Hope: As It Is in Heaven, So Be It on EarthSample

Welcome to day 4 of this week’s devotionals in our series about Hope. Today, our focus is on Romans 8:12-14. Paul writes:

“So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

Picture yourself renting a house from a horrible landlord, a real bully who invades your privacy, makes demands, and dictates how you run your household. This is how you live year in and year out because you have no other place to go.

Then, one day, there's a different knock on your door. A friendly man greets you, revealing that he is the new owner. He bought all the properties from the previous landlord and plans to bring positive changes to the area, and he does. It feels like living in a new house and neighborhood. Everything is better because of this wonderful, caring landlord.

However, one day, you hear that dreadful knock again. Opening the door, you find the previous landlord with an even more aggressive attitude, wanting to force himself into the house. Initially, you consider giving in due to your history.

Then you remember and blurt out, "You don't have a say because you don’t own this property anymore." In that, you shut the door.

According to Paul, in Christ, we've been set free from the previous landlord: Flesh. We are no longer debtors to the flesh. We don't have to give in when certain voices shout or whisper to us. Although our bodies may still react in certain ways when the flesh comes knocking, we belong to Christ. By His Spirit within us, we can put to death those old ways of reacting. It takes a lot of strength to be used to reacting in a certain way and then to change. But through the Spirit, resurrection power is available, allowing us to put to death old ways of behaving.

Remember, Paul is not against us being physical. The Spirit wants to empower us to be physical in a new way.

This is very important. Many Christians are so hung up on what we are not supposed to do that they don't realize that with the Spirit of God in us, there are so many possibilities to behold the King and serve His Kingdom mission.

Dwelling in us and leading us are ways the Old Testament described the Tabernacle in which God came to live with His people. Remember the fire and the cloud that led the Israelites to the promised land? This is the story Paul draws from when describing the Spirit's work in us. We are now the temple of God in the Spirit. Closing the door on flesh helps us discern the leading of the Spirit. Presenting our bodies, our whole selves, for the mission of Christ makes it harder for the flesh to take a gap. In this mission, God promises to lead us by His Spirit. We will talk more about being children or sons of God tomorrow.

Let’s pray: Father, thank you for setting us free and coming to dwell in us by your Spirit. Thank you for bringing purpose to our lives: Christ and His mission. Remind me who I am. I present my body to you for your glory. In Jesus' name. Amen.