I stood on the north coast of Maui watching the wind-driven wave crash upon the rocky shore. The blue water’s whitecaps, the sound of waves hitting and receding from the rocks, and a unique smell from the sun, sand, and sea combined to create a sensory experience. Of course, I pulled out my phone and took a picture to capture the moment.
Looking back after coming home, I came across this photo. It sparked recollection, and with a little photo editing to bring the brightness of the blues and boldness of the white waves, it still did not relay the fullness of the memory.
Depending on your scientific school of thought, humans have anywhere from the basic 5 (see, hear, smell, taste and touch) to upwards of 33 different sensory receptors, including balance, and internal and external body awareness, etc. We humans are sensory creatures. These senses within each unique individual affect us, from our imagination realm to experiential memories, our perceptions in life, our judgments of others and our awareness of God and His Kingdom. They are a magnificent gift in our discipleship walk and our heavenly purpose, and they are the enemy’s greatest target for keeping us in bondage.
When I began this writing, I had these two questions rolling around in my imagination from Holy Spirit.
Why do you hold on to that which is old and refuse to embrace what is new?
Why do we yearn for the prisons of our soul rather than running after freedom in the Spirit?
Pondering these questions, the parallels between Israel’s experience with Yahweh and humanity’s consistent choices struck me. For example, when Israel cried out to God from Egypt after being slaves, God answered their prayer by sending Moses to rescue them. The rescue included an invitation to meet God at Sinai in the wilderness. God moved in miraculous ways. Plagues, fire, clouds, and parting waters were things they saw with their own eyes. God’s desire for their freedom, and more importantly, having them to be His people and meet with Him, was a powerful move of a nation from bondage to freedom. Yet it was not long in their transition land that they were literally complaining of their circumstances and dreaming of going back to slavery, as if it were the better thing.
When it was time for Israel to cross into the promised land and Moses sent in the 12 spies. They saw the blessings and bounty (milk and honey) available on the land, but their fear of giants in the land kept them from crossing over. Only two, Joshua and Caleb, were prepared to follow the command of God and conquer the land promised to Abraham. It was such an egregious stance taken by the nation that God commanded that the entire generation, represented by their disobedience, would die in the wilderness and it would be 40 years before they entered their promise.
In Romans 7, Paul describes his life under the Law, highlighting its failure to free him from his sinful nature, despite his deep understanding of it. He is verbalizing his own internal debate of this very topic when he says it this way…
“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Vs. 17 ESV)
“For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” (Vs. 18b)
“So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.” (Vs. 21)
“For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.” (Vs. 22)
What Paul is describing is that he fully understood his life under the Law. He knew it, he practiced it, he was a self-described Pharisee of Pharisees, Hebrew of Hebrews. He didn’t just read his bible it was in his very DNA. Yet–he still was in bondage. His life under the law informed him, but did not give him freedom. Not until Paul met Christ and started walking with the Spirit of life did he see the difference. The Word become flesh.
He states in Romans 8:
“There is, therefore, now no condemnation for those who are IN CHRIST JESUS. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free IN CHRIST JESUS from the law of sin and death.” (Vs. 1-2 ESV)
IN CHRIST JESUS
These three words to a mind trained in the salvation gospel could mean that someone is “saved,” but there are millions of people who would claim to be saved, and yet still not FREE. Israel was “saved” from slavery in Egypt, but Egyptian bondage was still in them. The promise of victory in the “land of milk and honey” given to Israel, yet the wilderness within them seemed safer somehow. Paul was as religious as they come but recognized his own wretchedness.
When Paul uses the phrase, “In Christ Jesus,” he is speaking of a greater sphere, an awareness, a supernatural realm where the Spirit of life grants freedom. It’s important to remember that Joshua and Caleb, the obedient spies who had a “different spirit,” led the conquest of the Promised Land, empowered to believe the victory promises. Moses met Yahweh at a burning bush, on holy ground, and walked with Him into enemy territory and, with signs and wonders, saw the Hand of God set them all free. It was Kammy, who stood on the edge of the ocean and with all the senses she possessed, worshipped the Spirit of Life, delighted in His creation and asked for more.
“In Christ Jesus,” is an invitation to an encounter with the Living Christ. An offer to come to the shores of your internal struggle, and allow the waves of His Grace to roll over you in exchange for a renewed mind, a circumcised heart, an internal structure of peace. The choice is yours believer…
A mind set on flesh.
A mind on the Spirit.
One is death.
One is life and peace.
Either way – it’s a choice – every single day!
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” Romans 8:14-15 ESV