Living Living lifelife to the full to the full

1January 9, 2011

Romans 8 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His Own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

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5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.

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10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteous-ness.

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This body we live in isis going to die; indeedindeed it can be said to be deaddead already.

I am a spirit, I have a soul, I live in a body.

But I am a spiritspirit, born of Godborn of God.

JesusJesus lives in me, and He is RighteousnessHe is Righteousness.

He is LifeLife, and that gives me lifeme life --

Abundant life -- all the way -- to the full.

We need to make this an every dayevery day confession:

"I am fully alivefully alive in my Lord, Jesus Christ."

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Galatians 5 22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

These are the qualities of lifequalities of life that God's Holy Spirit producesproduces in the lives of God's children.

I am notnot just barely making it; I am living lifeliving life to the full.

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I am filled with love, because LoveLove lives in me.

I am happyhappy, because God produces joyproduces joy in my soul.

I am at peaceat peace within and without, because God's Spirit producesproduces peace in my spirit.

I can be patient in all circumstancescircumstances and with all peoplepeople, because God has given me patience.

GentlenesGentlenesss

GoodnessGoodness FaithfulneFaithfulnessssMeeknessMeekness TemperanTemperan

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We must stop making negativenegative, untrue confessions.

Confess the Word of God:Confess the Word of God:

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Philippians 4 13 I can docan do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.

"Though I have not seen Jesus, I love Him and have put all my faith in Him, and therefore, my life my life isis joy unspeakablejoy unspeakable and full of glory."

Paraphrase of 1 Peter 1:8

"I am not afraidnot afraid, and will not live in fearwill not live in fear, because God has given me the Spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Paraphrase of 2 Tim 1:7

11 But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shallshall also quicken (make alive; bring to life) your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.

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Too many Christians feel deadfeel dead, and are ruledruled by how they feel.

God saysGod says His Spirit has given me life, so I amI am alive and well.

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Life is good when Godwhen God lives in us and through us.

Life, Joy, and Peace are oursare ours now and forever.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

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We don't owe the flesh anything!!

What good thinggood thing has your carnal nature ever done for youfor you?

At best, perhaps a momentary pleasuremomentary pleasure;

A short-livedshort-lived thrill;

An adrenaline rushrush.

But when the pleasurepleasure, the thrillthrill, or the rushrush is gone, with what are you leftleft?

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An unsatisfiedunsatisfied longing for more.

Ecclesiastes 1 (NIV) 6 The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. 7 All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again. 8 All things are weari-some, more than one can say. The eye never has never has enoughenough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. 9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

No one can ever be made satisfiedmade satisfied and contentcontent with the things of flesh.

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When it's all over, you will wantwill want more, bigger,

better, faster, or more thrilling.

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

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So, clearly the desiresdesires and whimswhims of the flesh do not bring lifelife to the full, nor even satisfaction.

We who want life to the fullfull --

I'm talking about wide openwide open, joyous, rich life --

-- Joy unspeakable and full of -- Joy unspeakable and full of glory --glory --We live after the things of God.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

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There's a difference between being bornborn of God, as an infant,

And becoming a maturemature son or daughter of God.Taken from: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.

A mature child of God is not lednot led around or controlled by his fleshlyfleshly desires and cravings.

He is led by God's Holy Spirit.He is led by God's Holy Spirit.

There is a difference in havingin having the Lord in one's heart in the Person of the Holy Ghost,

And in being submittedsubmitted unto the Power of GodPower of God and the leadershipleadership of His Holy Spirit.

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The spiritual differencespiritual difference is as significant as the physical differencephysical difference between an infant and a man.

When we are gladly doing those thingsthose things which God has calledcalled us, giftedgifted us, and leadsleads us to do,

We will find it to be lifebe life:

SatisfyingSatisfying, joy-filledjoy-filled, peace with contentmentpeace with contentment,

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John 10 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have lifelife, and that they might have it more abundantlyabundantly.

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The devil offersdevil offers the world, its things, and its pleasures, but they are just baitjust bait.

Jesus offers us HimselfHimself, and a life oflife of

LoveLove, joyjoy, and peacepeace that the world can't give.

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"I love God's Way of Living Best of All."

Because of the lifelife He gives us when we live it His WayHis Way.