Kill the Man Inside

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

We are bound to this earth in our flesh, yet we have victory over it through our Lord Jesus Christ. Not to be bound to this earth in defeat, but to have life abundantly the our King, as Christ said in John 10:10.   Romans 8 is our key to this. (1-39)"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 The victory is the Lords and we share in it because we are the children of God. We long for the day when Christ takes us up into His arms. We long for Christ, our inner man cries out to behold Him and be with Him. Let us not lose our first love. Let us fight these battles against flesh by the Spirit, not by might nor by power. Let us remove all thoughts of self and look to Him for the victory. When our eyes are upon Him constantly, and our Coming King is the forefront and cornerstone of our lives, then we will find the courage and the words to speak life to others. To be a lighthouse that burns so violently no darkness can withstand.

 If we find ourselves under attack, there is a reason. Satan will focus on those that are a threat. He is not foolish, he is very cunning, and he can recognize those that are a powerhouse for the Lord. He also knows what our weaknesses are. We must be willing to look into the mirror and recognize those same weaknesses, find those chinks in our armor and work on mending them through the Holy Spirit. Satan is so quick to tug on our weaknesses, then when we give in he quickly accuses and our guilt can overtake us. It is a simple, yet effective way to nullify us. It is how our flames are put out.

If prayer is a weakness, and we find ourselves having difficulty, pray the word of the Lord. Pick up the Psalms and allow the very word of God to be part of your prayer life. There is a two-fold work going on when we do this. We are training ourselves in prayer, and we are learning the Scriptures. If flesh, lust, alcohol whatever of the flesh is our weakness, Search the scriptures, turn our focus off the weakness and to the Lord. The moment the thought of our temptation enters the mind stop it, put back on the helmet of salvation, and begin to praise the Lord and speak His Word. In this we will find the promise of James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Make this a proclamation. 

We have the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, so take hold of it today, and let it pervade every moment of your life this day and the coming days! 

The road to death is behind me

The road to life ahead

But so often I try to resurrect the ghosts of my past

Those laid to rest the day I was given life anew

A thin line we walk between destruction and salvation

Trying to hold on to the humanity

That drags us beneath the surface

To the depths where we are furthest from You

My flesh breeds nothing but empty promises

Moments of indulgence that cost me Your endless Joy

The mirror reflects the face of a monster

Devoured and consumed by flesh

And every time it begs for more Your Spirit calls for us to turn

Did You say something because I hear nothing

Ears are covered by hands

That seek to shed most precious blood

Of One that never sought His own

Oh my God bring forth the reaping

Sewn from the slaughter of this man

I tear at my clothes, eyes to shamed to look upon Your face

But waves of love consume me

Though my hands are still drenched in the blood of Your sacrifice.