Alive in Christ
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
We know that Jesus took our sins to the cross and that we have forgiveness, but if we see ourselves crucified with Christ then we can count ourselves “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). Our flesh is part of the sinful world, but we are controlled by the Spirit. If we see our flesh as crucified to the sinful nature, then we can have more control over our fleshly desires and emotions.
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you–they are full of the Spirit and life (John 6:63). The Spirit connects us to Christ, and Christ gives life to our soul. The more we serve the Lord the more content and satisfied we become, and the more we are controlled by the Spirit. Satan attacks us through our flesh: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; only the power of Christ through the Holy Spirit can we overcome any sinful desires.
Paul tells us, “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness” (Romans 6:18). When we become slaves to righteousness, because we are closer to Christ and Christ sets us free from being a slave to sin. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1). The more we live for Christ the more we experience freedom. The sinful world no longer has control over us because we are alive in Christ and dead to sin.
Today know that we are dead to sin, and Satan has lost his power over us. We are free in Christ, and have overcome the world through the power of the Spirit. Live today with no fear, because your flesh has died to Satan’s sinful attacks and we walk in the power of God.
Prayer: Lord, help me to crucify any sinful nature by the power of the Spirit. Give me the power of the Spirit to overcome the world. Guide me to be alive in Christ, and to reflect Christ to the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.