Advancing Encouragement By:
James Jr. Hairston
Galatians: 2:20: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ live 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.
Have you tried to live for Christ within your own strength? No matter how hard you try to live right, sometimes things seem not to go right. The life of a Christian maybe categorized by some self motivation and self esteem that leads you to depend on self and to will your self to live for God. Self motivation and self will coupled with self esteem is not how to live for Christ because even while you still commit sin you will find yourself struggling with sin and not able to overcome. At this point you find yourself condemning self looking at the flesh instead of looking towards Christ for the power to overcome the power of sin and self condemnation. It has now become a vicious cycle that has to be eradicated from your life. First of all we know what the bible say’s about condemning self in Romans 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. I found that if your focus stays on the spirit man and not the flesh you will see that the spirit has the power to control the flesh. That spirit of course is Jesus Christ living in you, in your spirit man; your mind, heart, soul and spirit. Additionally, in-spite of your short comings, you have Christ living in you but you must crucify your flesh too Christ by denying yourself and taking up your cross daily and follow Jesus. Luke 9:23. When you stop focusing on your flesh or too put off your flesh, Eph. 4:22-24, gives you power to live enabling you to be crucified with Christ and Christ living in you while you are living in the flesh. However, your flesh is no longer your focus but the Spirit of Christ living in you. Why is this made a reality in your life because it starts with your faith in Jesus Christ who loved you enough that He died on the cross for you so that you can live and have life more abundantly for all eternity. Most importantly, He died so that when you do sin or fall short His blood is there to cleanse you and wash you to make you whole again, and again, and again and all you have to do is ask for forgiveness. Then you are able to pick yourself up again trusting and having faith in God not looking at the flesh but to look to Christ to continue to live in you giving you the power to live under his great anointing why, you are crucified with Christ in Jesus Name…
James Jr. Hairston