The month of October is notoriously a time when we begin to see and hear the all too familiar “haunt’s” of Halloween.
The lovely canopy of autumn begins to tarnish with the shadows of a bewitching influence that permeates, as it twists and twines its’ way around us.
The meaning of the word, “Bewitched” is: To attract; to cause to be enamored, as in the casting of a spell over someone or something.
Back in the time of the early church, they too struggled with a notorious “bewitching” problem. One that the Apostle Paul felt the need to address.
We find his rather strong admonishment in the book of Galations, chapter three when he said:
“You foolish Galations! Who has bewitched you?” (Galations 3:1)
He of course was referring to the whole “Law verses Grace” problem.
Paul was trying to stress that just as they (the Galations) had started out their Christian walk in the power of the Spirit, so they should be careful to continue to grow by that same grace and power of the Spirit! A subtle shift had crept in, as they were now starting to insist on keeping the Jewish laws.
I don’t know about you, but I certainly can relate.
It’s of utmost importance for us all to remember that we only grow in proportion to God’s work of grace in and through us--by the Spirit!
It is never about following some specific set of rules. Attempting to stay justified by our own “mortal” efforts just doesn’t cut it! Those sneaky little “good intentions” that come in the form of: “I’ll do better next time” or "I’ll never do that again…" or, "Maybe if I just pray more…or commit more…"
You can be assured that dialog like that will always end in failure and defeat. Why? Because…we can’t keep the law!
I am convinced that the Holy Spirit’s greatest work in all of us, is in teaching us to believe and trust in Christ’s provision for our sins, as we walk out the truth in His sustaining power, especially during the times when we feel weak, vulnerable, and very much MORTAL!
We must begin to understand that because we are born of the incorruptible seed of Christ, we do come into a liberty from any and all religious activity, and we have no need to prove anything!
Even when we do things we don’t want to do (a trial of our faith) we give thanks as we realize it is no longer “I” who lives, but Christ living in me, and the life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me! (Galations 2:20).
As we continue to move forward in our Spiritual walk, daily stirring up the Spirit of Faith, recognizing the challenge before us… we soon begin to realize that as we totally yield ourselves to His Lordship, we will very naturally no...“supernaturally” live everyday for Christ.
For me to live...is Christ
(Philippians 1:21)
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