Mood: sharp
Now Playing: Umma23
Topic: Galations 5:24, 25
S.
Galations 5:24,25 (NKJ) And those who are Christs have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
O.
Paul is teaching the Galations what the evidences are of Christ in their lives. He teaches that those who belong to Jesus hold an inner change that overflows to the outside, being that His Spirit is so huge it has to overflow onto the outside of their lives. If the very Essence/Spirit of Jesus lives within them, than all human desires and emotions are impaled or staked on their personal cross; the 'animal nature' (selfishness and forbidden desires) of man has to be subdued and destroyed in a 'case to case'or personal basis. These changes come from the desire to be like Jesus and not by working to be like Jesus (trying to do it by themselves). These changes are a spiritual revolution and renovation that come from the inner desire to change and to please God; an inner desire to be like Jesus!
A.
I can picture my 'selfishness' impaled by a stake. It struggles and wiggles, trying to get free but it has to be subdued and destroyed. This is the way to stand beside Jesus. His desires and His plans have to be first in my life. His Spirit inside of me has to reign. My will has to submit to His; total surrender. This causes my spirit to become fully alive, the way God created it to be in the first place. The 'Jesus-shaped-hole' that was created in my spirit for just God can now be filled up. I become totally satisfied in my life. God gets ALL of me.
And it's all from driving a stake through my selfishness; my human/animal nature.
P.
Show me, Lord, how to drive the stake deeper into my selfishness. Create in me a new heart, Lord, that renovates me totally for Your use! I desire YOUR change in my spirit!