“For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:13 (NIV) Have you noticed the two roads available to you? One road aligns with your sinful nature and seeks to gratify the desires resident within that nature, yet produces spiritual death. The other road available to you is less traveled and is supernatural. Access to this road is granted by the Spirit and produces life. You cannot fulfill God’s plan without God’s power. The sinful nature must be put to death in order for you to experience the life God has for you. Jesus won the victory over sin on the cross. As John Phillips wrote, “In order to enjoy this victory, the believer must cooperate with God and determine that by God’s grace sin shall not be sovereign.” God has provided everything needed for a life of victory. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” 2 Pt 1:3-4 (NIV) As a child of God, you have the Holy Spirit living in you. He is in you! Does He have all of you? A hallmark of His habitation is divine assistance. The Holy Spirit has you completely when you choose to depend on His power to deliberately choose to crucify the cravings of the sinful nature. Scottish Theologian David Brown remarked, “If you don’t kill sin, sin will kill you.” Fully yielded to the Spirit, you can put to death the misdeeds of the body. By the Spirit, you can live a life of victory! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Category: Dependency
Divine Assistance
“For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:13 (NIV) Have you noticed the two roads available to you? One road aligns with your sinful nature and seeks to gratify the desires resident within that nature, yet produces spiritual death. The other road available to you is less traveled and is supernatural. Access to this road is granted by the Spirit and produces life. You cannot fulfill God’s plan without God’s power. The sinful nature must be put to death in order for you to experience the life God has for you. Jesus won the victory over sin on the cross. As John Phillips wrote, “In order to enjoy this victory, the believer must cooperate with God and determine that by God’s grace sin shall not be sovereign.” God has provided everything needed for a life of victory. 2 Pt 1:3-4 “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” As a child of God, you have the Holy Spirit living in you. He is in you! Does He have all of you? A hallmark of His habitation is divine assistance. The Holy Spirit has you completely when you choose to depend on His power to deliberately choose to crucify the cravings of the sinful nature. Scottish Theologian David Brown remarked, “If you don’t kill sin, sin will kill you.” Fully yielded to the Spirit, you can put to death the misdeeds of the body. By the Spirit, you can live a life of victory! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Joining God’s Journey
“The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.’ So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.” 1 Kings 19:7-8 (NIV) Elijah had experienced the power of God on Mount Carmel and now he is running for his life from the pursuit of wicked Jezebel. Elijah was emotionally and physically exhausted and reached a low point personally. He was so desperate that he prayed that he might die. Elijah was so low that he felt that death was his only source of relief. God met Elijah at his point of need and provided rest and refreshment. Elijah was strengthened by the provision of God and traveled forty days and forty nights. God was positioning Elijah for a blessing on Horeb, the mountain of God. The journey God has for you is too much for you. God never intended for you to fulfill His will in your own strength. God always builds your character to match His assignment and God always supplies everything you need for the journey. You cannot accomplish the mission God has for you without God’s enablement. Your personal energy will not suffice. Don’t get so focused on the destination that you miss what God wants to do along the journey He has for you. Rest and refreshment are vital components in His journey. Every moment matters! Slow down. Reflect on what God has done to bring you this far in the journey. God is not through with you. Your life is not over. God has more in store for you. Enjoy His rest and be refreshed by His presence. Spend some time in prayer acknowledging your dependency upon God. Allow Him to meet you at your point of need. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Do something great by relying on Christ’s strength. “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Phil 4:13 (NIV) Jesus has saved us to represent Him on the earth. He has instructed us to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, to forgive our debtors, to judge not, to go the extra mile, and to fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31 (NIV) “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matt 28:19-20 (NIV) It is impossible to obey Christ’s instructions without His power. Jesus does not expect us to obey Him without His enablement. The Christian life is a life of total dependency upon Jesus and His provision. How did Paul accomplish so much in the Lord’s service? Paul lived in full surrender to Christ and in total dependency upon Christ’s strength. Are you relying on Christ’s strength? You can do everything Christ calls you to do in the strength He provides. God can accomplish more through your life in six minutes than you can accomplish on your own in sixty years. Will you be found faithful? Rely on the strength Christ provides. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Pastor of Leadership and Pastoral Care