Life through the Spirit

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Welcome to Insights on Healing a weekly podcast.  I am Joan M. Blake, author, and I am your host. Insights on Healing Podcast include the reading of scripture, praying, reading from one of my books, or telling  stories of how individuals through the healing power of God, found purpose in their lives. I pray as you listen to this episode, that God would bless you and provide you with hope that you have been longing for.

Today’s podcast is taken from the book of Romans Chapter 8: 1-17 and is titled Life in the Spirit. I am reading from the NIV version of the bible.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you^[a] free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,^[b] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.^[c] And so he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

⁵ Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. ⁶ The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸ Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

⁹ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life^[d] because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of^[e] his Spirit who lives in you.

¹² Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.^[f] And by him we cry, “Abba,^[g] Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Let us reflect on what Apostle Paul is saying in this passage. The highlight of his message is that there is no condemnation to true believers who are in Christ Jesus, who live according to the Spirit of Christ, which resides in them. They may endure affliction in the world, chastened by the Lord, but they are not condemned. Life in the Spirit is afforded one who is obedient to God, who lives a life of humility, love, and peace and is not living a life in obedient to the flesh. Galatians 5: 19-23 explain what it means to be obedient to the flesh and to the Spirit. The life of a believer comes with privileges:

1. We receive pardon and a new nature and are freed from the guilt and power of sin, which the law could not provide, and which Christ provided, though sinless, when he died to set us free from sin. He redeemed us from the curse by justifying and sanctifying us.
2. We are God’s children and we become heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. We are spiritual priests, and we have the Lord as our inheritance. Christ is our mediator and is said to be the heir of all things and true believers who are in union with him shall inherit all things.

Let us pray: Father, I pray in the name of Jesus, for those who are listening to this podcast, that you will make yourself known to them dear Lord, that they will learn about your goodness, your faithfulness, your comfort, your gentleness, your patience, your love and that you forgive all wrongdoings if the person confesses and repent of them.

Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you received value from this podcast, please subscribe to “Insights on Healing Podcast” on my website at https://joanmblake.com or wherever you listen to your favorite podcast. Please comment as well; we will appreciate it. May God continue to bless and keep you, in Jesus’ name, Amen.