“Friends, we owe the world, the flesh and the devil nothing! All they promised was spiritual death, followed by physical death, followed by eternal death. So let us see our wicked flesh or wicked nature for what it is, and let us exterminate it. This is what people do who are spiritual alive.”

How about some good news today! Allow me to help you pray.

Friends, for us who have confessed our sins and professed our submission to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, there is no damnation coming for us. We, who were once under the Covenant of Works, practiced sin and earned death. However, due to the Covenant of Grace, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit set us free from the Covenant of Works. The Father sent his Son as a weak human being for the purpose of being treated as a sinner. Our condemnation was placed upon his soul-account and his righteous law keeping was placed upon our soul-account.

And how do we know that we were benefited by his righteousness swap? It is because we walk not following the leadership of our wicked flesh any longer, but we find ourselves progressively walking after the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Yes, those who continue to walk following the leadership of the world, the flesh, and the devil, they are hostile to God; they are displeasing to God; they are spiritually dead individuals who remain under the condemnation of God. However, we who set our minds upon God and walk in the Spirit, our present and future reality is life and peace. While our bodies are wasting away, our souls are thriving in Christ Jesus, and no condemnation remains for us. And one day, the same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the grave will resurrect, remake, and reunite our perfected souls with perfected bodies.

Friends, we owe the world, the flesh and the devil nothing! All they promised was spiritual death, followed by physical death, followed by eternal death. So let us see our wicked flesh or wicked nature for what it is, and let us exterminate it. This is what people do who are spiritual alive. This is what people do who are led by the Holy Spirit. Such is the character and practice of those who are sons of God.

So, as we walk in progressive victory and holiness, let us not have fear as those who are still in danger of condemnation. God is our Father; Jesus is our Brother; and the Spirit is our Helper.

And let us not cower or compromise. In the day of tribulation, suffer well knowing that glorification with Christ is on our future agenda. Any suffering we go through today is well worth the glory to come. Creation has been groaning and panting for some time. In addition, the Holy Spirit groans as he looks forward to our day of glorification. Likewise, we are allowed to join in their longing lament. However, as we pant and moan, let us patiently hope and never doubt the sovereign, loving, never-changing plan of God.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Therefore, let us worship. If God is for us, who can be against us? If God did not spare his only begotten Son, what other blessings does he have in store for us? If God has no charges to bring against us, why do we care who condemns us? If God has died for us in the past and is presently praying for us daily, who or what can separate us from him? If God has foreknown, predestined, called, justified, and promised to glorify, why fear tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, sword, slaughter, death, life, angels, rulers, present things, future things, earthly powers, heavenly powers … nothing will be able to separate us from God’s love.

Joseph A. Franks IV is a minister in the Presbyterian Church in America and is Pastor of Palmetto Hills Presbyterian Church in Simpsonville, South Carolina. This article first appeared on his blog, and is used with permission.