One of the most challenging obstacles we have to overcome in this life is ourselves.
“For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.” (Romans 7:19)
We are born with inherent impulses and a battle within us towards selfishness and wrongdoing. The Bible calls this the sin nature. We live with that nature inside each of us unless we take the option offered to us to be released from our self-nature and choose to embrace the nature of Jesus.
Romans 6:6 “knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.
This sin nature in the bible is described as the “old man”, the body of sin, the old nature, or the flesh. The impulses of this nature are referred to in the bible.
Col 3:8-9 “but now you ourselves are to put off all theses: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds…”
When we come to Jesus He doesn’t offer us a new set of rules to live by, He offers us a New Spirit. This new life in our spirit overwhelms the power of the flesh and our old nature. The law of the Holy Spirit is a higher and more powerful law than the law of sin. Both are laws, but one is more powerful than the other.
We are “born again” in our spirit. A new nature is deposited in our frame.
We are urged to live in that zone where we take the initiative and “Put on” the new nature whilst taking off the old. (Ephesians 4:22-24).
We take hold of this reality by feeding the new nature and starving the old. As we live in the Spirit, living with and for Jesus, the old nature is put to death.
“For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live”. Rom 8:13
The first step to freedom from self is to recognise our need and the acknowledgement of our weakness, and inability to be the person we were created to be by ourselves. To love unconditionally, forgive, live selflessly, be patient and kind. God never designed mankind to do that in our own strength. Those things are the result of a life that has been set free from self; where there has been a choice to take hold of God’s way.
“ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
If you haven’t asked and chosen for Jesus to give you freedom from self, you can today. You simply acknowledge your sin and need for freedom from self, and ask Him into your life. Everyday you choose to put off your old way of doing things and chose to put on your new “Man or women”, and live like Jesus says. You’ll find all you need to know in the Bible.
What are you feeding today? Is it your new life in Jesus, or your old ways? What you feed and focus on is what your life will produce.
Look to Jesus; He will help you and show you the way. For what He has started in you He will be faithful to complete.
“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (Philippians 1:6).
Prayer: Lord thank you for giving me new life and freedom from self. I want to living being the person you made me to be. Today I walk in my new life. Help me to listen, and to quickly do what you show me today, and not slip into my “old” way of living. In Jesus Name. Amen.
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