“For if a man is in Christ he becomes a new person altogether—the past is finished and gone, everything has become fresh and new.”
(2 Corinthians 5:17, Phillips)
DECLARE YOUR FREEDOM IN CHRIST!
Right now, please stop reading this post and say out loud, “I am a new person in Christ! My past is finished and gone!”
Then, say it over and over, and over, today and tomorrow, and the day after that. Say it because it’s true, even if you don’t feel like it! Say it even if you make a mistake. Say it some more, and some more, and some more!
Jesus was our Substitute. He acted in our place, so we were credited with what He did. He became exactly what we were in spirit, so that God viewed Him as being us and treated Him as us.
In reality, Jesus actually became our sin. He absorbed our old sin-nature into Himself on the cross.
The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:21:
“For God took the sinless Christ and poured into Him, our sins…” (Living Bible)
“Think of it: Christ, the sinless, was made the personification of sin for us…” (Woods)
Your sin-nature died WITH Him on the cross. It was buried WITH Him in the tomb. Let it stay there, never to be revived, never to be active in your life again.
Jesus’ victory over sin, sickness, shame, and satan was complete. Sin and death have been dethroned. Jesus conquered them once for all. His victory is our victory!
THE DEVIL PROMPTS AND WE PARROT
But the devil is a cunning foe. He’s a deceiver, and he doesn’t give up easily. He knows that he doesn’t have the power to resurrect your old sin-nature. So he tricks you into re-animating it by what you think, believe, and say. He’ll have you dragging that old corpse around with you everywhere you go until you’re completely worn out.
(* Anybody remember the comedy movie Weekend at Bernie’s ?)
Let me help you see it in a different light. Have you ever had your past slither out of the shadows, and attempt to sneak back into your mind to haunt you? If so, don’t feel bad. He tries that tactic on all of us.
The “Lyingest Liar” will try to convince you that your past faults and failures will be with you forever. He’ll say, “Repeat after me”, and then have you parroting all kinds of negative things about yourself.
At his prompting you’ll say, “I can’t help it. Worry (or anger, or jealousy, or fear) is just something I’ve always struggled with. It’s just who I am, and who I’ll always be. Thank God I’m forgiven, because I’m sure not perfect.”
He’ll try to convince you that your “old man” survived the crucifixion… that confusion is still there, that your sense of inferiority is still there, that depression is still there, that sickness is still there, that sin is still there, that failure is still there, and that all those things that tormented and vexed you in the past are still there.
He’ll dispatch all the “zombies” of your past to convince that you nothing has changed, that the temptation is stronger than your ability to overcome it, and that there’s no hope, freedom, or victory for you.
But here’s the truth the enemy doesn’t want you to know: The devil CANNOT win if you don’t let him. He CANNOT continue to “lord it over you”, unless you give place to him, and allow it.
THE SIN-NATURE’S “NON-RESURRECTION”
I discovered the verse below for the first time a few weeks ago. It has helped me immensely, and I pray it will help, encourage and strengthen you too!
¹² “Lord, you will ordain peace (God’s favor and blessings, both temporal and spiritual) for us, for you have also wrought in us and for us all our works. ¹³ O Lord, our God, other masters besides you have ruled over us, but we will acknowledge and mention your name only. ¹⁴ They [the former tyrant masters] are dead, they shall not live and reappear; they are powerless ghosts, they shall not rise and come back. Therefore, you have visited and made an end of them and caused every memory of them [every trace of their supremacy] to perish.”
(Isaiah 26:12-14 Amplified Classic Bible)
There’s a lot in the passage above:
● God ordained peace, favor, and blessings for us.
● Jesus made an end of the “former tyrant masters”. Sin and death have been defeated and are powerless to dominate and control us. Sin has been defeated. Our old, dead, sin-nature is in its grave.
● Those “powerless ghosts” are gone! Those old masters shall not rise again! They shall not be resurrected! God has made a final end to them! Every trace of their supremacy has perished, even the memories!
AN OVERWHELMING FLOOD OF VICTORY
When we take an uncompromising stand of faith against the “zombie army” of the past, Holy Spirit pulls out all the stops. He rushes to our aid, and ruthlessly overwhelms the enemy.
“But with an overwhelming flood, He will make a complete end to His enemies. He will chase His foes into oblivion… evil will not have a second chance to rise up.”
(Nahum 1:8-9, The Voice Translation)
“He wipes out His enemies, and they neverrevive.”(Nahum 1:8-9, CEV)
“But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, And darkness will pursue His enemies.” (Nahum 1:8, NKJV)
Notice these points from the verses above:
● God’s might is so overwhelming that it is likened to an unstoppable flood.
● Our old-sin nature is defeated so thoroughly that it cannot rise up again, unless we allow its comeback.
● Holy Spirit makes an end to evil’s place. He closes the gap. He eliminates and destroys the enemy’s point of access so that there can be no “second chance”, no successful counter-attack from the enemy using our past as a weapon.
While writing this, I was reminded of a verse that is often misinterpreted, about Holy Spirit’s power.
The King James Version of Isaiah 59:19 says, “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.”
This verse seems to imply that the enemy is the one coming in with the strength of a raging flood. But there were no punctuation marks in the Old Testament Hebrew text, so punctuation marks were used solely at the discretion of the translators.
If we relocate our comma, the verse reads very differently.
“When the enemy shall come in, like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.”
Most modern translations reflect this more accurate reading. Praise God! The Lord of Hosts, strong and mighty in battle, is never on the defensive. He is the aggressor. Like a raging flood He come in and raise up, over us, the banner of His victory. He will chase His foes into oblivion!
● The devil’s defeat is irreversible. He cannot revive his empire. His fate is sealed. His end is sure. His doom is certain.
● Sin and death have been dethroned. There is no second chance for evil to dominate and control us if we simply enforce Jesus’ victory.
● God will turn the tables on the enemy. Instead of the powers of darkness chasing us, we will chase them, and wipe them out!
● Not only will God stop the devil’s attacks in our lives, but He will destroy the enemy’s place of access, the opening where the enemy broke through, so he can never come that way again. He will aud us in “burning those bridges” behind us!
● Do you remember what happened to Pharoah and his army as they attempted to come through the sea in pursuit of Israel? They were drowned by an overwhelming flood! Our enemies are defeated by the flood of Jesus’ blood! (Zechariah 13:1)
Let’s wrap it up with this verse:
“Sin can’t tell you how to live. After all, you’re not living under that old tyranny any longer. You’re living in the freedom of God.”
(Romans 6:14, The Message)
Let’s say it out loud:
Hallelujah! I am forgiven! And not only that… I’m free from the tyranny of sin and death! I’m never going back again!
Sin, you’re dead to me! Past, you can’t follow me! That space behind me is reserved. Only goodness and mercy shall follow me, all the days of my life!
Everything in my life is made new and I am filled with all of God’s fullness! Forever!
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My wife, Grace, and I are very proud to be in partnership with Student Life Organization, Inc. We believe in the great work they are doing in Cebu City, and throughout the central part of the Philippines.
SLOI provides educational opportunities to
many physically disabled and financially disadvantaged children, helping them reach their God-given potential.
Your generous giving will help Founders Anne Ruiz, Ian Rustia and their team, as they faithfully declare and demonstrate God’s love to these children and their families.
“I mention this not because I’m requesting a gift, but so that the fruit of your generosity may bring you an abundant reward.”
(Philippians 4:17, TPT)
Would you please give today? If so, please use this link: paypal.me/anaferuiz
Thank you! We pray that you will experience God’s richest blessings as you give freely and cheerfully in Jesus’ name!
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