Walking By the Spirit

September 8, 2015

Devotions:

        “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”

‭Romans‬ ‭13:11-14‬ ‭NASB‬‬

        “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”  ‭Philippians‬ ‭2:3-4‬ ‭NASB‬‬

        Paul talks about how our salvation is complete in Jesus in the first part of his letters. But we must then also believe and accept our salvation.  So awaken from sleep or stupor that has been induced by the lies of the world. We are to shake ourselves that, Yes, we really are the righteousness of God in Christ and Yes! we have been redeemed and forgiven of all our sins so sin no longer has any power over us because we are under grace and not law.  Walking in sin is not profitable to us though many times we do not see the devastating results until time has past.  If we participate in the deeds of darkness it opens the door for the enemy to come in and wreck havoc in our lives.  

        Paul here in Romans contrast the darkness of sin with the light and calls the light of God's presence, armor.  We have been equipped with weapons to destroy the works of darkness in our lives that endeavor to hold us in bondage.  The weapon is the light, that is being open and honest with God and then walking it His full redemption in Christ.  

        Paul sums it up by saying not to make any provision for the flesh in regard to its desires.  In Philippians uses says the same thing using different words.  When we are walking in the love of God we are not carousing and getting drunk, we are not engaging in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.  When we walk in love we are not walking in selfishness or vanity and not concerned with our own interest but with those around us but not to the extent of being nosey.

        The bottom line is to realize that we were recreated in the likeness and image of Jesus in our spirit, the real you.  To put on the Lord Jesus is to walk as the real you and not as someone who is swayed and shaped by the world and our circumstances.  Who we are is defined by God in His word, the picture of Jesus.  Putting on Jesus is looking to His life within us to dominate us.