THURSDAY July 23, 2020

Serve God in Newness of Spirit

For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
Romans 7:5-6

Paul explained when our sinful passions are aroused, the fruit of those passions is death. The Law condemns us. Think about it. It is as if a married person lusted after another woman––it is not good. The lust for her will ultimately lead to death. It is not lawful. God condemns adultery!

In the same way, the old man––the person we were before coming to Christ––needs to die so that we can live a new life in the Spirit. Christians experience a new birth; they are born again. Paul lets us know that it is a true regeneration, and it changes a person’s heart, attitudes and life. They now serve God in a newness of Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the sensor to tell us when we have done something wrong. Christians cannot get away with sin. We will get caught! It is really important for us to understand the battle we have against our flesh. The flesh is our enemy (Romans 7:21-25); it seeks places that are weak. If you decide to yield to your flesh, those actions will come back to haunt you. Remember, you are in a spiritual battle, and you need the power of the Holy Spirit to live the Christian life victoriously.

Satan works on people’s lives; He comes after their minds to bring them down to his level. People can get deceived. He desires to disqualify people in ministry and to destroy anything people would do for Christ.

I firmly believe that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and self-seeking and everything that is contrary to God's law, the Holy Ghost will come and fill every corner of our hearts; but if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and self-seeking and pleasure and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God; and I believe many a man is praying to God to fill him when he is full already with something else.
~D.L. Moody~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!