God's Divinity within Us

Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, the Holy of Holies (Hebrews 9:3). The Holy Spirit lives through us in the perfection of Christ and according to the will of our Father God (Colossians 2:9). We are no longer sinners chained to the flesh.

Christ is our righteousness, deliverance, redemption, sanctification and so much more (1 Corinthians 1:31). He challenges us to hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6).

If our flesh is tempted to sin, we simply remember that it is dead and hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3; Romans 7:25). When we view any temptation through the eyes of the Spirit living within us, the sin loses its appeal for us.

We realize that we would much rather live righteously through Christ than unrighteously through our old, dead flesh. We are a new creation freed from the power of sin through the divinity of Christ who dwells in us.

In the same way, if we attempt a ministry for the glory of God, and the Spirit did not lead us to serve in that area, we will never find His anointing in it.

When Jesus lived in the flesh, He suffered trials in every area, and had just as many temptations as we do. Yet, in each instance, He drew from the strength of His divinity; and in the end, He conquered sin, death and hell for us all (Revelations 1:18).

Every Born Again Believer lives in divine union with this same Christ. Even though we still live in a body of flesh, we now live by the faith of the Son of God who cares for us and sacrificed Himself for us (Galatians 2:20).

Sin has no more power over us; therefore, we live a victorious life through Christ in us, both now and for all of eternity (James 1:25). We draw from the strength of His divinity within us for healing, wisdom, strength, righteousness and direction.

Prayer:

Father God, our finite mind has such trouble understanding what we cannot see. Yet, the faith of Christ within us helps us to see with spiritual eyes of understanding. Help us to walk in Your truth by the faith of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who dwells within us by Your Spirit; so that we no longer think that we have to sin and we may bear fruit for You (Romans 7:4).

We limit Your use of us on this earth by our watered down concept that we are still sinners and will always be sinners weighted down by our sinful, fleshly nature. Remind us that this old nature is already dead in Christ, that we are new creations by Your Spirit, and that we are now spiritual beings and slaves to righteousness, not to sin (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:18).

Thought for the Day:

Once we make Christ our whole life, we are no longer sinners hindered by sin and our flesh, because the power of the spiritual law of life through the Holy Spirit has set us free from the power of the fleshly law which once held us in bondage to sin and death.

- Colossians 3:3-5; Romans 6:14, 6:22, 8:2; John 8:36

Ceasing from Futile Efforts

Much of what we do in this world is busyness. We get overly involved and double-booked in our schedule; yet make no time for play, worship and fellowship with family and friends.

We burn the candle at both ends until we burn out, making our self sick in the process. We have so many irons in the fire that we can barely keep everything straight even with a calendar and sticky notes.

We have so little of our self to put into each endeavor that they are all lacking to some degree or another. We constantly run from one plate to another to keep them all up in the air and spinning.

The rare person who learns the value and secret of entering God's rest, ceases this striving in the flesh, follows the leading of God's Spirit each moment of the day, and trusts in God's overall plan for their life (Hebrews 4:7-10).

They are more interested in accomplishing the works which God preordained for them to do than in fulfilling their own goals and agendas (Ephesians 2:10).

They are not tempted by the world, the flesh or the devil to compete or to get ahead in this world. The trappings of life have lost their glitter and are no longer appealing.

Lining up their desires with the purpose of God for their life, they love Him above all else and they hunger and thirst for the manifestation of His presence to fill their body, soul and spirit (Ephesians 3:18-19).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for Your law, which showed us the futility of attempting to reach fulfillment by human means and measures. We are so glad that Your law pointed us to Christ and His finished work on Calvary.

A life in Your presence is ours once we convert from a child of this world to Your child - forever free of the cares of this life and joyously cared for by You (John 3:16-18; Romans 3:19-25; 1 Peter 5:7). Thank You for using us to demonstrate Your righteousness to the world around us and draw us ever closer to Your rivers of living water within us.

Thought for the Day:

What time is there in life for rest, recreation, serenity and fulfillment amidst the turmoil of agitated rushing after useless pursuits in a state of disorder, the tyranny of cares and the mountain of depression rising within our soul?