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When the Holy Spirit starts to work XXXI.

Sin is what separates people from God. God is holy and does not like sin. Sin came into being when the first humans (Adam and Eve) disobeyed God. From that moment, people have had the tendency to choose wrongly.

Instead of being God-conscious, man became sin-conscious instead.

And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. Genesis 3:10.

P.S.: This is the THIRTY-FIRST EPISODE of Saved by Grace Through Faith With Works. If this is the first episode you are reading, you’ll find all other episodes here.

The sacrifice and inauguration to priesthood of Jesus Christ introduced an irrevocable atonement system where God could once again fellowship with man. (Hebrews 2, 5, and 7–10).

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. Hebrews 9:22.

In fact, more than that, God could literally dwell with man through His Spirit. It was the fulfilment of Jeremiah’s prophecy.

After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. Jeremiah 31:33.

But then, for God to truly dwell with man, don’t you think a refurbishment would have to take place?

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17.

When Jesus described what a spiritual takeover looked like, he said this;

No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. Mark 3:27–29.

Jesus didn’t only resurrect from the dead, he also brought total defeat of sin, sickness, death and satan.

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Colossians 2:14,15.

Did you notice how it was even though:

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:5,6b.

And on the cross, he even said; It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. John 19:30.

This meant that every debt that needed to be paid for the activation of Isaiah 53 in the life of a believer had been made.

Fully and utterly paid for.

But Colossians 2:14,15 still had to happen.

Because from Colossians 2, we see that:

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Colossians 2: 13.

The act was Isaiah 53:5,6b, the consequent effect as a result of the act was in Colossians 2: 13–15.

Before accepting Jesus, we were all spiritually dead and literally being ruled by a different entity. The verses below prove that.

Ephesians 2: 1–5

1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;).

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Imagine you purchase a phone that has not been used for a while, the battery would be very dead. When you start to charge it initially, you can never really tell if it is charging or not, but at some point, the screen lights up, and the charging sign comes on.

When you switch on the light in a dark room, there is that split second where darkness fades into light.

When you put fire to a log of wood that has been left unattended to fire a while in winter, as cold switches to warm and then to hot, there is no telling what might jump out at you in attack.

And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. Acts 28:3,5.

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When you purchase an abandoned house, you have to do intensive cleaning and clearing out of dust, mites, cobwebs, rodents and maybe even reptiles.

If you travelled out of town for a while, without a housekeeper in charge of your house, when you return, you are going to have quite a lot of work to do, don’t you think?

When the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts, there are already all sorts of things there (emotions, thoughts, impulses, mindsets, habits, addictions etc.)

He won’t stay in a dirty place, so He takes up only the measure of the space we give Him access to. But that state cannot be constant because light and darkness can’t abide together. Someone has to win.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24.

When we give Him the go-ahead, the Holy Spirit starts to work. He introduces fire to the chaff, and things start to jump out.

He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Matthew 3:11b,12.

That is the process of becoming a new creature.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17.

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