I’m not really one to make New Years resolutions, but I do usually ask the Lord for a word or scripture to give me an idea of where we (He and I) are going to be focusing for the new year. This year my word is Renewal. This could be speaking to a few things in my personal life, I’m not really sure yet – it is only the end of the first week of the new year! In reality, I could use renewal on a daily basis – I could use a renewal of strength, a renewing in my desire to persevere in the hard things I deal with, and some days I need a renewing of my mind. As the Lord has been talking about sanctification and I have thought about the word He gave me ‘Renewal’ – it led Him to talking about newness in Christ. I love when He reminds me that I am a new creation in Christ! I have been made in His likeness, to walk in His purpose, by His power! I need this reminder, because Satan is always on the attack and I don’t want to be pulled back into who I am apart from Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, ” Therefore, (what is that there for…) if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.” Do we really get this? Sometimes I wonder. ‘ Therefore’ refers back to verses 14-16 where the Apostle Paul tells us (believers) that we have died with Christ and we no longer live for ourselves. I came across this in a commentary a couple of years ago and I love it!

“Jesus didn’t die for you so you could keep living your life. Jesus died for you so He could live His life in you.” – Unknown

Let that sink in! It is not about us! It is ALL about Him! But so many of us still live as though it is about us. So many of us live as if we are still stuck in our old sinful nature following the motto of ” I love Jesus, but I cuss a little” and other motto’s of the same nature. There’s a problem when the Church is living by this type of motto – we are new creations in Christ! If we are in Christ, if we are living in the newness of Christ, if we are renewing our minds with the Word – this should not be a motto we claim. Instead, we should be claiming, even declaring “I am a New creation! I am created in the IMAGE of God!” Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (1 Peter 3:10, James 3:9-12). The old is gone! That is EVERYTHING that is apart of our old nature – pride, love of sin, depending on works, fleshly opinions, habits, and passions. They are gone. We have to stop dragging them along with us as we walk in our new nature. We need to delight in the things of God and hate the things that are of the world (basically the age and culture we live in).

Sanctification, the day by day process of being made holy, sinning less and hating the times we do sin more and more. Romans 6:6-7 “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.”

It’s time to start walking in the newness of Christ! It’s time to remind the devil that you are no longer bound by your sin! YouTube Chris Tomlin’s song Resurrection Power make it your new motto! – That’s it. StraightUp!