The kingdom of darkness is dominated by evil, sin, and self-centredness. Before we were saved, we were under the bondage of sin because of the sin nature in us. Our minds were inculcated with wrong principles and values. We might have had bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, divisiveness, strife, hatred, unethical and immoral values in our lives, and been addicted to different vices. There is no true love, peace, and joy in this kind of life, which is living in the slavery of sin, just like the Israelites were slaves in Egypt.
John 10:10 (NKJV) The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Romans 6:4 (NKJV) Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
God has promised the abundant life to all believers. Nonetheless, we need to take hold of what belongs to us by applying faith in the Word of God. Faith is anchored in the Word of God. A life of love, peace, and joy belongs to us. We can enjoy holistic blessings (3 John 2) where we have a restored relationship with God. We can walk in the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the flesh. We can establish good interpersonal relationships. We can also have a healthy body and walk in the newness of life.
Taking possession of all these requires us to believe in the Word that we are a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17) after we have been born again. We have the nature of God (2 Peter 1:3-4) in our hearts because we are a “new creation”. We are partakers of God’s divine nature, and He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. Therefore, we can walk in the newness of life—a lifestyle that’s very different from how we used to live under the influence of the kingdom of darkness—because we have the Holy Spirit living in our hearts.
Once upon a time, we were slaves to sin but now we are slaves to righteousness. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death. Therefore, what used to hold us in bondage, be they habitual sins, uncontrollable anger, vengeance, strife, or emotional outbursts due to our insecurity, can be overcome by the newness of life!
All these are possible when we place our faith in the Word of God that all the above are true, and have the spirit of faith to walk it out in our lives.
Sermon Series: Having a Different Spirit
过丰盛的人生
黑暗的国度是被邪恶、罪和自我中心所统治的。 在我们得救之前，因着我们里面的罪性，我们活在罪的辖制之下。 我们的思想被灌输了错误的原则和价值观。可能会有苦毒、愤怒、不宽恕、分裂、冲突、仇恨、不道德和淫乱的价值观在我们的生命中，并沉迷于不同的恶习。 这种的生命没有真正的爱、平安和喜乐，而是成为罪的奴役，就像以色列人在埃及为奴一样。
约翰福音10:10 盗贼来，无非要偷窃，杀害，毁坏。我来了，是要叫羊（或作人）得生命，并且得的更丰盛。
罗马书6:4 所以，我们借着洗礼归入死，和他一同埋葬，原是叫我们一举一动有新生的样式，像基督借着父的荣耀从死里复活一样。
神已经应许给所有信徒丰盛的生命。 尽管如此，我们需要将信心放在神的话语上来抓住属于我们的东西。 信心是锚定在神的话语上。 一个充满爱、和平和喜乐的生命属于我们。 当我们与神的关系恢复时，我们就可以享受全面的祝福（约翰三书2），既可以顺着圣灵而行，也不放纵肉体的情欲。 我们可以建立良好的人际关系。 我们也能拥有健康的身体，一举一动都有新生的样式。
要获得这一切，我们需要相信神的话，即我们在重生后就是“新造的人”了（哥林多后书 5:17）。 我们拥有神的本性在我们的心里（彼得后书 1:3-4），因为我们是“新造的人”。 我们与神的性情有份，祂已将一切关乎生命和虔敬的事赐给我们。 因此，我们一举一动能够有新生的样式 — 一种与我们过去活在黑暗国度影响下的截然不同的生活方式——因为我们有圣灵住在我们心里。
从前，我们是罪的奴仆，但如今我们是义的奴仆。 赐生命圣灵的律，在基督耶稣里释放了我们，使我们脱离罪和死的律了。 因此，那些曾经束缚我们的东西，无论是习惯性的罪、无法控制的愤怒、报复、冲突，还是因我们缺乏安全感而导致的情绪爆发，都可以被新生的样式所战胜！
当我们相信神的话，即上述的一切都是真实的，并有信心的灵在我们的生命中行出来，所有的这一切都是可能的。
讲章系列：有一个与众不同的灵
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