Temptations and Bondage

As we run today in full stride, making sure our arms are pumping and our breaths are steady, let us focus on another factor that hinders us from living out the fullness of what we have received by grace in Christ. Today we shall look at how the enemy uses temptations and bondage of sin to keep us trapped and focused so much on ourselves that we don’t respond to the “God Movements”. As we all know, we all have sinful natures because of the fall of Adam, God knows it, Jesus knows it, Satan knows it, and so do all the saints. By God’s grace and Jesus merciful act on the cross we have been redeemed and are new creatures. Our works have nothing to do with our salvation and we have been set free from the penalty of death and the law of sin once and for all. Now we also know that after our salvation our sin nature just didn’t melt away. We still struggle that nature daily and Satan does all he can to keep us frustrated and bound by that nature. Once again Satan knows he can’t stop you from getting into heaven, now all he wants to stop is the spreading of the gospel of grace and the peace and love by defaming the name of Jesus Christ by pulling down the vessels Christ uses. God knows exactly who you are and loves you more than you will ever know. When we see ourselves as God sees us and that is in Christ, there is nothing that can keep us chain and bound!!! Today we must have the attitude that I am no longer bound, I have been set free for freedom’s sake in Christ Jesus. There is no more condemnation upon me and all I have to do is to be a vessel for the Most High King!!! We have to shed the grave cloths and put on our Royal Robes!!! Have a wonderful week of living on purposeJ!!!!!

Romans 8
Life Through the Spirit
1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature,[b] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.[c] And so he condemned sin in sinful man,[d] 4in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
5Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6The mind of sinful man[e] is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7the sinful mind[f] is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
9You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
12Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.[g] And by him we cry, "Abba,[h] Father." 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.