319. Live and Reign

Shall we continue in sin that grace might abound? Certainly not! Rom. 6:1-2.

The intention is that we are to reign over sin, and not the opposite. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, and in Him there is no sin. But the point is, we must seek help in the time of need for “you do not have because you do not ask.” If we want to overcome, we must live a prayer life. Without prayer we become hard and stubborn. God’s will for us is sanctification and victory. Each one is tempted when he is drawn and enticed by his own desires. We must resist this drawing and enticement in the power of God’s Spirit. We suffer in the flesh and overcome sin, and then no conception takes place in our mind, so no sin is born. The doctrine of sin and grace, as it is taught and understood, leads to a life of bondage. Christ has not given us the spirit of bondage again to fear, but He has given us the Spirit of adoption by which we cry out “Abba Father.” The one who sins is a slave of sin, but everyone who does righteousness is born of God.

“Those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” Rom. 5:17. Those who abide in Him do not sin. To abide in Him is the same as to abide in His body, which is the church—the only church—our church, and we shall never leave it. Those who belong to this church have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. Not everyone who comes to our meetings lives a victorious life, but all those who do live a victorious life live the life of Christ in the spirit. They have crucified all the desires of the flesh. Such people live and reign with the One. If they are able to reign over themselves in their life, in eternity they will be capable of reigning with Jesus. Sin is present in our body (the body of death). That is why when Christ lives and rules in us, the body is dead because of sin. We are led by Christ who is our Head, while ungodly people are led by the lusts that dwell in their body, and these lusts corrupt them. All the sin in the world comes from the lusts that are in our body. That is why Paul disciplined his body and kept it in subjection, and because he did that, the Spirit of God was able to lead his life.

“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” Rom. 6:12-13.

The life of Christ makes it possible for us to live and reign. Therefore we must, by faith in the power of the Spirit, keep sin under our feet. By so doing, we also get Satan and all the evil hosts of wickedness under our feet. When we live like this, we are able to say like Paul, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”

As long as the kings of Israel walked according to God’s commandments, they lived a happy and blessed life—as did all the people. Their enemies kept their distance. But the instant they began to worship idols, their enemies came sneaking back in from every direction. Finally they were carried away into exile and suffered severe punishment. The paths to Zion mourned because no one came to the appointed feasts. Her adversaries became her masters, and her enemies prospered. All the splendor of the daughter of Zion departed from her. “Therefore her collapse was awesome; she had no comforter. The adversary has spread his hand over all her pleasant things; for she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary.” Lam. 1.

Exactly the same thing happens to every soul and every church that departs from the Lord. It does not matter if earlier in your life you were blessed by the Lord. The day a person begins to sin, he will collapse in an awesome way.

Therefore, every soul and every church must say with Isaiah:

“For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns.” Isa. 62:1.

If we use this as our guideline, we will be always live and reign.