Putting the Flesh to Death is Joy Unspeakable
Listen to the Holy Ghost, “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit (man’s spirit) is life because of righteousness.” (Romans 8:10)
Your body, when it is in charge of your life, is nothing but a heavy burden. But the opposite is true when your spirit has been invigorated by Christ and the Holy Ghost. Your spirit by the Holy Ghost is then the master in your life and you will have “joy unspeakable and full of glory.” This is the real life of the Bible believer that has been born again and set free from the adamic nature.
That old man called the adamic nature is still right in your body and flesh, but he is defeated and powerless. Of course he will badger you for the resurrection of that old nature, but he is powerless unless you give him the right of way. This is why the Bible says, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13:14) Apostle Paul spoke of this in his letter to the Thessalonian believers. Read this carefully.
The Holy Ghost says, “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” (I Thessalonians 5:15-24) This is the sanctified life.
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The grace of God is powerful and full of Holy Ghost life and any individual that will surrender to Jesus Christ will be filled with great joy. The majority of professing believers in today’s church have nothing but a mental accent to the faith. They have been told to simply claim Jesus Christ and trust that they are saved and to expect no more. These people have religion but no spiritual life. Often these are wonderful people but have never had a life changing encounter with the Lord of Life. It’s all an empty profession and they will be lost in the end.
Let’s go to the letter of Apostle Paul to the Corinthians. As he does in almost every letter, he declares what it means to truly be saved from the world and empty living. “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (II Corinthians 5:15-17) This is a powerful description of the new life.
He plainly said in verse sixteen that we no longer know Jesus after the flesh. What did he mean? Plainly he is saying that a mental knowledge of Jesus is not enough. We must be “Born Again.” This experience is bigger and better and even more wonderful because it is a spiritual breakthrough. It is not flesh to flesh but the spirit of man to the Divine Spirit of God. We are “Born Again” into a transformed life. As Paul the Apostle said, we are “new creatures in Christ.” This is a breathtaking truth. When Jesus is absolutely Lord of your life you will have joy unspeakable.
It is important for everyone to know that our flesh is our pain and we carry the burden of that flesh as long as it is in control. “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:8) That statement from the Holy Ghost should send every reader to their knees in prayer. Your flesh is helpless in its own strength. Listen as the Spirit amplifies this fact. “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 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.” (Romans 8:12-13) When we read these truths we know why Jesus said, “Ye must be born again.” (St. John 3:7b) That which is born of the flesh is nothing but flesh. The church altars have become a place for religious talk but no longer the mourners’ bench. When sinners pray until they receive new life they are powerful believers. Where there are no tears and no repentance, there are no “new creatures.” Again Jesus said, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
(St. John 3: 5b-6)
The glory of it all is what happens when the breath or spirit from God is renewed and redeemed and man becomes the “living creature” that God has ordained. The Spirit said, “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.” (Romans 8:11) This quickening is the supernatural work of the Holy Ghost. This new person in Christ will become a happy reflection of Christ Himself.
It is extremely important to know that this transformed saint must learn to feed this spirit that has been reborn in him. There are three truths that the Lord teaches us for maintaining the joy of salvation. First, we feed on the Bible. The Bible is our bread of life and the spirit in us rejoices when this food is received. The Bible is supernatural substance straight from the Father.
Second, the spirit in man is invigorated every time we talk to God in earnest prayer. Prayer builds up the believer, especially when we pray in the Holy Ghost. Jude told us that very truth when he stated, “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.” (Jude 20) Holy Ghost anointed praying is powerful.
Third, the saint of God must be bound with a covenant to the House of God. The House of God is where the spiritual Zion meets to have fellowship with its head, Jesus Christ. To ignore the House of God and regular worship is to deplete the spiritual man. Worship is a powerful experience. The Lord is ready for fellowship with every one of His saints. The scripture states, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” (Psalm 22:3)
When our flesh is crucified and we live in the Life of Christ, this way of faith becomes the most beautiful life on this earth. At this point wealth becomes a gift to bestow instead of a pleasure to indulge. Everything of life belongs to Him and living in faith is our delight. Apostle Peter concludes it all by saying, “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” (I Peter 1:8)
The capstone of this truth is the words of Paul the Apostle, or better still, the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) It is a marvelous life worth all the experiences of repentance and times of waiting in prayer to be able to say, “I am crucified with Christ.”
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SuperCounters
Eric Stuckey
Thank you, Brother Chambers. I was very edified by this word. Just today, I read this from my desk calendar, by Oswald Chambers:
“Our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with.” Romans 6:6
“Pull yourself up, take some time alone with God, and make this important decision saying, ‘Lord, identify me with you death until I know that sin is dead in me.’ Make the proper decision that sin in you must be put to death.
The procedure for putting this sin to death is from the verse you quoted above: “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 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.” (Romans 8:12-13)
God bless you,
Brother Eric Stuckey
Simon
Howdy! This ρost could not be written much bеtter!
Reading through this ρost reminds me of my previous roommate!
He continually kept preaching about this. I’ll forward this article to him.
Faіrly certan he’s going to have a good read.
Thanks for ѕҺaring!