Redeemed and Rewritten - Part VIII

Scripture: 
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 NIV

Observation: 
Have you ever been somewhere, deep down you knew you didn’t belong? Maybe it was a relationship, a crowd, or a situation that slowly pulled you away from God. On the outside, everything seemed fine, but inside there was conviction, a quiet reminder that something wasn’t right. I know because I’ve been there. I’ve made choices that didn’t honor God. I allowed pride to get in the way of forgiveness, anger to cloud my judgment, and my environment to influence my decisions. I found myself walking paths I shouldn’t have. My selfish ambition steered me away from my Heavenly Father. I have let my flesh lead the way more than I would like to admit.
This week, Pastor continued the sermon Redeemed and Rewritten, focusing on the battle between the Spirit and the flesh. The world normalizes sin, but the Holy Spirit calls us to righteousness. The message delivered great news, a reminder for all of us: There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Conviction is not condemnation; it is God’s love guiding us back to Him. 
Sometimes, we get in our heads and think God isn’t listening or that He will stop forgiving us when we fall short. However, that notion only pushes us further away from God. Remember that you are never condemned. The cross is, and always will be, enough. As Proverbs 24:16 says, “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.” We have a responsibility to get back up, fight the flesh, and walk by the Spirit God has placed within us. Imagine giving up your only son to save all of humanity. I do not know anyone who wouldn’t struggle with that impossible decision. God did. He already gave it all for us, but we must also choose Him. We must choose the Holy Spirit over our flesh, daily. We won’t be perfect and we will fall, but repentance, along with a desire to align our lives with God’s will, should remain our lifelong pursuit. It is a difficult challenge, but keep faith that the Lord is with you. John 16:33 says, “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Application: 
When we start to feel the Holy Spirit tugging at us, we should pray for discernment and plead for guidance. We must spend time feeding our spirit if we are ever going to combat our flesh. What we feed becomes stronger; to overcome our own desires, we must be in the Word. We must focus on worship. We must pray without ceasing, continually asking God to be with us through every decision and every challenge.
When you feel the desires of the flesh becoming overwhelming—because you will—get on your knees and bring them to the feet of Jesus. He will guide you. He will cover you. In fact, He wants nothing more than to be by your side through it all and walk with you.
Always remember: if you do fall, get back up. Pick up your cross daily and do all you can to feed your spirit. Listen to the Lord’s still, small voice. God loves you regardless. He will never condemn you. His grace is sufficient for you, and His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I can’t thank You enough for the love and grace You give me. Although I stumble, You never change Your mind about me. You continue to pour out Your Spirit on me and guide my steps.  You continue to love me when I can’t love myself.  You continue to bless me when I feel undeserving. Help me have greater discernment. Help me have a greater fear of disappointing you.  Help me be more like Christ Jesus. I lay my life at your feet. I can’t do it on my own, I need your Holy Spirit to rescue me from myself. I am in awe of you and I am unworthy. I want to live a life that glorifies You. Help me stay focused on Your Spirit and not my flesh. To You be the glory and honor forever. In Jesus’ righteous and holy name, Amen.