Tag: Galatians

faith, God, Healing, Hope, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

5 Ways to Live Life Freely

It has been said that those who live by the Spirit walk by the Spirit. But what the heck does that mean? I’m not walking on clouds or anything. At least not in the natural realm, lol!

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. –Galatians 5:16 MSG

This always puzzled me. I mean we need to live here on planet Earth and work and love and provide for our families. It’s not like I am a Nun living in a convent or anything. Far from it. I am just another unfinished human trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ to finish my faith. God is faithful. He will complete what He started here on planet Earth. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of my faith. I think today I will live my life freely in the Spirit, love my fellow brothers and sisters, and trust God for the rest.

My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?  – Galatians 5:165-18 MSG

5 Ways to Live Life Freely

  1. Let love be your motivation. Choose love. Choose mercy. Choose grace. Freely you have received, now freely give.
  2. Treasure the Presence of God. Make time just to sit at His feet.
  3. Allow the Spirit of the Lord to change you from glory to glory. The Lord is the spirit of Revelation. He will reveal new things to you as you spend time with Him. Let Him lead.
  4. Let your faith be fueled for action. Faith without works is dead. Choose to be a servant of the Most High God. Put others first.
  5. Set your mind on the things above. The Word of God is powerful and will transform our minds. Set your heart to seek out what the Lord has to say.

 

(Featured Image source – ministrymatters.com, image source – beeiteversohumble.wordpress.com)

Advertisements
Healing, Spirituality

Confession is Soul Detox

Confession is soul detox. Yep. Sharing your heart with another opens the door for the Holy Spirit to work. Admitting our secret sins to someone else is like removing the rock that is blocking the flow of the river. Sin loves the dark. It thrives in secret. But when we shine a light and share the truth of what is really going on with us – the darkness is swallowed up! The darkness cannot stand. The darkness cannot comprehend the light. It leaves.

Today I learned that sometimes ‘coming to Jesus’ means admitting and confessing my faults to another of God’s kids. Then I can let the Holy Spirit do it’s work. It’s humbling, but freeing. And yes, flesh screams  and cries sometimes when it is brought to the Spirit. I don’t think any flesh likes to be crucified or exposed. Flesh is selfish. Flesh is proud. It does not want to share. Flesh wants what it wants – when it wants it. But flesh doesn’t get to rule anymore. Spirit-man rules here. There is a new King on the Throne – Jesus! And the Spirit and Power of the Living God lives inside of me – and you too if you are a Believer of Jesus! Let the Spirit of God rule our bodies, souls, and spirits today.

Now my burden is lifted. No more secrets. God already knows about it anyway. He was patiently waiting for me to confess I need His help and for me to ask for prayers.  Then He can release power! Maybe that’s why our churches aren’t seeing the Power like they did in the book of Acts – there is not much confession going on. When I confess, and someone prays – POWER is released! I am responding to His Power today, and I pray you join me because:

Confession is soul detox!

 

 

 

 Galatians 5:16-21 AMP

But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).
For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do.
But if you are guided (led) by the [Holy] Spirit, you are not subject to the Law.

Now the doings (practices) of the flesh are clear (obvious): they are immorality, impurity, indecency, Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions (dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies),
Envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].

And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.
If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit we have our life in God, let us go forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]
Let us not become vainglorious and self-conceited, competitive and challenging and provoking and irritating to one another, envying and being jealous of one another.

Healing, Spirituality

Joy Unspeakable

Joy Unspeakable – even when life is falling down around you. Nowthat’s freedom!  My friend Susan Fox has an awesome 9 week Series about the Fruit of the Spirit based on Galatians 5.  Here is more info:

Starting on February 14, I’m going to launch a 9-week series on my blog on the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). In each blog, I want to include a poem written by a poet who has a heart for the Lord. I’ve chosen 9 poets, and allowed the Spirit to choose randomly who might write on each of the “seeds” of that fruit.

 

I was one of her 9 Poets and the Holy Spirit chose the word ‘Joy’ for me.  That in itself is hilarious! He must have known I would be going through some things this week and have to ‘eat’ my own words, lol!

Here is an excerpt from Susan’s Blog today on Joy

Joy isn’t dependent upon things or circumstances. It is an intrinsic connection that is always there between you and the One who made you. This connection is the Spirit of truth, the one sent from Jesus and the Father to “teach you everything and will remind you of everything” Jesus told you. (John 14:17,26, 15:26)

 

Flowers of Joy

©2014 by Diana Rasmussen

There are seeds of joy
Planted in my heart
May not look like much
But this is only the start

They may be buried
Under black dirt and grime
But the Master Gardner
Put them deep inside

They didn’t come from a store
Not from a magazine
They were tears that God cried
Especially for me

Just when I thought
That He hadn’t seen
He planted those seeds
Inside my deepest despair

For every pain suffered
And in spite of abuse
He sowed in darkness
As He dug and He wept

The ground may be dark but
His light brings forth life
As despair cracks open
When new life and joy sprout

Sorrow sowed in the ground
Watered with God’s love
The tears that we cried
Bloom into flowers of JOY!

Be Sure to visit and follow Susan Fox at:   www.susanirenefox.com

 

 

(Featured Image Source: www.etsy.com and Image Source: Pinterest)

 

 

Related articles