Living in the Spirit - Part II (A New Creature)

Pastor J. R. Wilhite, author   Close Window

Romans 8

1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Remember "Christ" is a Greek word for "Anointing", "The Anointed One", in other words - Jesus.

What is anointing?

Anointing is to be soaked in, on, and through with something, like a sponge in water.

What is the anointed one soaked in?

Luke 4 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

So Jesus is anointed or soaked through, on, in, and with the Spirit of God. To be of Christ is to also be soaked (anointed) by the Spirit of God in, on, and throughout.

You can be saved by the blood of Jesus and have received the Spirit in you, and spend your whole life never "of Christ". This is why so many back slide. To be of Christ is to be of a personal relationship with God, talking and listening to God and hearing Him.

Romans 8 2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

What is the law of sin and death?

It is all that God pointed out to Israel in the wilderness in Exodus. All that would cut man off from God is sin, and sin leads directly to death and Hell.

Example:

Lie, uncontrolled anger, violence, envy, strife, drunkenness, sexual perversions, offense, and jealousy are just a few.

What is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus?

The result of course is eternal life, but the law would be anything that goes against sin. It would be love as God loves, not as man does.

Romans 8 3. 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:

4. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5. 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.

6. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

2 Corinthians 10 5. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Romans 1 21. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

So to cast down all thoughts that are opposed to God would be one step in following after the Spirit.

Romans 8 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Hebrews 11 6. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

To truly please God is to seek Him and know He is. That takes faith.

Matthew 6 33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Romans 10 17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

John 1 14. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Romans 8 9. 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.

10. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11. 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.

12. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13. 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.

14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15. 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.

"Abba" means "Daddy".

How do we know we are saved?

Romans 8: 16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

20. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

21. Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

22. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

23. 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.

24. 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?

25. But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. 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.

We are never totally sure what or how to pray. Example, you need finances for debt, but you still spend like there is no tomorrow. So first you need to learn to be more careful and plan better with what you have. Example you need healing and ask for healing of cancer in the lungs, instead you should have asked just for healing of cancer because by then it may be elsewhere as well. Example, you pray for a friend and believe it is for their best, when it is you who needs the prayer.

Matthew 7 1. Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4. Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5. Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Romans 8 29. For whom he did fore know, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

He (God) fore knew us all, so we were all predestined.

Romans 8 30. 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.

He calls us all, but not all respond. Some will reject.

Matthew 7 13. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

The narrow road is not narrow due to a lack of people and neither is the wide road wide due to many people. The narrow is narrow due to the fact that the narrow path has a more stringent set of ways to live. It is basically like a fenced road that cannot be driven or easily walked off of without a conscience effort. While the wide road is wide due to the many ways to fall in this path. It is wild and unkempt. Its boundaries are indistinct and you can actually lose the path as it fades into its surroundings.

Romans 8 31. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

32. 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?

33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

34. 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.

God has always sought one to intercede on our behalf from the beginning until Jesus came; now Jesus does it for us.

Romans 8 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36. As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39. 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.

1 Peter 5 6. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7. Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Malachi 3 9. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

I Peter 5 12. Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

13. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

14. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Galatians 5 13. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

14. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

15. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

16. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

18. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

My prayer for you is:

3 John 12. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Remember to show faith when you pray, then praise and give thanks.

God Bless You as you hear His words and follow His leading.

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