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. [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. [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.
ROMANS 8:5-9 KJV
Throughout scriptures, we see a recurring theme of a battle between the two from the same source, one being righteous and the other a rival. In the beginning, in the midst of the garden of the Lord, there was the tree of knowledge of good and evil and there was also the tree of life. From Adam came Abel, but there was also Cain. Cain persecuted Abel, Genesis 4. There was Isaac and Ishmael, the seed of promise and the seed of the bond woman, Ishmael persecuted Isaac and his children still do till this day, Genesis 21:10. From Isaac came Jacob and Esau and through out the history of these two, we see the persecution of Jacob by Esau and all of his Children, the amalekites, etc. We also see Saul and David, both anointed King, but one rejected by God and another a King in God’s eyes, 1 Samuel 16:1. There is Jerusalem above which is who we are and the Jerusalem beneath, Galatians 4:22-31. All these typify the warfare that the righteous go through. Esau’s name was changed to Edom, which means Earthy and Jacob was changed to Israel, who is a prince with God.
In essence, right from the beginning, the righteous has been faced with a war to obtain the promise of God and this war has been with an immediate rival. For us, the war is between our old nature and our new nature. The two hate each other as Romans 8 says. Ever wonder why you could watch a show till midnight, but sleep the moment you pick up a bible? Paul ranted about this internal battle in Romans 7, saying “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. [19] For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” – Romans 7:18-19 KJV. We have a promise to receive the Kingdom of God. Yet, flesh and blood cannot inherit this Kingdom, 1 Corinthians 15:50.
How then do we win this battle? Why the flesh has been destroyed by the death of Christ, we are in this world, ruled by the same one who dwelt in the flesh, Sin. The bible says that the physical things show the clearly the things of the Spirit, Romans 1:20, and so we will pick up an illustration for ease of understanding. We can liken the law of sin and death to physical gravity. We said yesterday, that the man in Christ is a like a satellite ship designed to dwell in outer space, outside the realm of gravity. The bible says the righteous will shine like the Sun, Matthew 13:43, this is our destination, to be as the Sun of righteousness, giving life and light to the earth. However, there are layers that a physical rocket ship must go through to get to the sun.
It begins from the earth or ground, which is where gravity pulls all objects towards. There is the troposphere, where airplanes and birds fly, right before the Ozone layer. Then there is the Stratosphere then the Mesosphere where the Karma layer begins ‘Outer space’. Prior to the karma layer, the heat of the sun is not really felt and it can be as cold as -86.5C. Next there is Thermosphere. Here there is a drastic switch in temperature and this satellite begins to experience the sun, getting as hot as 1200C. This also begins the ionosphere which also contains the Exosphere where most space ships float. Finally the Magnetosphere, where the Sun is.
The point of this was not to give a geography crash course. With each layer this satellite gets to, the pull of gravity is less and less intense, up until the exosphere, where gravity disappears. For a rocket to bypass gravity, it needs what is called Escape velocity. As it goes higher, the velocity remains until it gets outside the reach of gravity, where it can float freely in space. We can liken escape to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. It is a different law that that of sin and death, which confines man to the earth. This law is from the Spirit of life in the Word of God. The bible says the word of God can convert the soul, Psalm 19:6. Paul also says when we renew our minds by the Word of God, we are transfigured, Romans 12:1, 2 Corinthians 3:18. What it does is remove condemnation and guilt, while giving you a right standing with God that allows you to approach God without fear or guilt. There is a reason Satan is called the accuser of the brethren in Revelations 12:10-12. His accusation pulls people away from God towards the earth. This was how he destroyed Judas Iscariot and many others. This is also the biggest force we are to overcome. A person who has been told a million times that he would never be righteous, begins to believe it and will never be righteous.
However, beloved, you can be and are already righteous. There is no condemnation for you, who lives in Christ Jesus, walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit, Romans 8:1. You are not in the flesh! (Romans 8:9) Paul says, Know ye not that your old man was crucified, Romans 6:3-6. Jesus said “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”, John 16:33. All you need to advance in the heavens has been given to you, 2 Peter 1:2-3. As a wise saint once said ‘read your bible and pray everyday if you want to grow’. The point of this message is you need to understand and know that you are not in the flesh. You also need to know there will be resistance to obtain the promise of being like Christ, but you need to decide not to give up. You most likely will not immediately feel the impact of your bible study or prayer, just like the rocket ship aiming to get to the sun. At first, it’s cold and one may think, with all the resistance, it may not even be approaching the sun. Yet as you go deeper, you will find out that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek. Mount on eagles wings as you wait on the Lord, beloved and soar in the Spirit.
Prayer for today: Father, I thank you because in you is all I need for life and godliness. I also thank you because you have given unto me the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. I have the mind of Christ! Father, teach me the art of waiting on you, that I may always have the wings of an eagle to soar high in the Spirit. Help me to be a diligent seeker of God, in prayer and by studying the Word of God. I know you reward those that seek you. It is my destiny to shine like My Father in heaven, the Sun of Righteousness in Jesus name Amen.
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