Put Off / Put On

If you are serious about living an abundant life for Christ, be brave and ask the Spirit of God to search you.

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24, NIV)

You are holy through the washing of the blood. You are cleansed, refined, and decontaminated because of the cross. Now you must be set apart through your obedience to the Word of God, by the power of His Spirit living inside you, guiding you, warning you. Each belief, each thought, each word, each decision, and desire must be in obedience to the leading of the Spirit as your “conscience” comes into alignment with the Word of God. Part of the Holy Spirit’s role is to help you with that.

“And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:” (John 16:8, NKJV)

When you are living the Spirit-filled life, the Holy Spirit will point out the things that are right and not right.

Without understanding of the Word of God, it is possible to be unaware that you are heading the wrong way.

If you are serious about living an abundant life for Christ, be brave and ask the Spirit of God to search you, illuminate the corners and nooks where sin may be hiding, and like David, ask the Lord to deliver you from the sins you don’t yet know about.

Stop here, and pray Psalm 139:23-24 as a request to the Holy Spirit to make you aware of any area that still needs to be “put off.”