That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:6
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2 Corinthians 3:17
The only way we can truly know and experience God is to be born from the Spirit of God, to be born from above. We can not live in the kingdom of God without being born again (John 3:3). Therefore the born-again believer is a brand new spirit man in Christ. The old carnal ways no longer are to have predominance over us, but the preeminence now is the Christ-man, the man of the Spirit. The lead of the new Christ-man is the lead of the Holy Spirit and from our opening verses we see that this is the ultimate freedom we can have. Thus, we as believers are to solely know the freedom of the Holy Spirit.
Unfortunately many believers do not experience this divine freedom in Christ on a consistent basis. The reason for this is because some have often chosen to hold on to an old mindset - the carnal mind of the old man. The born-again believer is a new-creation man and is perfectly equipped to walk out the mind of Christ: as we renew our minds by the Word of God we put off the old carnal man and we put on the new Christ-man (Ephesians 4:22-24).
The submitting of our minds to the Word of God is the most resisted by our flesh act of service to God. The mind renewal is the ultimate crucifixion of our flesh that we are to daily engage in. Paul tells us that this living sacrifice is our logical, reasonable service to God, an act of spiritual worship to our Living God: "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:1,2 ESV).
The continuous transformation of our mind is the only way that we can walk in the enduring living liberty of the Holy Spirit. The fight of faith that we are to engage in is to hold on to this ever-working transformation within. This transformation ensures that our minds stay free from the debris of old thought patterns and be kept decluttered from the many distractions and cares that seep in through the influx of daily worldly information. Paul in Galatians exhorts us to stand firm in the liberty by which Christ has set us free and to not be yoked again with the bondage of the old ways of the flesh (Gal. 3:3 & 5:1).
We have been born again by the Spirit of God, who is the perfect freedom from all oppression and bondage, so that now we are only subject to His liberty (Rom 8:15). Let us continue to submit our minds to the work of the Holy Spirit as we daily partake of the Word of Truth, the Bible. This is the only way we can bring to naught all that wants to conform us again to the old enslaving ways of the flesh. This freedom of the Spirit that we are borne of is part of our inheritance in Christ and we are to daily walk in it.
Let us soar on wings like eagles; let us run and not grow weary, and walk and not become faint, for He who has started this mighty work of transformation in us is faithful to keep us to the very end.
Today engage in His freedom and give Him glory!
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