Romans 1:16, 17 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of the Christ for it is the inherent ability of God unto salvation to all the ones believing, both the Jew first, and Greeks, for the righteousness of God is revealed by it out from faith into faith just as it is written, “The righteous will live out from faith”.
Faith – Taking God at His Word (Faith is the substance of that which is hoped for, the evidence of accomplished deeds not seen)
What does it mean to live by faith? Since faith is always based upon a promise from God, when we live by faith, we live according to what God has said. Faith is not blind, so living a life out from faith is not a blind leap; rather, it is a life that takes full advantage of the benefits that God has so graciously provided for the believer who is in Christ.
When we believed the Gospel for salvation, a new life began for us. Now, we are no longer in Adam; rather, we are in Christ. As part of our salvation, we know that God has promised that we will one day be with Him in a state of blamelessness and purity; however, what about today?
Does the fact that we are in Christ affect our lives today? Oh, we know that it should, but how?
Framing our minds on who we are in Christ is not positive thinking, it is acknowledging facts that are true and therefore seeing things as they really are, which will result in having a correct frame of mind. Since we are in Christ, let us put on Christ as an outer garment and make no provision for the desires of the flesh bringing every thought captive to who we are in Christ.
Remember, our battle with the sin nature, Satan, and the world system is not a physical battle fought with weapons made by man. It is a battle for our mind, a spiritual battle, which is waged on us to keep our minds from focusing on the truth. God says we have died to the sin nature and the world system, but are alive to Him, and He has provided a perfect defense against anything Satan can throw at us. We just need to apply these truths to our lives. Do not fight the desires from the sin nature with any law, rather, focus your mind on who you are in Christ and yield your members to righteousness rather than unrighteousness allowing the desires from the Holy Spirit to overtake the desires from the flesh. Put on the entire armor from God when Satan attacks and stop sacrificing for the things of the world, in which the love of God does not exist.
God has given us all things pertaining to life and godliness. Today, let us use them to their fullest extent.
Promise: If you walk by the Spirit we will in no way fulfill the desires of the flesh, Galatians 5:16, 17
Promise: There is no temptation which is not common to man, but God is faithful that with each temptation He provides a way of escape so that we may bear up under it, 1 Corinthians 10:13
Promise: Nothing will ever separate us from the love of God, Romans 8:35-39
Since you have been raised with Christ, seek those things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your reflective thinking on things above, not on the things of the earth, for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Hebrews 11:1; Romans 5:12-21; 6:1-13, 8:4-7, 24, 25; 13:14; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 10:4; 2 Peter 1:3-8; Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 John 2:14, 15; Galatians 6:14