Today’s New Covenant nugget is from Romans 14:17
The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
The three qualities of a mature Christian are righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Mature believers are fully convinced that they are the righteousness of God in Christ, and they live like it… and they walk in New Covenant PEACE and JOY by the power of the Holy Spirit regardless of circumstances.
For a believer, maturity is marked by walking in righteousness, peace and joy, even during the most challenging days… mature believers do not blink when the devil shoots fiery darts, they remain stable, unshakable in their faith and full of joy and peace.
When others are around mature believers, they do not know whether those believers are having their most challenging day ever, or if they are having the best day in their lives… as a mature believer, my goal is that my own wife, and those closest to me will have no idea, (based on my behavior) when I am in the midst of a challenge, but that I will exude genuine joy and peace, as well as a lighthearted, calm atmosphere of faith at all times.
What I am describing is not achieved, but received, and then walked out by GRACE, through FAITH!
One of the greatest reasons that mature believers do not walk in righteousness, peace and JOY at all times, is that they do not know that it is even possible. They think that it is normal to be depressed once in a while… they think that everyone has to have a ‘flesh fit’ occasionally, otherwise they are just not human. Let me ask you a question… do you think that Jesus was ever depressed, or that He got in the flesh every so often? Absolutely not! Having said that, Jesus said, “the works that I do, you shall do also, only greater works!” Therefore, if Jesus could do it, so can we!
I HATE getting in the flesh… especially around those closest to me, so, I asked the Lord, “How do I overcome my flesh… how do I NEVER, EVER ‘flesh-out’ AGAIN?” Jesus answered me and said, “Just don’t flesh-out!” With that, the revelation hit me… I am full of the Spirit, full of the Word, prayed up, and walking in grace, so why does my flesh get the best of me at times? Short answer… “because I let it!”
If a stranger opens my door and decides to walk into my house with muddy feet, and sit on my couch, while insulting my wife… guess what? I am going to show him the door in a very persuasive way! So, why do I not do the same thing with my flesh? Because, in the past, I had been deceived to believe that I had limited power over my flesh! Now, presently, I have mostly overcome my flesh, and letting it have its way is a very rare thing, but occasionally I still do let frustration have a voice, and occasionally I still do let irritation have a voice… (confessions of a pastor); why do I allow this? Because I do not take authority over it, and because I ‘LET IT’ have a voice! Doing that is a mark of spiritual immaturity!
Now, the only one who EVER gets an occasional glimpse of my flesh is my amazing wife… why is it that I can overcome, and control my flesh all of the time around others, but occasionally allow itself to rear its ugly head in front of the one that I care about the most? Because I allow it! I am not in the least under condemnation about my occasional slip-ups, but as a mature, righteous believer in Christ, ‘the Prince of peace’, and ‘JOY personified’, I am making a change… I am making a change because I can! I can do ALL things through Christ, and I WILL do this… ‘bye-bye’ flesh!
Happy Veterans-Day to all of you veterans… you are all heros! I speak a blessing over you, in Jesus Name!
In His amazing Love, Nick
