“You are controlled by your new nature if [since] you have the Spirit of God living in you… Yet, even though Christ lives within you, your body will die because of sin; but your spirit will live, for Christ has pardoned it. And if the Spirit of God, who raised up Jesus from the dead, lives in you, He will make your dying bodies live again after you die, by means of this same Holy Spirit living within you…

You have no obligations whatever to your old sinful nature to do what it begs you to do… but if through the power of the Holy Spirit you crush it and its evil deeds, you shall live. All who are led by the Spirit of God are Children of God.

 So we should not be like cringing, fearful slaves, but we should behave like God’s very own children, adopted into the bosom of his family, and calling to him, “Father, Father.” For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we really are God’s children. And since we are His children, we will share his treasures—for all God gives to His Son Jesus is now ours too. But if we are to share His glory, we must also share his suffering.” Romans 8:9-17 (TLB)

Dear Jesus,

What are the sufferings we share in? They are the same as Yours were 2000 years ago. You put to death, in Your own body, our sin; our deadly desire to live independently of the One Who made us. But by Your Risen Spirit, we are now empowered! 

No longer are we obligated to live in that old life. It is wholly unconnected to us and not worthy of a moment of our time, energy or thought. Your Spirit raised us to a new way of living. Let the deadness of that old life have no part of this day. We are deaf to it’s cries. We are too consumed living for the One Who calls us children and not slaves. 

In Jesus Name Forever