Fan The Flames Of Your Love For The LORD

It is hard for us to comprehend that Jesus took all of our sin and imperfection to the cross.  Equally lost in our hearts and minds is that He continues to bridge the gap of our imperfection with His Holiness. 

Romans 8:1-2 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.

As long as we are human, we will have to deal with our flesh; but we should be winning the war because we have the Holy Ghost, which makes all things possible.  God’s grace abounds beyond our sin; but we are not to stay in sin, but strive to be transformed in Christ.

Romans 5:19-21 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.  (20)  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:  (21) That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

All things became new at our baptism.  We were dead to sin and buried with Christ; given the power of God to walk afresh in newness of life.

But you might say, “I didn’t continue in newness and my sins and addictions have pulled me back into sin.”  We all are human and still in the flesh.  However, Jesus is still the same and His sacrifice covers all sin; past, present and future; IF and only if we renew our baptism in repentance and continue to invite Him into our lives.  There is no sin so great or more powerful that the blood of Jesus can’t wash it away.  His blood gives Justification to all who surrender to Him.  If you have backslidden; surrender and repent!  Renew your baptism in Christ and He will give you a fresh anointing of the Holy Ghost.

Romans 6:1-4 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  (2)  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?  (3)  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  (4)  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

When you are in the world, the devil has you and he doesn’t have to worry about you; but when you surrender to Christ, you become his enemy and the judge over him.  He is all the more condemned by God’s righteousness living in you.  That is when the Devil takes notice and begins to attack you.  You may fall a hundred times; lose a hundred battles; but each time you get up, you are winning the war and becoming stronger with each battle.

Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

“Instead of focusing on all of the brokenness in and around you, fan the flames of your love for the LORD.  Enter more and more into the LORD’s passionate presence and His Holy Fire will ignite holy desire in you.”   Sarah Young

Romans 7:15-25 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.  (16)  Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.  (17)  So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.  (18)  For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.  (19)  For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.  (20)  Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.  (21)  So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.  (22)  For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,  (23)  but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.  (24)  Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?  (25)  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.  We must desire to love the LORD.

The key to being transformed in Christ; is to desire to love the LORD.  It starts with our surrender to him on a daily basis or more. 

If you sin 10 times in a day; get up ten times in a day; repent and die with Christ ten times in a day!  Live in a state of prayerful repentance and love.  As King David said, “have a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart.”  If you really want to change and become like Jesus, He will give you the strength to overcome your sin and your sinful past.  Jesus will heal you and deliver you from the addictions of this world; lust, greed, drugs and alcohol.  You must purpose in your heart to keep getting up and keep trying.  Continue to love the LORD with all of your heart, might and being.  He is there for you; in every dark alley turn around and Jesus is there!