Embrace Your New Reality
I've been really excited lately about all God's showing me in His Word. There are so many verses that we read over without truly realizing the power or reality they contain. For example, God says that we are delivered from the power of darkness (Colossians 1:3). Have you ever taken the time to really consider that? God is saying that the devil, all his demons, and every sin and evil thing have absolutely no power over our lives. Praise God! There are so many more such verses, verses we need to meditate and receive by faith so that we can live out God's best for our lives.
We can't go through everything I've been studying lately in this one post, but I encourage you to read this one and the next few. They are going to be awesome (as they all are, of course). Today I want to consider those verses about our status as new creations in Christ Jesus. We, in fact, are new beings. God has made us in the image of Jesus Christ and we now have a new nature and life inside us. These realities are far more interesting and powerful than we have given them credit for, and they must be incorporated into our mental framework and lives at large.
First we must realize that we are a new creation. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17) If you are in Christ, if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you are a new "creature" or "creation." God has literally made you anew. You may not feel any different on the outside, but your body is just the shell for your spirit, the real you. And that real you has been completely born again as a new creation. You are a new type of being, delivered from every trace of sin and death. You are God's child, with His life and His love inside you. You are different, and you can live according to God's ways now. You must recognize and appreciate this reality. Say it with me, "I am in Christ, I am a new creation, I am going to live my new life."
As new creations we must live a new type of life. If a snake became a lion its life would radically change. Well something similar happened to you. You were in the devil's family, a sinner and a slave to sin and subject to every effect of evil and death in the world. But now you are God's child. You are righteous before Him having been perfected forever by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:14). You have His life and love inside you and you can live a victorious life founded upon His Word and walking in His will.
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? 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." (Romans 6:3-4) In Christ we all take part in His resurrection. We must realize that we are new creations with a new type of life, and we must live it.
We must embrace this new life. I know that sounds difficult, but the Bible shows us how. "Put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4:22-24) We must, with a definite act of our will, by faith, put off all the traces of the old creature that we used to be. We declare that we are free from sin in Jesus' Name. We declare that we are free from the power of darkness. We declare that we are crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20).
Then we get renewed in the spirit of our mind. The word "renew" is the same word for "renovate." You know how to renovate something; take out the old and bring in the new. It's time to remove the lusts and angers and problems of the past. It's time to let God's Word and Spirit fill your mind with God's love, joy, peace, patience, and so on. Let God's thoughts become your thoughts. Let the knowledge of God and Jesus inform the new life that you now live, as the new man that you have put on.
First we must realize that we are a new creation. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17) If you are in Christ, if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you are a new "creature" or "creation." God has literally made you anew. You may not feel any different on the outside, but your body is just the shell for your spirit, the real you. And that real you has been completely born again as a new creation. You are a new type of being, delivered from every trace of sin and death. You are God's child, with His life and His love inside you. You are different, and you can live according to God's ways now. You must recognize and appreciate this reality. Say it with me, "I am in Christ, I am a new creation, I am going to live my new life."
As new creations we must live a new type of life. If a snake became a lion its life would radically change. Well something similar happened to you. You were in the devil's family, a sinner and a slave to sin and subject to every effect of evil and death in the world. But now you are God's child. You are righteous before Him having been perfected forever by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:14). You have His life and love inside you and you can live a victorious life founded upon His Word and walking in His will.
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? 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." (Romans 6:3-4) In Christ we all take part in His resurrection. We must realize that we are new creations with a new type of life, and we must live it.
We must embrace this new life. I know that sounds difficult, but the Bible shows us how. "Put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4:22-24) We must, with a definite act of our will, by faith, put off all the traces of the old creature that we used to be. We declare that we are free from sin in Jesus' Name. We declare that we are free from the power of darkness. We declare that we are crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20).
Then we get renewed in the spirit of our mind. The word "renew" is the same word for "renovate." You know how to renovate something; take out the old and bring in the new. It's time to remove the lusts and angers and problems of the past. It's time to let God's Word and Spirit fill your mind with God's love, joy, peace, patience, and so on. Let God's thoughts become your thoughts. Let the knowledge of God and Jesus inform the new life that you now live, as the new man that you have put on.
Living this new life begins by renewing (renovating) your mind with God's Word. You receive God's Word, then you live by it. Now you are beginning to live the new life. As you develop your relationship with God's Spirit which is in you, you will begin to walk in the Spirit (minding the things of God's Spirit and pursuing them). Now you are further developing in this new life. You are growing up and spiritually maturing.
We must also remember that these aren't one-time confessions or one-time decisions. While we are changed in an instant, we live in a fallen world. We must keep reinforcing these commitments and ways of life. We must continually renovate our minds with God's Word. We must continually confess that the old man has been put off and that we walk in the Spirit and in newness of life. We must incorporate this reality into our entire mental framework. We must recognize that we are new creations and we must live like it.
So say it with me, "I am a new creation, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. I am dead to sin. I am crucified with Christ. My mind is renewed by God's Word. I have put off the old man. I have put on the new man. I walk in the Spirit, in righteousness and true holiness. I am conformed to the image of Christ."
This should become your continual confession and consideration for your life. You can't act like you used to. It's time to rise up and live the new life God has given you. It's time to arise and shine, for your Light has come. These considerations must inform your entire existence.
We must also remember that these aren't one-time confessions or one-time decisions. While we are changed in an instant, we live in a fallen world. We must keep reinforcing these commitments and ways of life. We must continually renovate our minds with God's Word. We must continually confess that the old man has been put off and that we walk in the Spirit and in newness of life. We must incorporate this reality into our entire mental framework. We must recognize that we are new creations and we must live like it.
So say it with me, "I am a new creation, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. I am dead to sin. I am crucified with Christ. My mind is renewed by God's Word. I have put off the old man. I have put on the new man. I walk in the Spirit, in righteousness and true holiness. I am conformed to the image of Christ."
This should become your continual confession and consideration for your life. You can't act like you used to. It's time to rise up and live the new life God has given you. It's time to arise and shine, for your Light has come. These considerations must inform your entire existence.
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
So consider this carefully today, and thank God that He didn't leave us as the fallen snakes we were. He has created us anew. His Word renews our minds and His Spirit conforms us to the image of Christ. When you reckon yourself dead to sin and the old ways, and alive unto God through Jesus Christ, as a new creature, you will begin living a new life, the life God has for us all. So make the decision today that the old man is gone, and that now you walk in newness of life. Never forget that decision, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you walk it out forever.
So consider this carefully today, and thank God that He didn't leave us as the fallen snakes we were. He has created us anew. His Word renews our minds and His Spirit conforms us to the image of Christ. When you reckon yourself dead to sin and the old ways, and alive unto God through Jesus Christ, as a new creature, you will begin living a new life, the life God has for us all. So make the decision today that the old man is gone, and that now you walk in newness of life. Never forget that decision, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you walk it out forever.
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