All,
It has been a while since I have last sent an encouraging word to you. I hope that today I will be able to bless you, and encourage you to continue in the fight against sexual bondage, or any bondage for that matter.
As I was doing my own feasting the Lord began to speak to about being strong in spirit. I have chewed on this for several days now. and I believe that I have been given a word for you all.
Lets first look at where it all began.
Luke 1:15b “(John the Baptist)…he will also be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mothers womb.”
Luke 1:80a “(John the Baptist) So the child grew and became strong in spirit…”
Luke 2:40b “(Jesus) The Child grew strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him”
John and Jesus were both filled with the Holy Spirit from birth. They as children grew and became strong in spirit. For as the Holy Spirit and their spirits were one, they grew strong in the Spirit.
Jesus has called us to be strong in our spirits too. look at Gal 5:16-18 “I say then: walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh, for the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; the these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law.” Just as Jesus was tempted in the flesh so are we tempted in our flesh. But we have a good example in Jesus. He was strong in His spirit. He was strong in Spirit too. if we were to look at when Jesus was tempted we would see that He knew the scriptures, and He used them! We also see that He did not fight with His own strength. He fought with the strength given by the Spirit. He was strong in Spirit!
Now how does this apply to us, as we fight for freedom? Well, let us again look at scripture.
Rom 8:9 “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ he is not his.”
We see that in order for us to be a Christian at all we must have the Holy Spirit inside of us. If He is not there then we are not born of Christ!... so with that being said look at:
1 John 4:13 “”By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit”
We know that we are of Jesus because He has given us His Spirit. He has given us the gift of Himself…. What a wonderful gift!... now let me ask you this, what does that gift of the Holy Spirit consist of? (I know we could spend days on that question, but let’s just look at one)… well let’s look at one that will bless us right now. One that will lift us up in our fight for freedom.
2 Cor 3:17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
1 Cor 3:13 “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”
1 Cor 6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”
Here is our gift. FREEDOM, LIBERTY!!! We who are of Christ have the Holy Spirit in us. And where the Spirit of God is there is liberty. Brothers, do you get how great this is? Do you see the hope we have in Jesus? If the Holy Spirit is in you (as you are His temple of dwelling) then you are freed from the bondage of sexual sins. Well any bondage for that matter.
Now look back where we started. We started with John and Jesus. They grew as children, they grew strong in the Spirit. Brothers as you are coming out of bondage you are like little children. Which is a great place to be by the way. So as you are walking out of bondage and learning to walk with Jesus let your spirit become strong in Spirit. Consider this in Luke 7:28 “(Jesus says) For I say to you among those born of women there is not a greater prophet that John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he (John the Baptist)” to be least in the kingdom of Jesus is where I want to be. Let us always be in a state of need. Let us grow strong in the Spirit and always have a constant need for Jesus!
Finally let me leave you with this from 1 Thess 5:19 “Do not quench the Spirit.” Brothers as we live out our lives, let us do all we can do not quench the Spirit of God. We have seen that He the Spirit is our constant liberty, so if we quench Him what do you think might happen? We will open up a door for our flesh to reign again. So let us seek to stay obedient to Jesus and keep ourselves in the liberty that the Holy Spirit brings to us.
There is lasting freedom from sexual bondage. We do not have to live our lives bound to this terrible thing anymore. Turn, take up your cross and follow Jesus, leave all cares and worries behind and seek Him. Seek the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and find lasting liberty. For where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty!
Your Brother in the fight
Nate Cook
Setting Captives Free Team member
