By Brother Ron Jaworski
What happens when the new year begins? More often than not, there are resolutions that are made but are very difficult to actually fulfill. Why? Why do people say they will do this and that and change for the better every year without actually doing it?
The problem is, your new year’s resolution comes from the flesh. According to the word of God, the apostle Paul makes a distinction that man has three parts - spirit, soul and body. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is a very simple truth that when accepted will change everything in your walk as a Christian. Most teachings make the soul and spirit as one. On a fast note, the body is what you see in the mirror everyday, the soul is your personality, will, ego and emotions, while your spirit is the one that gets born again. Your should and your body is called the flesh. Now what is their importance?
When God made Adam and Eve, He gave them authority to rule over the earth. But the ultimate authority rested on Adam. And when they were tempted by the serpent, they sinned and death entered the world. Romans 5:12 says so. It reads, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—”. God did not want this. He made everything good when He was creating the world. It was man who disobeyed and did a wrong thing. And when he did, his spirit died. Adam’s body lived for a very long time but his spirit died when he sinned. When God created man He breathed on him and this breath gave life to Adam. That breath, the spirit, died when Adam sinned.
When all of this occurred, something also became alive in the soul and body. This is the sin nature. When you are a sinner, it is not because you commit sin. You are a sinner because you have a sin nature. Because the sin of Adam spread to all men, you become spiritually dead and now have a sin nature. No matter how much you try and want to change, you have a difficult time because of this sin nature.
What is God’s solution to this problem? The words ‘born again’ is not a religion, a church or a denomination. Born again is your identity, a spiritual state and truth that means the because of Jesus’ death on the cross , the old you died with Him and you now have a new life, which is also in Him. For you to be born again, something has to die first. You cannot live two lives at the same time. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” If your spirit is dead, all your actions are dictated by your soul and body. How will you fight this if you do not have the spirit to contradict it?
Galatians 2:20 says “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” When were you crucified on the cross? Never. But this is what happens when you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior by faith. A substitution takes place. The old you was crucified on the cross and the life of Christ is what lives in you now. You are no longer a sinner because the sinner is dead. Yes, you commit sin because of the sin nature, but the sinner is already crucified on the cross. The apostle Paul calls believers saints in the New testament. This is not to boast but it is the truth. Jesus Christ paid a very big price, his body and blood, so that you can have a new life in Him.
When you are a sinner, you cannot be the temple of the Holy Spirit. Because nothing unholy can be with God who is Holy. He cannot live in you. You are still fighting with the flesh but now you have a defense. In your spirit, you are born again. And when God sees you from heaven, He sees His child. He does not see a sinner.
This is a fresh start. This is a new beginning. Colossians 1:27 says “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Your spirit is one with Christ because He is in you. All you have to do is bring out what is in you. All the answers that you have been looking for and prayers that you have been asking for - the answers are already within you. Is Christ able to live through you or is your flesh blocking the way? That is the question. What is dictating your person? Is Christ in you able to live through you?
1 Corinthians 6:17 says “But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.” One third of your person is the Holy Spirit. He is there and He is God. Do not ever think that you are alone because God’s power is in you. All you have to do is let Him out. Who God is and what He has is in you. God has a promise of victory in you. And you are already victorious because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross. Everyone who came to Jesus had changed lives.
Galatians 5:16-17 says “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” Now you know why new year resolutions do not work. Because unless you lean on the Holy spirit to give you the power to change, you will just go in circles. The flesh and the spirit are at war. Now who is more dominant in your life? And how will you make the spirit more dominant?
If you have Christ in you, you are already changed. You do not need to change because you already are. You are perfect and holy because of the Holy Spirit. The problem is the call of the flesh is stronger than the call of the Holy Spirit. All you have to do is let the truth out from inside you. If you are in the flesh, you really cannot do it. But if the Holy Spirit is working inside you and the love of Jesus Christ is overflowing in your life, it is impossible not to see Christ in you.
You need the Holy Spirit. You need Jesus Christ. Everybody needs the word of God. Your heartbeat needs to be one with the heartbeat of God. Make time for His word. You need not wait for the new year to change. You can do this anytime. Become Christ conscious. Look to Him because nothing is impossible with Him. Keep on seeking the things above.