Why are so many living roller coaster lives, up one day, down the next? Why do some believers seem to attract problems, strife, broken relationships, failure, and even chronic sickness? Is this the abundant life that Jesus promised those who love Him?
And that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Eph. 4:24)
We have two sources from which we can draw our lives. The “new man” refers to the re-created, born again spirit of man. We can allow our recreated spirit man to overcome the habits of the old man.
That you put off concerning the former behavior the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (Eph. 4:22)
The behavior of the “old man” refers to the lusts of the flesh and the un-renewed mind. Many Christians never learn to live from their new man. They continue to live from the memory of the old. Their soul is not prosperous, that is, some have not aligned their soul with the “new man” of the spirit.
The carnal believer (1 Cor. 3:1) continues to live from the soul rather than from the spirit. He thinks, speaks and acts like a soulish man, allowing the flesh and the un-renewed mind to dictate his reactions to the world around him.
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit …(Rom. 1:9)
Paul served God with his spirit. He lived from his re-born spirit. He saw the world through spiritual eyes and learned to subdue the flesh and take his thoughts captive. It is Paul who wrote of the fruit of the Spirit. This is the abundant life that is available to those who draw their lives from the re-born spirit rather than from their flesh and unrenewed mind.
But the Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance (Gal. 5:22-23)
Living from the re-born spirit isn’t hard. God’s grace is sufficient. Decide to agree with Paul’s prayer… That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; (Eph 3:16)