From - Sunday, 31 May 2009
Enjoy
Romans 8 5-11
Today I want to talk about life in the spirit. We are called to live in two realities, in our physical realm, and also in the spirit realm. This is meant to be a constant simultaneous state of being, constantly in the world but also constantly in the spirit.
In Romans 8 it discusses this… Romans 8 : 5-11
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you
Romans 6:5-7 + 10-11
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin
For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
This concept of death is a big feature of Romans. It likens the act of being saved as to death and rebirth. Even Jesus spoke about this in John 3: 5-6
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
What is Jesus trying to say here?? Not that we should literally kill ourselves so we can be resurrected, but rather that we have a complete paradigm shift. A total change in mindsets and thought patterns. So our mind is no longer set on temporary earthly things but rather on set on Christ.
Romans 12:2:
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
What we think about becomes what we do, and what we do becomes who we are, this is why our thought life is so important. To take every thought captive. This is why in Paul urges the church in Philippi
“whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report’; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
So how do we take every thought captive?? How do we stop little temptations coming in and taking over our mind? How do we be transformed so we can walk in the spirit?
As soon as we are saved the spirit of God comes and lives in us. The act of baptism is literally our old flesh nature being killed and our new spirit man rising in new life. But how do we walk in this new spirit nature?
Romans 8:8 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace
Its all about renewing our minds. Paul gives some clear instructions on how to do this in 1st Thessalonians 5: 16-18
1-Rejoice evermore.
2-Pray without ceasing.
3-In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
So basically, we should always be thanking God for what hes done, rejocing and praying always. To put it in secular terms its basically just thinking positively. Not allowing your circumstances to dictate your attitude.
I know it’s a lot easier said then done.. but when you grab hold of the revalation, that throught the work of the cross we are now sons and heirs with God, and u receive daily the joy of your salvation, it is so easy to be greatful in ALL things.
Romans 8:8 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace
I pray that we would all set our minds on what is eternal, and that we would be transformed dailly through the renewing of our minds more and more into the likeness of Christ.
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