BIBLE IN A YEAR: John 4-6
CONTENDERS TO THE THRONE
MEMORIZE: "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)
READ: Romans 7:18-23
If you claim to be born again but your friends, relations, colleagues at work or school have not seen any difference, your claim is false. You are not yet dead. If you get easily provoked, you are not dead: your flesh is very much alive. If you are reacting because somebody stepped hard on your toes, it shows they were not dead in the first place. If you lust or engage in immorality, your flesh is not just living, but also ruling over you. Have you seen a corpse responding to any form of ill-treatment or abuse? Ask God to kill your flesh so that your spirit man can be alive. “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” (Romans 6:5). If you are not crucified with Christ, you cannot resurrect and share in His glory. The problem with the church and church leaders today is that they are not crucified. Why are people fighting for positions, ordination and power? It is because they are servants under an active and over-bearing flesh. They are propelled by carnal ambitions which have excluded God from His rightful place. You are under the search light of God and man. You would be surprised to know how much your subordinates are studying your life, patterns of behavior, reactions to situations, attitudes to worldly things, response to situations that test the fruit of the Spirit, etc. What are they learning from you?
When a king dies, the throne becomes vacant and contenders show up. There are three strong contenders to the throne of your heart. First is the King of kings (Proverbs 23:26). In Matthew 6:24, He says there can be only one king at a time. Who is the king occupying the throne of your heart? The second contender is Satan who offers mouth-watering gifts just to get you to surrender to him (Matthew 4:8-9). If you give in to him, you are doomed! The third contender is yourself. Your flesh is always fighting with the Spirit of God because it wants to rule (Galatians 5:17). What would you do with the contenders for the throne of your heart? My advice is: one must die and that is your flesh. One must reign which is the King of kings. The third contender must be chased away - which is the devil. As a young Christian, I struggled with the flesh. Making resolutions never to quarrel, be angry, fornicate could not help until the Lord delivered me. You must crucify the flesh if you would amount to anything in God’s Kingdom. You cannot do it all alone! People would have to assist you. God can help you to Be crucified. Ask Him to help you in this regard and give you total victory over your flesh.
ACTIONPOINT: Of all your bank accounts, your prayer bank must never be in red. Credit it today!
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