“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for He who has suffered in the flesh HAS CEASED FROM SIN, that He no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for THE WILL OF GOD.” (1 Pet. 4:1-2) In a WWII movie, “The Darkest Hour” we are vividly reminded that before the joy of victory comes battle. Those who were finally set free from the awful power of enemy forces were forever mindful of the debt they owed. Jubilant celebration combined with gratitude produced deep changes as the years of bondage gave way to NEW LIFE all across Europe. Our greatest foe, the devil, has been defeated by Jesus Christ and WE TOO SHOULD REJOICE! Sin’s hold has been crushed, enabling us to live out a bold, confident faith that is our witness of THE VICTORY OF THE CROSS. Wow!
“For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.” (1 Pet. 4:3) Celebrating sin’s defeat means we have CRUCIFIED those old patterns of living that Peter describes as “the lusts of men.” He’s talking about all sin, outward and inward, that takes us away from “THE WILL OF GOD.” We may wonder, “HOW AM I GOING TO KILL THAT THING?” We must, go to battle the moment that temptation comes. Be militant and draw a line in the sand using the Word of God, which is the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, a very powerful weapon indeed. The result will be that we give in less and less, it’s a guarantee. More importantly, God guarantees it because He assures us that if we WALK IN HIS SPIRIT, we will not fulfill THE LUST OF THE FLESH. “The end of all things is near. Therefore be ALERT AND OF SOBER MIND so that you may pray. Above all, LOVE EACH OTHER DEEPLY, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Pet. 4:7-8)
We must fully embrace the victory of Christ and watch what happens. We must believe that a grateful love, a reckless love, will arise in our hearts – one that desires the will of God and puts to death self-will. This is the life of continual victory. This is the newness of life that the Lord desires for each of His own. Let us experience it daily. In (Heb. 4:16), the writer says, “Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” That verb translated “let us draw near” is in a continuous tense, which means literally, “let us KEEP DRAWING NEAR (nearer and nearer) to God’s throne of grace.”
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham