Don’t Be an Enemy with God
An un-renewed mind is an enemy with God (Romans 8:5-8) “for they that are
after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit
the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually
minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it
is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in
the flesh cannot please God”.
When we were born again, our spirit man was regenerated, made alive, and our
spirit man is to rule over our flesh. We are a three part being; spirit, soul and
body (I Thessalonians 5:23) “and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;
and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless to
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Remember that when Adam was formed
of the dust of the ground, that God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;
and man became a living soul (a speaking spirit); Genesis 2:7. However, when
Adam disobeyed God’s command and fell, his spirit died. Thanks be to God
who sent Jesus and we were born again (II Corinthians 5:17) “therefore if any
man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all
things are become new”.
Our spirit man is renewed at once, and we are told by the apostle Paul to renew
our mind (Romans 12:1-2) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies
of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,
which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be
you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good, and acceptable and perfect will of God”.
It is God’s will for us to renew our minds (III John 2) “beloved, I wish above all
things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers”.
God reveals His treasures by His Spirit to our spirit (I Corinthians 2:5-14) “that
your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
However we speak wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of
this world, nor the princes of this world, that come to nought. But we speak the
wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained
before the world to our glory. Which none of the princes of this world knew; for
had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is
written, eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of
man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him. But God has
revealed them to us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the
deep things of God. For what man knows the things of man, save the spirit of
man which is in him? Even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of
God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of
God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which
things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which
the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural
man (your old man, your fleshly nature) receives not the things of the Spirit of
God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they
are spiritually discerned”.
Ephesians 4:22-24 says “that you put off concerning the former conversation
the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. And be renewed
in the spirit of your mind. And that you put on the new man, which after God is
created in righteousness and true holiness”. We are told to “put on Christ”
(Romans 13:12-14) “the night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore
cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk
honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and
wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put you on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof”.
James 3:13-18 says “who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among
you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of
wisdom. But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and
lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above; but is earthly,
sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every
evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable;
gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without
partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in
peace of them that make peace”. He goes on to say in James 4:4 “you
adulterers and adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world is
enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the
enemy of God”.
The apostle John confirms in I John 2:15-17 by saying “love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of
the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passes away, and the lust thereof; but he that does the will of
God abides forever”.
We have to think of ourselves as that “new creation” in Christ, and by faith walk
like we are, because God sees us as renewed, regenerated by what Jesus did
for us.
Romans 8:9-16 says “but you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that
the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is
none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the
Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up
Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall
also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you. Therefore,
brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For is you live
after the flesh, you shall die; but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of
the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are
the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear,
but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God”.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: November 11, 2011
An un-renewed mind is an enemy with God (Romans 8:5-8) “for they that are
after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit
the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually
minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it
is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in
the flesh cannot please God”.
When we were born again, our spirit man was regenerated, made alive, and our
spirit man is to rule over our flesh. We are a three part being; spirit, soul and
body (I Thessalonians 5:23) “and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;
and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless to
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Remember that when Adam was formed
of the dust of the ground, that God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;
and man became a living soul (a speaking spirit); Genesis 2:7. However, when
Adam disobeyed God’s command and fell, his spirit died. Thanks be to God
who sent Jesus and we were born again (II Corinthians 5:17) “therefore if any
man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all
things are become new”.
Our spirit man is renewed at once, and we are told by the apostle Paul to renew
our mind (Romans 12:1-2) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies
of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,
which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be
you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good, and acceptable and perfect will of God”.
It is God’s will for us to renew our minds (III John 2) “beloved, I wish above all
things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers”.
God reveals His treasures by His Spirit to our spirit (I Corinthians 2:5-14) “that
your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
However we speak wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of
this world, nor the princes of this world, that come to nought. But we speak the
wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained
before the world to our glory. Which none of the princes of this world knew; for
had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is
written, eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of
man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him. But God has
revealed them to us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the
deep things of God. For what man knows the things of man, save the spirit of
man which is in him? Even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of
God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of
God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which
things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which
the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural
man (your old man, your fleshly nature) receives not the things of the Spirit of
God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they
are spiritually discerned”.
Ephesians 4:22-24 says “that you put off concerning the former conversation
the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. And be renewed
in the spirit of your mind. And that you put on the new man, which after God is
created in righteousness and true holiness”. We are told to “put on Christ”
(Romans 13:12-14) “the night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore
cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk
honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and
wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put you on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof”.
James 3:13-18 says “who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among
you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of
wisdom. But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and
lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above; but is earthly,
sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every
evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable;
gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without
partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in
peace of them that make peace”. He goes on to say in James 4:4 “you
adulterers and adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world is
enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the
enemy of God”.
The apostle John confirms in I John 2:15-17 by saying “love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of
the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passes away, and the lust thereof; but he that does the will of
God abides forever”.
We have to think of ourselves as that “new creation” in Christ, and by faith walk
like we are, because God sees us as renewed, regenerated by what Jesus did
for us.
Romans 8:9-16 says “but you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that
the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is
none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the
Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up
Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall
also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you. Therefore,
brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For is you live
after the flesh, you shall die; but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of
the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are
the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear,
but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God”.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: November 11, 2011
