Every day, the believer in Christ faces a battle with the enemy – the world, the flesh and the devil.
How will we fare today?
We are bombarded with daily struggles and the constant tugging of the seemingly endless distractions that seek to draw us away from God. How are we supposed to deal with them?
Paul, the apostle, says in Romans 6:13 to “…yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead,…”. And in Galatians 5 we read, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (v.16) and“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (v. 25)
Also, in Romans 6:1, Paul mentions that we are to “walk in newness of life.”
How do we walk in this so-called “newness of life?”
A few scriptures come to mind –
“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” (Ephesians 6:11-18)
Walking in newness of life is linked with living and walking in the Spirit in Galatians 5 as we mentioned earlier.
We are a new creation. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Upon our conversion – when we were “born again” – we were given a new life, and that life is in Christ.
“If (Since) ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (Colossians 3:1-17)
My fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, may we also heed these words –
“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13:11-14)
We began this writing by saying that the believer in Christ faces a daily battle with the enemy – the world, the flesh and the devil.
Win or lose today’s battle, the war has been won. Thankfully, we are on the winning side!
We know the war has already been won because of what the Lord Jesus Christ achieved at Calvary. We are victors through him! Our salvation has been secured and cannot be undone by anything or anyone! Nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39)
That’s extremely comforting and so wonderful to know! That, no matter what, we are on our way to heaven!
However, while we remain, may we daily yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit to be more Christ-like and to live the best, fulfilling and abundant life that God has in mind for us, seeking to become useful servants, “fit for the Master’s use, prepared unto every good work,” (2 Timothy 2:21) during these last days before our Lord comes to receive us to Himself. Amen.