"Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold , new things have come" (2 Corinthians 5:16) .. "He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son." (Colossians 1:13)

Whether transferred or new creature, the point is that, you have a place where you once were and now you are in Christ, what you once were is in the PAST. Jesus is now in control of your Life, the bible says "For the love of Christ controls usÉ." (2 Corinthians 5:14-15) and is YOUR LIFE (Colossians 3:4).. Most times we want to use the word 'old' in relation to worn, aged, expiring or a point which was once occupied. We say, "My old address" or "my old street" or "my old shoes". What is behind us is old, past. Every born again believer has a past, a place which once meant everything to us, and as sinful as our lives were we claimed to be happy.

You will notice that the bible Uses the Words OLD and NEW showing a clear and distinct state of being, and in most cases in the new testament, the words are used in relation to our old life and our new life. Saying old and new life is actually light way of putting it, God relates our old nature to "Death" and our new nature to "Life". This is a very strong way of thinking about it, but that's the way God sees it, you're either dead in sin or alive in Christ. Old things easily die out and are forgotten, people always want to forget bitter memories, but for some reason or another we find it difficult to let go of our former life, the old man with his lusts and worldly pleasures.

Flashback

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12). Our world was made up of sin, given the chance all we could do is sin. That was our nature, our way of life. In Colossians 3:5-7, we find a list of things like immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed and in v.7, the bible says "Éin them you also once walked when you were living in them. If we were living in them, we no longer live in them, in other words we are dead to those things, they are in the past.

These old things, unfortunately, are still apart of us in sinful flesh. This is why we must and go through the second birth which is purely spiritual (John 3:6) Spirit gives birth to spirit. 2Corinthians 5:17-

The new things have come

1. Righteousness

b. We have become (2Corinthians 5:21)

c. Became slaves of (Romans 6:18)

d. Practice (Matthew 6:1)

e. Offer sacrifices of (Psalms 4:5)

f. Pursue it (Proverbs 21:21)

7. Peace

h. In Christ and from Christ (John 14:27) & (John 16:33)

i. Guard our hearts (Philippians 4:7)

j. Pursue it (Hebrews 12:14), (1Peter 3:11)

k. In tribulation (John 16:33)

l. Be at (Romans 12:18)

m. Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22)

14. Joy

o. In house of prayer (Isaiah 56:7)

p. In fellowship (Philippians 1:25)

q. In Afflictions (2Corinthians 7:4)

r. In giving (2Corinthians 8:2-3)

s. In trials (James 1:2-4)

t. Is a Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22)

These things, as Paul put it, are the kingdom of God. These things are from God and we are to experience these things here on earth in our lives, new lives. Our past is bound up in our flesh and our present, as believers, and our future in Jesus Christ. We are not under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body you will live (Romans 8:12-13) . Death and Life, the PAST and the PRESENT and the FUTURE.

And He was saying to them, "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power ( Mark 9:1). Jesus was telling His disciples that while they were alive they would experience the power of God here on earth, WOW ! .

For the kingdom of God does not consist in words, but power (1 Corinthians 4:20) . Apart form the things mentioned above, the kingdom of God is also as practical as the life you lived. The only difference is you have access to glorious power. Power to confirm the life of Jesus in us and the word of God which we speak. If you do not experience this power you ought to go to the giver of the power and find out why, God has no problem showing His power, but are we in a state to be a channel for that power. God will not just use anyone until they are tested and tried and you have been proven trustworthy. I remember watching TV one day and Bishop T.D. Jakes was preaching on the subject he titled "If it is dead, get rid of it". How true that is, If we are dead to sin why are we still hold on so tightly to it, get rid of it. It is in the PAST and it will only hold you back.

Those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, But those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:5-6). God does not involve Himself with our PAST so why should we, we were hostile to Him and not able to subject ourselves to Him in our sinful flesh. (Romans 8:7). He devised a plan on how to put to death the old man and be born again of Holy Spirit, as the new man with the nature of God, and if we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). We died to deeds of the flesh and it is no longer we who are living, But we live in Christ by faith. (Galatians 2:20)

Now in Christ

If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation (2Corinthians 5:17) .. Put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him. (Colossians 3:10) É if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. (Romans 8:9) Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:25) ..Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. (Romans 13:14) For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.(Galatians 3:27)

Desire Jesus all the more and be obedient to His Spirit, most times we ask Jesus to fill us more and more, I think we ought to be giving Jesus more and more of ourselves and let Him change us. It is my prayer that you take time to reflect over what is written here in and pray about a new and true relationship with Jesus, you dying and Him living in you. Jesus is can give you a future, why let the PAST destroy your hope of eternal life, the glorious future.

God Bless.

All scripture, unless otherwise mentioned, is taken from the New American Standard Version.

Friends - 1998

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