The Light Daily Devotional – Put to Death Your Members
Focus: Put to death your members
WORD FOR TODAY
The rottenness within a man can only be suppressed and made recessive when the Holy Spirit is given free reign to find full expression in his life. There is a beast, a natural inclination to sin, within every human being—a force that constantly resists the will of God and hinders us from walking in obedience!
Scriptural Reference
“Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them” — Colossians 3:5-7 (NKJV)
The default setting of every man, created by God, is to manifest the works of the flesh. We are born with a sinful nature that pulls us toward behaviours and desires that are contrary to God’s will. Without the influence of the Holy Spirit, a person is left to the whims of this fallen nature, and the consequences can be devastating. The damage and shameful acts that can emanate from the life of a man who does not allow the Holy Spirit to find expression in him are beyond comprehension. It is not merely a matter of making moral decisions or trying to be a good person—without the Holy Spirit, we lack the power to truly overcome the pull of sin.
In order to live the life that God desires to give you, you must come to the end of yourself. You must surrender completely to Christ and allow Him to live His life in you (Galatians 2:20). This surrender involves a daily choice to put off the old self—the sinful nature that once controlled you—and to put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator (Colossians 3:10). It is a process of allowing the Holy Spirit to work in you, transforming your desires, attitudes, and actions so that they align with God’s purpose. The more you allow the Holy Spirit to fill and guide you, the more the beast within—the sinful nature—becomes recessive, losing its power over your life.
Putting off the “members” of the flesh, as described in Colossians, is not a one-time event but a continual process. These “members” include fornication, uncleanness, evil desires, and covetousness—things that are deeply rooted in the sinful nature. You must invite the Holy Spirit to take full control of every area of your life, yielding to His guidance and allowing Him to shape your thoughts, desires, and actions. When the Holy Spirit finds full expression in your life, the sinful tendencies that once defined you begin to fade. The old self dies, and the new self, made alive in Christ, rises to take its place.
Meditation: Are there areas of your life where the sinful nature still finds expression?
Prayer: Lord, Help me to put off the old self and to live in the fullness of the new life You have given me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Emphasis: The sinful nature is powerful, but it becomes recessive when the Holy Spirit is given full expression in your life. Surrender to Him and allow Him to work His good pleasure in you.
Live a Surrendered Life, Let the Spirit Transform You!
