"According to the Flesh"

If asked to describe our "Spiritual Walk" how many of us would find ourselves using the words inferiority, insecurity, inadequacy, guilt, worry, or doubt? I think a lot of us might find one or all of these feelings being part of the description. A great number of born-again believers are still having a problem with finding day to day victory in their personal lives due to the fact that we are still having trouble realizing our "Identity in Christ" and then applying it.

                                                                               

(click to enlarge)

Carnal or Fleshly Christian

diagram by Bill Bright,

Campus Crusade for Christ

Do you have feelings of inferiority?

Ephesians 2:4-6

4. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5. even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6. and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly [places], in Christ Jesus...

Spiritually speaking, we are in a place with Jesus that is above the hands of the enemy, we are in a place of "ruling and reigning" with Jesus. We are God's children and heirs to the Kingdom.


Do you feel insecure or afraid?
Hebrews 13:5-6
5. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never fail you nor forsake you." 6. Hence we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid; what can man do to me?"

There are many opportunities for insecurity and fear to overtake us, but if we put our trust in Jesus, He will be with us to overcome.


Do you have feelings of Inadequacy?
Philippians 4:12-13

12. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

No matter what kind of situation we are in or no matter what we may be facing God will give us His strength to do whatever He calls us to do.


Feelings of Guilt?
 Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Jesus is not laying blame on us or pointing a finger at us, He is loving and forgiving, and wants us to move forward.


Are you worried?
Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.


1 Peter 5:7
casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.


John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.


God says give Him our fears and anxiety. He is bigger than all our problems.



Are you plagued with doubt?
James 1:5
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

God says "ask" and He will give us wisdom and understanding. We don't have because we don't ask. I used to make a lot of immature and unfortunate mistakes. I still mess up, but I try to ask God now for wisdom and understanding of people and situations. He helps me put myself in their place to view their thinking, which in turn helps me make better qualified and more sensitive decisions.

But still the question: why do so many of us believers live so far below our potential in Christ? Why are we not enjoying the abundant, productive life that God has promised and that we have inherited?

Part of the answer is that so many of us have not taken these spiritual truths to heart. We have not appropriated and applied them to our spiritual identity, or to our day-to-day experience. So many of us have been born again for years yet we fail to have victory over sin. This is a victory clearly given to us by Jesus and God's Word.

Another reason we don't gain ground in our daily victory over sin is that we are ignorant of how the kingdom of darkness is impacting our progress to maturity. We have a living personal enemy that actively tries to block our attempts to grow into spiritual adulthood. We have to learn how to stand against him.

1 Peter 5:8
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

2 Corinthians 2:11
in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Paul wrote this to the church in Corinth. Maybe they weren't ignorant of the schemes of the enemy, but today too many of us Christians are; we don't acknowledge Satan or his ability to influence and impact or lives. We at times live in denial of the role he can play in our daily life.

Next time we'll talk about the parameters of the Spirit-filled Walk.

love, in Jesus,

Debra

(concepts taken from

Victory Over the Darkness

by Neil Anderson)