We all contend with the "old man". Colossians 3:3 says, "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." Because the flesh wars against the spirit and the spirit wars against the flesh, we feel like we're sort of schizophrenic at times. We have the same battle going on inside of us as the apostle Paul did when he said in Romans chapter 7 "For what I will to do that, I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do." That was the way the Apostle Paul lived until he learned the principles that he shares with us in Romans chapter 8. He also learned the principle of putting to death the deeds of the body and living the God kind of life. I'll share some principles that will help you live every day of your life in the victory over sin that the Lord provides.
Here's how:
I. Choose to walk in the Spirit.
Walking in the Spirit is a choice. The Lord is more than willing to accommodate us and help us if we are willing to try. The Word of God says in Galatians 5:16 "Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."
The Greek word for walk in this verse is peripetao and it means to live, deport oneself, follow as a companion, be occupied with, or walk about. When we get up every morning we make a choice about what we will walk in or be a companion to or in other words, be occupied with. Our day must start with a fresh focus on the Lord and a fresh decision to walk with Him. From the time I got saved I started walking in the Spirit. You don't have to be a seasoned saint to be a spiritual believer. All you have to do is stay Heaven focused. The Word of God says, to set your mind on things above ( Col.3:2). For 33 years now, I have been a strong advocate of early morning Prayer. Early morning Prayer helps us get Christ centered and stay Christ centered throughout the day. Then I pray throughout the day. I worship. I listen to sermons. I listen to the Word of God on CD. I keep bringing myself back to the "things above." Doctors and Dieticians all agree that eating a good breakfast is the best way to start your day. But none of us just eat one meal a day. We want lunch and dinner. We like snacks sometimes. So also we should eat of the Lord's Word often. Naturally speaking, that is true also. Start your day with the Word of God and a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit and keep feeding on Him throughout the day and you'll be able to stand against all the wiles of the devil.
Colossians 3:1-5 tells us how we can walk in the Spirit.
1. Know that you were raised with Christ.
"If you then were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God."
Romans 6:11 says, "Likewise you also, recon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
We need to remember that we're a new creation. When we start to get depressed about something we need to remind ourselves, that we were raised with Christ. When temptation comes we need to say, "I am a new creation and that has no hold on me I've been raised with Christ." When fear tries to torment us, we can say, "God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.
The more we worship the Lord and seek the Lord and live in His divine presence, the more we have revelation of our position with Him. In our spirit we are already seated together with Him in heavenly places in Christ. "And raised us up ogether and, made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:6)." When we feel stressed, or discouraged, or overwhelmed, we need to have a little "sit down with Jesus". The Native Americans had pow wow's. Businessmen have conferences. Believers need to have a time of sitting down on the Lord's lap spiritually and telling Him all about our situation. A little communion with the problem solver of the universe will make us feel 100% better.
2. Refuse to let sin reign in your mortal body.
Our society runs ads telling our teens to "just say no to drugs." But without the power of God they have little ability to do that. When the peer pressure rises and the enemy bombards their minds with fears of rejection, it is so easy for them to give in. The only way they can be sure to resist that kind of pressure is to have Jesus in their hearts and their minds renewed with the Word of God. Fortunately God doesn't ask us to resist temptation without the power to do it. He shows the "exceeding riches of His grace" (Eph.2:7), by changing our heart and desires so that we easily say no to the sin that used to ensnare us.
Our refusal to let sin reign in our mortal bodies is born out of the ability that He alone can give.
As we truly consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ, the life giving power of Jesus Christ, gives us the ability to say no to sin. It is actually Christ in us that is saying no. Jesus has no problem saying no to sin, and he's the one working inside us. As we abide in Him we have the power over sin. We can simply to refuse to obey sin now.
Hallelujah. It is great to have the victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. There is no bondage we can't over come in Christ. When sin knocks at your door, you can refuse to let it have its way because you have Christ in you the Hope of Glory helping you say no.
Have a blessed week.
Bishop Darrell Ellis
Here's how:
I. Choose to walk in the Spirit.
Walking in the Spirit is a choice. The Lord is more than willing to accommodate us and help us if we are willing to try. The Word of God says in Galatians 5:16 "Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."
The Greek word for walk in this verse is peripetao and it means to live, deport oneself, follow as a companion, be occupied with, or walk about. When we get up every morning we make a choice about what we will walk in or be a companion to or in other words, be occupied with. Our day must start with a fresh focus on the Lord and a fresh decision to walk with Him. From the time I got saved I started walking in the Spirit. You don't have to be a seasoned saint to be a spiritual believer. All you have to do is stay Heaven focused. The Word of God says, to set your mind on things above ( Col.3:2). For 33 years now, I have been a strong advocate of early morning Prayer. Early morning Prayer helps us get Christ centered and stay Christ centered throughout the day. Then I pray throughout the day. I worship. I listen to sermons. I listen to the Word of God on CD. I keep bringing myself back to the "things above." Doctors and Dieticians all agree that eating a good breakfast is the best way to start your day. But none of us just eat one meal a day. We want lunch and dinner. We like snacks sometimes. So also we should eat of the Lord's Word often. Naturally speaking, that is true also. Start your day with the Word of God and a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit and keep feeding on Him throughout the day and you'll be able to stand against all the wiles of the devil.
Colossians 3:1-5 tells us how we can walk in the Spirit.
1. Know that you were raised with Christ.
"If you then were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God."
Romans 6:11 says, "Likewise you also, recon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
We need to remember that we're a new creation. When we start to get depressed about something we need to remind ourselves, that we were raised with Christ. When temptation comes we need to say, "I am a new creation and that has no hold on me I've been raised with Christ." When fear tries to torment us, we can say, "God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.
The more we worship the Lord and seek the Lord and live in His divine presence, the more we have revelation of our position with Him. In our spirit we are already seated together with Him in heavenly places in Christ. "And raised us up ogether and, made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:6)." When we feel stressed, or discouraged, or overwhelmed, we need to have a little "sit down with Jesus". The Native Americans had pow wow's. Businessmen have conferences. Believers need to have a time of sitting down on the Lord's lap spiritually and telling Him all about our situation. A little communion with the problem solver of the universe will make us feel 100% better.
2. Refuse to let sin reign in your mortal body.
Our society runs ads telling our teens to "just say no to drugs." But without the power of God they have little ability to do that. When the peer pressure rises and the enemy bombards their minds with fears of rejection, it is so easy for them to give in. The only way they can be sure to resist that kind of pressure is to have Jesus in their hearts and their minds renewed with the Word of God. Fortunately God doesn't ask us to resist temptation without the power to do it. He shows the "exceeding riches of His grace" (Eph.2:7), by changing our heart and desires so that we easily say no to the sin that used to ensnare us.
Our refusal to let sin reign in our mortal bodies is born out of the ability that He alone can give.
As we truly consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ, the life giving power of Jesus Christ, gives us the ability to say no to sin. It is actually Christ in us that is saying no. Jesus has no problem saying no to sin, and he's the one working inside us. As we abide in Him we have the power over sin. We can simply to refuse to obey sin now.
Hallelujah. It is great to have the victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. There is no bondage we can't over come in Christ. When sin knocks at your door, you can refuse to let it have its way because you have Christ in you the Hope of Glory helping you say no.
Have a blessed week.
Bishop Darrell Ellis
