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Slave...

For by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.  2 Peter 2:19b

I'm positive I've read this verse before, but it struck me this time...right between the eyes.  All of us are slaves to something or someone.  To whom or what am I enslaved?

It's so easy to say we're slaves of sin or righteousness, but how often does my life display both?  How is that possible?  I'm reminded of what we're told in James, "Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?  Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring."

But a justified believer is always in the process of being sanctified, right?  If so, don't we have both bitter and fresh water coming out of us or is it all bitter until the fresh completely flushes the bitter out?  No!  Evidence of the Spirit's fresh waters are in me while at the same time He is removing the bitter from me.

Which brings me back to the heart.  Whatever is in my heart will come out of me in words and actions.  I have been given a new heart and the Spirit of the Living God lives in me.  I live by His Spirit.  But, I don't have to walk by His Spirit or else Paul wouldn't have written, "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit," in Galatians.

Being overcome, controlled, by the Spirit is a choice on my part.  It requires a yielding.  The decision to give the Holy Spirit control of me...thoughts, words, actions.

If I hold onto the control, I am not a slave to righteousness.  If I'm not a slave to righteousness, I'm a slave to sin.  I am a slave!  I will always be a slave!  I'm back to, "Choose you this day whom you will serve."  Maybe there is a reason it was phrased, "This day."  I've always focused on the "Choose" without putting it into context..."This day."

Lord, I choose to serve you.  I want to be your slave in everything.  Thank you for removing my heart of stone and giving me a heart of flesh. Holy Spirit, I give you control.  I want to be totally overcome by you.  I pray that you will give me a deeper understanding of what it means to be a slave of Righteousness.  Amen

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