-October 3, 2024-
Good morning, happy Thursday,
“That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
(Ephesians 4:22-24).
The believer has two natures: the sin nature, also called the old nature, the old man, or the flesh; he also has the new nature, or new man. There is a constant battle between the two. This spiritual battle will last until we go to be with the Lord.
Paul tells us to put off the old nature; the question is how do we do it. We must crucify the flesh, deny ourselves, and as soon as we realize that we have sinned, confess it, repent of it, and forsake it.
The flesh rears its ugly head at the most inopportune times, sometimes in the middle of worship. We can’t give the devil, the world, or the flesh even an inch—they will take a mile. They will drag us down into sin.
Paul says in Ephesians 4:31, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away with all malice.” Not only must we put away the old, and put on the new.
We must embrace the new. Paul wrote in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” The Spirit filled life is the Christ centered and directed life.
May we all put off the old nature, put on the new nature, and put away our fleshly ways. There is victory in Jesus. Stay safe and healthy.
“Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 