Ephesians 2:2-3 (NKJV) in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
In this Scripture, the Apostle Paul is encouraging us not to walk in our old way of life. We were once slaves to sin, under the bondage and influence of the prince of the power of the air, but now we are children in the Kingdom of God. Therefore, we should put on the “new man” in the new creation and walk differently—that’s walking in the Spirit. It is an empowered life to break away from the world’s corruption through lust.
Everything that we see, read, and watch influences us either for good or evil. We are bombarded by the values and principles of the world daily. In fact, we have been indoctrinated by the world’s ways ever since we reached the age of understanding. Social media is a powerful tool that influences all of us today but not everything posted there is good. We are a product of what we are feeding our minds with through all these different platforms. It plays into our senses, and these senses will send signals to our emotions and desires. All these are in the realm of the soul.
Passions and desires will be stirred up in the realm of the soul and the body, but we need to know that we are free from the dictations of these passions and desires because we can walk in the Spirt. We have identified ourselves with Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection so we live in the newness of life.
Once our mind is renewed that we can walk in the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus which has set us free from the law of sin and death, the devil ceases to be a strong influence in our lives. This is because we can now make the decision to walk in the Spirit and do the right thing from the inside out. We live in the Spirit because the Holy Spirit resides in our hearts, and we can walk in the Spirit by yielding to His prompting to do what is right. Once we decide to walk in the Spirit daily, we will begin to walk victoriously and live in the abundant life. It is a blessed life but it is also a matter of choice.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
The key to victorious Christian living is through the renewal of the mind with the Word of God, especially with regards to who we are, what we have, and what we can do in Christ!
Sermon Series: The Make-up of Man (Part 2)
肉体的欲望
以弗所书2:2-3 那 时 ， 你 们 在 其 中 行 事 为 人 ， 随 从 今 世 的 风 俗 ， 顺 服 空 中 掌 权 者 的 首 领 ， 就 是 现 今 在 悖 逆 之 子 心 中 运 行 的 邪 灵 。我 们 从 前 也 都 在 他 们 中 间 ， 放 纵 肉 体 的 私 欲 ， 随 着 肉 体 和 心 中 所 喜 好 的 去 行 ， 本 为 可 怒 之 子 ， 和 别 人 一 样 。
在这段经文中，使徒保罗鼓励我们不要活在旧的生活方式里。我们曾经是罪的奴仆，受空中掌权者的束缚和影响，但如今我们是神国的子民。因此，我们应在新造里穿上“新人”，活出不一样的生命，那就是顺着圣灵行事。这是被赋予力量的生命，可以摆脱因欲望而产生的世俗腐败。
我们所见、所读、所看的一切都会对我们产生或好或坏的影响。 我们每天都受到来自世界的价值观和原则的冲击。 其实，自懂事以来我们一直被灌输世界的行事方式。 社交媒体是一种强大的工具，今天它影响着我们所有人，但它上面的东西并不都是好的。 我们是被这些社交平台灌输思想后的产物。 它影响我们的感觉，这些感觉会操纵我们的情绪和欲望。 所有这些都是在魂的领域。
邪情私欲会在魂和体里面被激发，但我们需要知道，我们已经摆脱邪情私欲的捆绑，因为我们可以靠圣灵行事。我们和耶稣一同受死、埋葬和复活，所以我们活在新生命中。
一旦我们的心意被更新，我们就可以在基督耶稣里所赐的生命圣灵的律中行事，从而脱离罪和死亡的捆绑，魔鬼也就不再对我们的生命产生强大的影响。 我们能够决定顺着圣灵行事，发自内心地去做正确的决定。 我们活在圣灵里，因为圣灵居住在我们的内心，我们可以顺服圣灵的提示去做正确的事，从而行在圣灵里。 一旦我们决定每天顺着圣灵行事，那么我们就会开始得胜并活出丰盛的生命。这是一个蒙福的生命，也是一个选择。
罗马书12:2 不 要 效 法 这 个 世 界 ， 只 要 心 意 更 新 而 变 化 ， 叫 你 们 察 验 何 为 神 的 善 良 、 纯 全 、 可 喜 悦 的 旨 意 。
基督徒得胜的关键是通过神的话来更新我们的心意，尤其是在基督里我们是谁，我们拥有什么，以及我们能做什么!
讲章系列：人的构成(第二部分)
Image Source: pixabay.com