Encouragement

Pitiful in the Flesh Powerful in the Spirit

by Michael Edwards 
05/31/19
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"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life." John 6:63 NAS

As followers of Christ, we have a choice to continue to walk in the old creation, the flesh, or to by faith walk in the new creation, who we are in Christ, to walk in the Spirit.

If we do nothing, by default we will walk in what we have known for our entire life before Christ, the flesh and the pitiful works of the flesh will often be visible in our life: unforgiveness, anger, bitterness, resentment, offense, jealousy, rage, self-righteousness, pride, selfishness, worry, doubt, fear, impatience, struggle, etc.

God’s way of transformation does not involve trying to force ourselves to walk in peace, patience and love as a Christian. We cannot manufacture the fruits of the Spirit by the flesh. The kind of peace, patience and love God provides is far beyond anything we know in the flesh. If we try and manufacture these attributes ourselves, we will only be walking in the fleshes counterfeit peace, patience and love, far from what God desires. This leads to a great struggle in our conflicted flesh and a heavy burden, that in the end, has no hope of success.

We have a choice. To reign in this life, God calls us to renew our minds to the truth of the new creation we are in Christ, in the Spirit where God sees us, to see our flesh as crucified and dead as God does. The only way God provides to defeat the lusts of the flesh is to leave the old creation, the dead flesh, in the grave and to walk in the Spirit, the new creation we are in Christ.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Gal 5:16 NAS

When we walk in the Spirit, the fruits of the Spirit are supernaturally produced. They powerfully overcome and overwhelm the works of the flesh, growing and displaying supernaturally without any effort of the flesh: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The kind of love the Spirit supernaturally produces is Jesus kind of love. A love we do not know in the flesh and cannot manufacture in the flesh, no matter how hard we try to fake it. The love you see in Jesus in the scriptures, loving even the unlovable, those who do us wrong and even those who crucify us. The Spirits kind of love can only be produced when we walk in the Spirit. We are called by God to walk in the Spirit, to walk in victory in this life and produce living works for our living God. When we walk in the Spirit, God’s power operates freely through us.

His Love is patient, love kind. does not envy, does not boast, is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. His Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. His Love never fails. 1 Cor 13 4-8a NAS (emphasis on His, mine)

We walk in the Spirit by renewing our mind to our identity in Christ and seeing the reflection of Jesus as our own.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Rom 12:2 NAS

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. Eph 4: 22-24 NAS

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Cor 3:18 NAS

We believe we are as God describes us in Christ. Jesus finished the work, we are greatly loved and totally forgiven. Our eternity is fixed in Christ. Our Spirit is righteous, sanctified, holy complete and perfected in Christ. God sees us in His finished work, in the Spirit, it is all a done deal for God who sees the end from the beginning. Just believe and renew your mind to the truth. All eyes off your crucified and dead flesh, the old creation. All eyes, all the time, on who you are in the Spirit, in Christ. This is how sin is defeated in our life, even deep reoccurring sin. This is how we are transformed by God into the image of Christ. It is finished, stop doubting and just believe.

More New Covenant Studies that Apply:

I Am a New Creation IN CHRIST

Why Don't I look Like a New Creation in Christ in the Mirror?

I Am Holy, I Am Sanctified, I Am Perfected

God Said a Believer Can Never be Considered Unholy

Jesus Never Called a Believer a Hypocrite

Jesus Did Not Die to See If You Can Qualify

Leave the Burden on God

I AM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST 

God WILL NOT Erase Your Name from of the Book of Life, Christian

Doubt and Unbelief are the Precursors for All Sin and Turmoil

Christians are Blessed Because God is Not Imputing our Sins

Jesus is The End of The Law for Believers

How Christians Dilute the Power of the Gospel in Their Lives

Walking by the Spirit is Gods Will for Your Life, Guaranteed

How to Walk by The Spirit

Stop the Adam Struggle by Walking in the Spirit

If Sin Has Dominion in Your Life, You are Living Under the Law, Not Grace 

Many more New Covenant Bible Studies HERE. Jesus poured out His blood for the New Covenant of grace and truth, replacing the Old Covenant law of Moses. Believers are exclusively under the New Covenant, the last will and testament of Jesus that began after the cross. 

And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. Luke 22:20