in our heart and mind. Your love remembers our sins no more; and we have no need for further sacrifice, because we are forgiven once and for all (Hebrews 10:16-18).

We now draw near to You with a genuine heart full of assurance, which comes from our faith in Your faithfulness. You cleared our conscience from guilt and shame. We hold unshakably to our hope in You. We know that You will give us all things through Your grace (Romans 8:32).

Remind us not to forsake the practice of meeting with other Saints for the purpose of fellowship and encouraging one another, especially as the day of Christ's return approaches.

Thought for the Day:

God loves us so much that He gave us the power of His Spirit, so that we can tell everyone we know about what He does in our life. - Acts 1:8