Power-filled Positive Thinking—Chapter 13 b –The Power to Overcome
Too often, we underestimate who we are in Christ. We continue to struggle through this world attempting to battle in our own strength because we don’t realize that we are new creatures, born into Christ’s righteousness.
As we grow in our knowledge of our new positions in Christ, given to us by God’s grace; then we become ever more aware that sin does not have dominion over us. Our old addictions are replaced by a new love and a new joy that is more powerful than the allurement of the old addiction to sin. The counterfeit joy promised by the old desires becomes replaced by the true joy found in our relationship with God. True, genuine, selfless love becomes the motivating force that provides the power to lay aside the old and truly walk forth in this newness of life.
Isaiah 60: (AMP): 1 Arise [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you—rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!”
In Christ, we are a new creation brought to life. We who were dead in trespasses and sin are given new life in Christ. We who were spiritually dead to the things of God become alive in Christ. Christ was crucified on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and when he rose from the grave as victor over sin and death, He provided the way to bring us to be born into this new life in Him and through Him. When we are given this new life in Christ by faith in Him, we become filled with the Holy Spirit that indwells us. Symbolically, it is as though our old sin nature has died and we are risen again into a new life with Christ; clothed with His righteousness. Yet, while we are on this earthly journey; our old sin nature is ever present. Our spirit and soul have been redeemed and all our sins (past, present and future) have been paid; yet, as Paul so clearly writes in 2 Corinthians 5, we groan for the final redemption of this body as well. Meanwhile, we remain in this spiritual battle against sin. You might say, that since the sin is paid for already and will not be counted against me; why fight? If I was declared a Saint already, then why worry about it? That precisely was the question Paul answered in these passages. “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? …… 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin—7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace” Romans 6: (TLB)
Listen to this beautiful hymn The Power of the Cross
Living Bible (TLB)
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
©2015 Effie Darlene Barba
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.