Slow fade...

     As a follower of Christ, we have a new nature. He has placed His Spirit in us and set us free from the life we once lived. We, however, also still have our sin nature living within and this nature will fight to win. This old nature constantly calls out to us to do the things we once did-whether it is get drunk, be selfish, be deceitful, lie, steal, con others...live for ourselves and our pleasure instead of living for Jesus. Paul wrote about his struggles with this in Romans. "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? THANKS BE TO GOD-THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!" 7:21-25 Until the day Jesus comes, we will have this struggle.
     How do we keep from giving in to our old sinful nature? We must stay plugged in to the Power Source-that Power Source is Jesus Christ! We must fill our minds with His word so that when negative thoughts or temptations come, the Holy Spirit will bring verses to our minds to overcome! If we do not stay plugged in, we will begin to fade....and this is a slow fade...you won't even realize it's happening. You may start compromising, you may start thinking certain things are okay when they really go against God's word and the life we were called to live. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1 Friend, whatever you and I feed, that is what will grow. If you feed your spirit, it will grow. Likewise, if you feed your flesh, that is what will grow. We have the precious Holy Spirit living inside of us....if you "live by the Spirit, you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do no do what you want." Galatians 5:16-18
      Friend, we are in a battle...the battle is not only against satan and the kingdoms of darkness, but also our own sinful nature that wars against our spirit. Knowing this, we need to be careful what we watch, what music we listen to and the people we hang around. All of this goes into our minds and feeds either our flesh or our spirit. It is so much easier for you and me to do wrong than it is to do right. "Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Therefore, do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery (to corrupt morally or lead astray). Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:15-20
     Stay in fellowship with your Savior Jesus, the One who rescued you from a life of bondage and cleansed you from all of your sins. He came to give us new life. He has placed His Holy Spirit in you as His child.His Spirit is in us to help us. "And I will ask the Father and He will give you another counselor to be with you forever-the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him because it neither sees Him or knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives in you and will be in you." John  14:16-17 Stay in God's word...make it a priority in your life. Be blessed!

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