July is here — marking the height of summer and bringing a spirit of celebration that makes us want to soak in every sunlit moment! It’s a month of continued growth, exciting possibilities, and the joy of full-blown summer.
Continuing from June’s “Food for the Soul” (FFTS), we will start the month of July with a reminder of what Roman 8:1-2 says, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”
In other words…The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death: The law of the sin and death was a strong and seemingly absolute law. Every sin we commit and every cemetery we see proves it. But the law of the Spirit of life in Christ is stronger still, and the law of the Spirit frees us from the law of sin and death.
When we are abiding in Christ, we are delivered from the fear of condemnation. We fear condemnation when we are trusting in our own righteousness. But this verse clarifies that we are justified not because of our good behavior but because of our unity with Jesus Christ. He is our righteousness. Therefore, so long as we are abiding in him, we have nothing to fear.
Prayer:
Father God, thank You for Your grace, which has set us free from the curse of the law and the power of sin in our life. Thank You for sending Christ Jesus Whose death procured our freedom from the power of sin and death. I pray that we may walk in spirit and truth as we submit to the Holy Spirit so that our old sin nature is kept in the place of death. Help us to walk in spirit and truth and not to revert back to the law or engage in fleshly carnality, knowing that we have been set FREE and are enabled to stand fast in that liberty, as we submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.