WALK IN CHRIST NOT CRISIS!

After spending thirty years on death row in an Alabama penitentiary, Ray Hinton was recently exonerated and released from prison. His response to the injustice he endured for decades was “they took my 30s, 40s, my 50s, but what they couldn’t take was my joy… Bitterness kills the soul, I cannot hate because my Bible teaches me not to hate.” WOW!!! This man held on to hope under conditions that most of us will never have to endure, yet we carry our hardships like a badge of honor, and we wear our sufferings like a suit of armor.  This speaks volumes to the condition of our hearts as followers of Christ.
We all fall short of perfection and each of us face challenges in our lives but no matter what the circumstance, whether miserable in marriage, bothered by bills, shamed by sin, injured or ill; Christ is the Redeemer and our joy and strength can be found in Him! We are supposed to be witnesses of Christ’s redemption; we are the face of His salvation. How are we to do that if our living does not coincide with what the Bible says about Christ? If the condition of our flesh controls us, we cannot exemplify the spirit of God within us.
The Bible teaches us to walk by the Spirit of God and not give in to the flesh (see Galatians 5:16) What we must do is to slay the sin that so easily ensnares us and fight against things that God hates (see Proverbs 6:16-19). When we fully embrace the Spirit of God, His presence is evident in our walk. We are not true witnesses if we gripe and complain all week and then show up on Sunday to sing His praises. His grace and mercy should shine through our circumstances every day.
God uses people and circumstances to speak to us, to uplift us and to purpose us. Take time out today to evaluate what God can do through you. Are you a walking example of Christ’s redemption or are you a victim of sin and circumstance? As a follower of Christ, can anyone bear witness through you? Ask yourself, are you walking in Christ or crisis?

Prayer: Thank you Father God for all of our circumstances, both good and bad; and for giving us joy in the form of Christ Jesus. Forgive us for embracing sinful and worldly things and attempting to fulfill our flesh and not our spirit.  Help us to embrace the Holy Spirit each day in our walk with Christ, and shed away all things that is not of your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Read Galatians 5:13-26 to embrace the power of God’s Spirit within us.