Waking in the Spirit

Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 
 

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 

3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 

4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 

6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 

9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 

11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 

The importance of walking in the Spirit, being filled with the Holy Spirit is this:

Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 

If one is walking in the flesh, they cannot please God, what we do must be in the Spirit.

If one were to ask most Christian if they are filled with the Spirit, many would answer No, or I don’t think so.
It is so important for Christians to continually be being filled with the Spirit.
When we repented of our sins and trusted Jesus Christ for our salvation, we were baptised into the body of Christ by the one Spirit. However it is important that we realise that for our daily walk with Christ, we need to be filled with the Spirit.

Things that are done in the flesh, is flesh and things that are done in the Spirit, are Spirit.

1.There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus

First we see in this text that those who are IN Christ Jesus do not come under condemnation.

When one is born of the Spirit, they are robed in the righteousness of Christ. They are made righteous because of what Jesus did, it was nothing of themselves.
When God looks on a believer, He sees Christ. A believer can come into the presence of God, .
God hears a believers prayers when prayed , for there is no other mediator between man and God.
A believer is justified in Christ, made clean in Christ, it is His life in us that makes us free.
 

2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 
 

However, we must not leave the text there. We cannot take the first statement out of context, for verse 8, goes on to say, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

The things of the flesh do not please God.
That is why it is so important for believers to continually be emptied of sin, by keeping short accounts with God, by confession and repentance and being, (continually being) filled with the Spirit.
Believers cannot let their guard down.

Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts.

A Christian must walk in the Spirit to have victory over the flesh.
 

Galatians 5:16-18  I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The Romans text says exactly the same things. What the Apostle Paul told the Galatians, He also told to the Romans and the Ephesians.
The truth is the truth, it does not change depending on the reader.
We were born in sin and are completely unable to save ourselves, or even prepare ourselves for salvation, because we were weak in the flesh but the scriptures make it very clear for us.

3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 

4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

What we could not do, God did do, through Christ.
By God manifesting Himself in the flesh, in Christ. Taking upon Himself, sinful flesh and nailing it to the cross at Calvary, He defeated sin and death, making a way back to God for us. So that we no longer need to walk after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 

If we continue to walk in the flesh, we will continue to manifest in our lives the works of the flesh.
But if we walk in the Spirit, we will manifest the works of the Spirit.

6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 
 

We cannot accept Christ as our Saviour and then continue in the same paths that we once were in.
This is why the Apostle Paul continues to write the same things over and over again.
 

Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

We know this from his letter to the Philippians:

Phil 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.
 

So, here it is again, a reminder of our text.

8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 

See here, Paul says. There is no need for any Christian to act in the flesh. Why?
Because we are not in the flesh any more, if you are in the Spirit. If God dwells in you.
If we have received Christ as our Saviour, we are now of God and if God dwells in us, there is no reason to walk in the flesh, because our bodies are dead to sin and alive unto God.

9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 

Our passage ends, reminding us that we have God dwelling in us.

11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 

The Spirit of Him that raised Jesus from the dead. Who is that? It is God the Father.

In fact Paul tells us that we have the Triune Godhead dwelling in us. The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.
 

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

Rom 8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 

Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

There is no need for us to live a defeated life by walking in the flesh, for we are indwelt by the Trinity and we have the power to overcome the world, the flesh and the devil, because Christ has overcome them on our behalf.

1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

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