My, Devotion to Him #319
God has a plan for us, and part of that plan is freeing us from sin to live an abundant life. In order to live a life pleasing to God and spiritually abundant, we must bury the old sinful nature and embrace the truth of Jesus. Following is God’s desire for our lives.
1. Out with the old
Verse Passage: Romans 8:5 “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” – ESV
Paul says that if we are in the flesh, we care for the things of the flesh. If we are in the Spirit, we care for the things of the Spirit. This is not made to confuse anyone but rather to clarify an issue at humanity’s very core. Those who choose to not follow Christ and work on surrendering themselves to Him will walk in the flesh. Therefore they will only want and desire the things that feed and pleasure the flesh. The flesh is of a selfish nature, only desiring to care for itself and anything that gives it a good feeling it will take. This is not the actual skin that we are trying to please but rather our whole self. The body is corrupt and has a taste for wicked things because of the feeling of pleasure it gets from them. The tongue loves to be quick and prefers no filter. The heart wants what it wants and can never make up its mind. It’s hasty, illogical, and even greedy. The eyes love to see things of an explicit nature. The mind enjoys pondering sinful things and finding ways to justify doing what is plainly wrong. Our body craves the ways of the world and is never truly satisfied. Hungry constantly for more and more of what the world has to offer and will fight till the death to get what it wants when it wants.
Walking in the Spirit decides to focus on heavenly things. It starts to shut doors that feed the flesh. A new approach is taken to undo the wrong the body has done. Restraining the tongue, turning eyes to more godly things, cleansing the mind, and rejecting the desires of the heart. A constant battle commences. But it is one that will result in victory for those who keep at it steadfast and commit to surrendering the flesh.
Verse Passage: Galatians 5:19-25 “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” – ESV
2. Result of sin
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – ESV
3. In with the new
Jesus tells us in John 10:11 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” – ESV
STOP following the wrong shepherd! Jesus has laid down His life for you. He has come that you may have life and have it abundantly. The devil only wants death and dismay for you if you have chosen to follow Christ. Those who are pursuing the good shepherd will find an enemy in the mist. Waiting for his perfect time to attack. Wanting nothing more than for you to walk away from Christ. Do not worry because Christ has given us everything we need to defeat the devil and stand our ground against any and all attacks. Jesus will not leave you alone on the battlefield. Instead, He has not only given you the authority and power to be a force against evil but also gives us the Spirit, angels, and brothers and sisters in Christ to come alongside and battle with us. Truly a one-sided match where we are victorious!
4. Steps to take today.
A. Recognize that you are a sinner.
Verse Passage: Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” – ESV
EVERY SINGLE PERSON HAS SINNED! You are not alone in this. Even knowing that though it can be hard to admit it because it doesn’t feel good to own up that we aren’t good. The things that we have done go against God and His Word. But the Bible has already made it clear that it’s just a fact we have all sinned. It’s time to acknowledge that.
B. Abandon self-effort.
Verse Passage: Roman 3:24 “and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” – ESV
We are made right by His grace. Not anything we’ve done. It is only by Him that we can be made right.
Verse Passage: Titus 3:5 “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,” – ESV
Verse Passage: Act 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” – ESV
The passages in Titus and Acts reaffirm the truth. He saved us, and it wasn’t due to something we have done. There is no work we can do that would save us. Simply put, we cannot save ourselves. Only Jesus Christ can.
C. Believe that Christ rose again.
There is nothing if we cannot believe that Christ rose from the dead. If He did not conquer death, hell, and the grave, then we have no hope. Jesus Christ is a part of the Trinity. If He could not overcome it, then there is no power for us through His name. We must believe because it is the truth. Everything hinges on His resurrection!
D. The great promise.
Verse Passage: John 6:37-40 “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” – ESV
Jesus promises us that those who come to Him and believe will have eternal life. Admit we are sinners, turn from our away as He says, and believe. He says to come. The burden is light, and the yoke is easy. He’s not making something hard to follow, nothing that you have to stress over day and night, nothing that will keep you awake worrying. He says come, abandon your self-efforts, turn away from the sinful life, and believe in me (His life, ministry, teachings, ways, everything that He is, has done, and promised). Christianity isn’t meant to burden you like a weight around your neck to make you struggle to breathe. The world may cause trouble, and the devil might make a scene. Come when you are weary, tired, and burdened from the world, and He gives shelter, rest, restoration, strength, peace, comfort, and healing. What you need, He is all to you.
Live according to Him and see the difference.
God bless,
Copyright ©️ 2023 by Jacob Olinger
Spirit Warrior Ministry 