"Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God" (Romans 8:8)

My sister commented the other day that she didn't know that we were suppose to have a relationship with the Lord until well into her twenties. This came as quite a shock to her and since then, her life hasn't been the same. This is because, growing up in a mainline denomination we learned rules, regulations and doctrines. We never learned the full extent of God's love towards us. Nor did we learn faith or that God wants a personal intimate relationship with us. Instead, learning rules at a young age only propelled us into the category of those who cannot please God, because when we live a life of works, controlled by the flesh, we will never be acceptable on that basis.

Paul is contrasting the difference between living in the world, bound by the fleshly desires or living according to the Spirit of God, to experience the freedom that was given us in Christ Jesus. If we are living in the flesh catering to the appetites and impulses of our carnal nature we will never satisfy God. While this is true for unbelievers, this is also true for Christians. If we are focused on what we can do for God then our works takes the focus off Jesus and what he did and put the balance upon us. It is impossible to be acceptable this way, because we are living once again according to our previous sin nature, according to the dictates of the flesh instead of living by faith. God wants us to be free of that.

Hebrews 11:6 says, "...without faith it is impossible to please God..." ( Hebrews 11:6 ). It takes faith to please God and faith is just a natural response to his grace. Through relationship with him, we continually learn who God is in a real way. He shows us marvelous things through his Word. He speaks these truths into our hearts. He brings understanding to our mind. Through understanding this grace he pours out upon us, we naturally response in faith. Relationship and faith is the effortless way to live according to the Spirit.

God is a spirit and we have to interact with him on a spiritual level, that is why he gave us our born again spirit at salvation and that is why he gave us faith. Jesus revealed a marvelous truth in John chapter 4 when he was speaking to the women at the well. "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." ( John 4:23-24 ). He revealed so many things in this passage but the main thing is that he revealed to us that God was a spirit. Up until this time worship was done with types and shadows of what was coming. Now Jesus told the women that the time was now here with they would experience the fullness of worship as God had always designed it to be. God wants to interact with you spirit to spirit because He is spirit. That is why we need to be born again, so we can worship in spirit and truth.

After learning this, we see why Paul says it is impossible for those controlled by the sinful nature to please God. We must approach him and response to him in faith. He has given us a new spirit so that we can access him on a spiritual level. He has also given us the Holy Spirit as our guide in all things to lead us continually into this truth. When we live according to him then our minds are set upon the things He desires and we live the victorious life that was bought and provided free of charge for us. Today, may you worship the Lord in both spirit and truth. May you respond to his grace by faith. May you understand how to please him by living in the spirit. Amen!

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"The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so" (Romans 8:7)

The natural mind cannot receive the things of God. Paul says that the sinful mind or carnal mind is hostile to God. It hates the very things of God and cannot please God because it is impossible to walk according to his ways while following the desires of the flesh. Many Christians try and try but experience constant failure because they are not living by the Holy Spirit as their compass and guide. They are living out of their own efforts rather than living a life of faith.

To have true victory in life we must be in tune with the Holy Spirit that was given to us. His office and function is to instruct, help and comfort us on this earth. But just as important He reveals and reminds us what Jesus told us. It is the most blessed gift along with salvation that we received from God. If we are trying live apart from the provision Christ made for us in sending the Holy Spirit, then we will never know God in the way he desires. Jesus thought that this guide was so important that he said in John, "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you" ( John 16:7 ). So many times we wish that we could have Jesus sitting next to us teaching and instructing us. But Jesus said it was expedient that he return to the Father so that he could send us the Holy Spirit in His place.

While Jesus' time was approaching an end on this earth he began to minister to the disciples about the events that would be coming regarding this death upon the cross. He started comforting them by telling them of the promised Holy Spirit that he would be sending them. Jesus wanted to tell them everything but he knew that their limited understanding of spiritual things hindered them. That is why he told them in John, "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come" ( John 16:12-13 ). Jesus knew that they could not bear it in the natural, but after he sent the Holy Spirit, their minds would be opened to the very things of God and He would bring them understanding in a spiritual way. The Holy Spirits job is to teach us all things, even the very deep and intimate things of God. I Corinthians 2:10 says, "...but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God..." ( I Corinthians 2:10 ). That is why Jesus chided his disciples in Luke 24, to stay in Jerusalem until they received this promise, because He knew that it was absolutely necessary for life. The same is true for us today.

Today we learn that the natural mind is hostile to God. We cannot understand the things of God on our own because I Corinthians 2 says, "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned" ( I Corinthians 2:14 ). We need the Holy Spirit because we have been called into fellowship with God the Father through Christ the Son and it is their desire to show us all things. God has revealed everything to us and withheld nothing from us. We have this knowledge in our born again spirits. "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us" ( I Corinthians 2:12 ). He wants us to know and understand everything. It is the Holy Spirit who teaches and reminds us of these very things. Jesus said, "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you" ( John 14:26 ). This is why it is imperative that we walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the Spirit in newness of life.

Today, as you read this wonderful revelation of truth, I pray that your heart is softened and receptive to the Holy Spirits direction in your life. With this change of heart you will experience effortless change by Him. Your mind will naturally align with His direction.... The result, life and soul peace. God bless you!

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