FLESH & VICTORY

"Flesh will always be flesh. Flesh won't improve through Christian maturity, spiritual warfare, or anything else. The only remedy for flesh is walking in the Spirit. I have found that when I rest in Christ's sufficiency, I experience victory; and when I don't, I experience defeat. It's that simple. Flesh will always respond to the law of sin and death. But abiding in Christ causes us to experience the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, enabling us to soar above the temptations of the flesh.

We experience victory in the Christian life as we receive God's gift in faith. It might seem logical that victory would come by a fight, but fighting for victory is the surest way to experience defeat. God has determined to give it to those who will receive it by faith in His Son."

Steve McVey in his book, GRACE WALK, quotes Charles Trumbull, a popular Bible teacher in the early days of the Keswick movement . . . "The great truths that so many earnest, surrendered Christians have even yet failed to see is that salvation is a two-fold gift; freedom from the PENALTY of sin, and freedom from the POWER of sin. All Christians have received in Christ as their Savior their freedom from the penalty of their sins, and they have received this as an outright gift from God. But many Christians have not yet realized that they may, in the same way, and by the same kind of faith in the same God and Savior, receive now and here the freedom from the power of their sins which was won for them by their Savior on the cross and in His resurrection victory. Even though they know clearly that their own efforts have nothing to do with their salvation from the PENALTY of their sins, they are yet deceived by the Adversary into believing that somehow their own efforts must play a part in their present victory over the POWER of their sins. OUR EFFORTS CAN NOT ONLY NEVER PLAY A PART IN OUR VICTORY OVER THE POWER OF SIN, BUT THEY CAN AND DO EFFECTUALLY PREVENT SUCH A VICTORY. . . We are to use our will to accept the gift of victory; we are not to make an effort to win the victory!"

God doesn't intend for us to struggle FOR the victory. As we rest in Him, we ENJOY the victory of His life. It is impossible to struggle and rest at the same time."

God words to contemplate this morning. Are you struggling today to WIN a victory that has already been won for you at the cross?

The book GRACE WALK can be ordered from the Keswick Bookstore. You can order by contacting DeEtta Marsh @ dmarsh@americaskeswsick.org or by calling the KESWICK BOOKSTORE at 732-350-1187 ext 16.