Raised to Walk in a New Life

Jesus poured out His life on this earth for all of mankind. During three years of ministry, He had no place to lay His head (Luke 9:58). He was criticized for eating with publicans and sinners (Matthew 9:10). 

He experienced rejection, even from his own people (Matthew 13:57). Jesus ultimately laid down His life on Calvary’s cross for the salvation of anyone willing to accept His redemption (Revelation 22:17; Acts 17:11).

Then on the third day, He raised up His own life again to exactly fulfill the Biblical prophecies about His life, death and resurrection (Isaiah 7:14, 53:12; Psalm 49:15, 24:7-10). Jesus then delivered those who died prior to His death and set them free (Ephesians 4:8-9). 

He became the first child of God to raise from the dead (Colossians 1:18). Then God lifted Him up to the greatest measure of His glory and authority (John 17:5).

God raises us to walk in a new life as well. Since Christ now lives within us by His Spirit, His power and authority are working in the life of every authentic Born Again Believer. 

As we walk in His Spirit, we fulfill the will of God. We mature in our walk of faith and we realize the awesome attributes of God in us. This humbles us and causes us to bow to Him in complete surrender.

God’s Spirit points out sin in our life, and then we cooperate and allow His Spirit to transform us both with the mind and character of Christ (2 Peter 1:4; Philippians 2:12-13). He frees us from sin and the corrupt desires of our flesh. 

He cleanses us from the root issue causing our penchant for sin. We die to our humanity and allow God to mature us in the Spirit, so we can live in the fullness of His resurrected life (Ephesians 3:19).

Prayer:

Father God, You never, ever leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8; Hebrews 13:5). We have faith in Your faithfulness. We rely on You and relinquish to You our worries, fears and insecurities (Matthew 6:25-34). 

 

Your love provides us with safety in the storms of life, as well as the provision we need in order to walk in our new life on this earth. Help us to glorify You on this earth just like Jesus did (John 17:4).

Thought for the Day:

Love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, meekness, self-control and faith are not dependent upon our circumstances or our feelings or even our health, but only on the Holy Spirit within us in our new life.

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