CONQUERING THE DEFEATED ATTITUDE
As I host &Spirit Filled chat room, one of the most common statements I hear people say is "I'm not living for Christ as I should". What these people are saying is I can't live the "Christian life" and overcome sin, so I have basically given up. These people are born again - even spirit filled, but have problems with drugs, alcohol, sex, worry, fear, anger, depression etc.. If you are experiencing similar problems, thoughts or feelings, read on I have good news for you - God is on your side with victory and deliverance!
One of the biggest frustrations for Christians is the inability to change and stay free of sin. Although when first born again there is often immediate change, it seems to wear off and soon and we are back to our old behavior and thinking. This makes many believers question the reality of their salvation or relationship with God. They feel guilty and condemned that they can't measure up to God's standards so they give up on themselves and God. However, falling back into sin can never be the means by which we determine the legitimacy of our salvation experience. One usually stays bound by sin due to ignorance of the word or unbelief about the grace of God. Ephesians 2:8,9 says "For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works least any man should boast." and Romans 6:14 says "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law but under grace." Therefore the issue that determines whether we live in victory or defeat is our understanding of God's grace vs. our works. ( Grace means God's ability working in us and through us by his unmerited favor to accomplish what we can't). The great change of salvation came to our lives by simply believing God's word about God's grace (see Eph 2:8,9 above). We could offer nothing of ourselves for it. If we would just continue in that simple faith we would experience victory in our lives. "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:" Colossians 2:6; and Galatians 3:3 "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh?" We know that it was not our works that saved us and it is not our works that will keep us saved. We are not saved by grace then brought into righteousness by our works. Get 2 Corinthians 5:21 deep into your hearts, it is a huge key for living free from sin. It says, "For he (the Father) has made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin: that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (Jesus)." Romans 6:3-7 says it this way, "Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin". What Paul is saying is that if we are "in Christ" than we died when he died on the cross, and a dead person can no longer commit sin. We cannot bring about change by our own efforts. Unless we learn to receive God's grace to change, our lives will be full of ups-and-downs, frustration and deceit. For many, the hunger for transformation turns into a lifelong struggle with the flesh that leads to a "works mentality". While these people may lead moral lives, there is still little inward victory. Their thoughts and behaviors still rage out of control within them. They often go from conference to conference seeking the "new anointed secret formula" that will set them free. God has a better way than "biting the bullet". Real victory goes far beyond behavior and performance. Real victory is not refraining from sin yet jealously wishing you could - judgmentally thinking you're better than those who don't have your "will power". Real victory is refraining from sin with a deep sense of joy, peace, gratification and thankfulness with compassion for those who are still bound by sin. When we came to Jesus "he" changed us and gave us a new heart and a new spirit. Ezekiel 36:26a says "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you:" 2 Corinthians 5:17 says "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold all things are become new". What part of us is a "new creature"? Our spirit is what has become new. At this point I must go on a side note - stick with me :)
(Man is tripartite - 3 parts; Body, soul and spirit. The Spirit is the real us. It is the part of us that is eternal, contacts God and has God's nature. Our soul is composed of our intellect and emotions. Our Body is what our spirit uses to interact in the physical realm. Think of yourself like this: I am a spirit, I have a soul and I live in a body. When you are born again your body doesn't change, it's still tall or short, fat or thin etc. Your soul doesn't change, it is still same intellectually and emotionally. However, the soul can be changed by God's word. But our spirit is changed into a "new creature". It now has God's nature and can fellowship with God. "And if Christ be in you,...the spirit is life because of righteousness" Romans 8:10; and "The Spirit itself [Himself] beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" Romans 8:16. It was not only made new it was made perfect - the "righteousness of God". (see 2 Corinthians 5:21 above) In the same way, when Jesus arose from the dead to newness of life, even so we are raised in newness of life too. Since we are resurrected in Christ too, our spirit man cannot sin. that is why 1 John 3:9 says "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." 1 John 4:17 says "...As he is, so are we in this world". Jesus cannot sin, therefore our spirit cannot sin. Our spirit never sins; it is always full of power, peace, and joy.
So it's not that we need to become righteous; the need is for us to get that which is in our spirit to become a reality in our life! This is accomplished through the new heart God gives us along with the new spirit. The heart is different from the spirit. The heart is where our Spirit and soul comes together as our "life in God", i.e. reveals what we believe we are in God, AND what we believe God is in us. "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life: Proverbs 4:23. Psalms 86:11 says "Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: UNITE MY HEART to fear [reverence] thy name". (Compare Ps. 86:11 with Jn 14:6 where Jesus says he is the way , truth and the life - Jesus unites our heart [life] in his way [God's love] and his truth [God's word] ). Our heart is made new because in Ezekiel 36:26b it says "and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh." A stony heart is a cold hard heart, unaffected and uncaring of God's word. A heart of flesh is pliable and can be changed by God's word. If we live only by our feelings and intellect - the soul - our heart will become carnal and subject to sin. If we allow God's word to permeate our thinking and experiences, our heart (soul) will take on God's nature. While our spirit man is changed by God, our heart is changed by our thinking. What we think and expose ourselves to, effects and influences our heart. Romans 12:2 says "And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God." Our heart can only be transformed by the renewing of our mind. When our mind is renewed it will not conform to the world (i.e. sin nature) but will conform to God. Romans 8:29 says "For whom he did foreknow , he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son..." The way we renew our minds is by changing the way we think - our imaginations. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says " Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ". It's not enough to just say "I shouldn't think about that (sin). We have to bring those thoughts obedient to Christ. That means exchanging them for God's word. Jesus said in John 6:63b "The words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life"; "Death and Life are in the power of the tongue" Proverbs 18:21. You will live or die by the words and thoughts you receive, accept and exalt over your life as well as the words you speak over your life. Because we have free will, it is our responsibility to choose what we will think and speak. You are controlling this part of your life, no one else is, not even God. Romans 6:16 says "know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness". God has given you authority over your own life to obey God's word or not to obey God's word; so praying "Oh God take these thoughts away from me - take these desires away from me" is a prayer that God cannot answer because he won't go against his own word. Now many Christians think they have to use their ability - their "will power" to over come sin. But note God says "yield". Romans 6:13,14 explains why "... yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace". Our flesh is a different matter, which is why we have to yield (through the use of our soul) to what God's word says about us and allow the spirit to dominate our life (soul). Praise God our true self is not flesh or soul - our true self is spirit. But we can't even control our thoughts by our own ability, so God has given us a helper - the Holy Spirit. John 14:26 says "But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you". This is the work of the Holy Spirit - to bring to remembrance the words of Jesus. If we will confess our own inability to renew our minds, and ask for God's grace (ability) to renew our minds through the power of the Holy Ghost, we will find God bringing to remembrance his truth - the word - to us when we need it. The only way I know to make sure the Holy Ghost brings the word of God to your remembrance is through meditating on the word - (but that's another teaching). The grace of God will only work in us by reading, studying and most importantly meditating on the word. By a heart knowledge that He has already done the work (on the cross), we are drawn into a close, loving, appreciative dependency on Him. Because we are dependent on Him, we freely give Him all the praise and glory. Our thoughts, attitudes and actions revolve around Him. We use God's grace and righteousness to live holy lives free from sin. If we really understand this, it will not be used as an excuse to live in sin, and be bound by it. If we really understand this, our desire to sin will leave without effort. We enter into God's "rest".
Our inability to change can be masked by self-righteousness, a judgmental attitude, suppression, depression, anger, self-justification, comparisons, criticism, legalism, and projection to name just a few of the many carnal forms of dealing with the problem. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". If your Christian walk to over come sin has been one of labor and heaviness, it is time to come to Jesus. You need to come to Him and learn of Him so you can find rest. Maybe you have met Jesus, but now it is time to LEARN OF HIM. The children of Israel were a "type" or example to us. We can learn from their mistakes. They refused to enter into rest. They refused to trust God and allow Him to give them the Promised Land. They looked at the obstacles. They saw the giants and said "We can't do this". God knew they could not do it. He did not expect them to do it in their strength. He said he would drive out the enemy. But they didn't trust Him. Hebrews 3:19 says "So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief." They died in the wilderness of fear, frustration and intimidation because they did not enter into rest. They refused to believe God's word. Likewise, if we refuse to believe God's word, we won't enter into rest (grace), we will die in our emotional wilderness. "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said... For he that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." Hebrews 4:1,3, 10-11. If you will humble yourself (to be humble means to put God's word above your own opinions, experiences and ideas) and learn of Jesus, you will find rest. For as He says "...My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:30. If your yoke is not easy and your burden is not light, you have not really yoked up with Jesus. You have not learned of Him. You do not really know Him. As you get to know Him through a life of fellowship, prayer and the word, you will enjoy the transformation and renewing that you so desire. Instead of striving and trying with all your might to change, it will be a very natural process. Romans 12:2 says "...be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind (which affects your heart) that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." You can change. You can live a holy life, and it is easier and more enjoyable than you ever imagined. The power to change is already inside of you. Unbelief causes us to use our own abilities. Our own abilities is what the bible calls "the flesh" as opposed to "the spirit". Galatians 3:3 says "...having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh?" As shown here, Paul is rebuking the Galatians (Christians) who have gotten back under the law, using works (their own abilities) to make themselves right with God. Now remember, we are the "righteousness of God" (2 Cor 5:21) and our spirit man is perfect (Heb. 12:23, 10:14, 7:19). God does not intend for you to be inwardly perfect but stay the same old way outwardly. Neither does he expect you to change by your own power. Only "in Christ" can we be transformed. That which is perfect on the inside, can change the outside.
When Jesus was a man on Earth he was "full of grace and truth". John 1:14. Jesus was abounding in grace (God's ability)and truth. Jesus could only walk in God's truth as a man by receiving God's ability (grace). All that Jesus did, he did it by God's grace (ability) that worked in him. John 1:16 goes on to say, "And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace." We are able to receive of that "fullness of grace" (ability) that was at work in Jesus. It is that grace which makes the New Covenant life possible. Apart from grace, God's ability, we would still be striving in our own strength under the law. Man tried to live by the law, but failed. He failed because of his flesh (ability). Heb. 4:16 says "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need". Now Jesus was full of both grace and truth. IN John 17:17 Jesus prays for us, his disciples, and says to the Father "sanctify them by thy truth; thy word is truth". To sanctify means to set apart for a holy use. Jesus is saying that the only way we will be sanctified to live holy lives is through the word of God. When Jesus came, he not only taught us truth, but also gave us the ability to live that truth. This is what sets the two covenants apart. The first was dependent on man; the second is dependent on God. The second brings glory to God because of His accomplishments in Jesus, and through Jesus to us. One of the greatest frustrations of full-gospel believers is knowing all the teachings and promises of Jesus, but which they cannot get to work. Knowledge only brings fulfillment when we can put it into practice. Knowledge that cannot be put into practice will ultimately cause a denial of the truth and cause man to use his own abilities thoughts and opinions. Thus, it is essential to get the grace to walk in what we know. What we want to know is God's word - the truth.
So to live free of sin you must:
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