Walk by the Spirit

As Christians we know that we are saved by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8). We can do nothing to earn salvation. Without Christ, we are hopelessly wicked and dead in our sins. When we believe in Christ, a transfer is made. Our faith is no longer in ourselves, it is in the Lord. This must be the case not only in trusting Him for salvation, but in trusting Him for sanctification. It doesn't work if we simply trust that the Lord will save us from eternal condemnation and expect to be able to do the rest ourselves. And yet this is so often what we try to do. When we struggle with a certain sin, we wake up in the morning and determine we are going to beat it today. Say the sin is acting out in anger. You say, “Okay, today I'm just not going to get angry.” Then you go to the kitchen to have breakfast and find your sister ate the last of your favorite cereal and you yell at her. Then you feel bad and you wonder why you can't just make yourself stop being angry. You've probably even prayed and asked the Lord to help you beat this sin. But it seems futile.

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.” Romans 7:18

It seems that Paul understands our dilemma. We want to do what is good but we cannot figure out how to do it. In this place, we truly recognize that nothing good dwells in our flesh. Once we recognize this, we can see that we don't have to figure out how to stop sinning. Here lies the answer to our dilemma:

Galatians 2:20- “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Did you just hear that? If you are born again, if you believe, then CHRIST LIVES IN YOU! We still have a choice to walk by the flesh or to walk by the Spirit, but if we make the choice to surrender to the Spirit of Christ that lives in us, we will not sin. It is not a matter of trying hard enough or doing the right things to please God. It is a matter of surrender. It is a matter of me choosing to make it a reality that “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”

Ephesians 4:22-24- “that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

Galatians 5:16- “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”

So, again, we have a choice. We are called to lay aside our flesh, our old self, and to put on the new self, the life of Christ in us. Walk by the Spirit, and you will not have to try really hard not to sin, you simply will not carry out the desire of the flesh, which is sin.

A New Adventure

In July, I will be leaving for India. I will be an intern for six months at a Christian children's home in Bangalore, India. This children's home houses 46 kids. In addition to simply loving these kids, I will basically be helping with whatever needs to be done: substitute house parenting, helping the kids with homework, leading devotions with the kids, etc. I feel like the Lord is leading me to spend this time in India to pray for the home, the staff, and the children, to pour into these kids, and to grow closer to Him.

I would like to ask you to partner with me in prayer. Pray that the Lord would prepare me for what He has in store. Pray that He would teach me and grow me in this time. And please pray that I would be a loving servant, willing to be poured out (and able to be poured out because I am filled with His Spirit). Also, I would like to ask you to prayerfully consider supporting me financially. Give only as you feel led by the Holy Spirit. My address in 620 Fred Ash Rd. Dahlonega, GA 30533.