This morning I was brought back to Colossians and the passage of putting on the new self. That self that is steeped in Christ and His example of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and love. I have to remember that as a follower of Christ, that I have been given this new self freely and have accepted, and therefore I am to demonstrate this new self.
“16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” — Colossians 3:16-17 (ESV)
And there it is, the ways in which I demonstrate this new self, teaching, admonishing, singing, and doing everything in the name of Jesus. These are outward signs of the new self and everyone should be seeing those. I have to let people see the LORD in me. I have to demonstrate His love and that I am indeed a new self and not falling into that old self that is steeped in the world.
I have studied and written about avoiding temptations as opposed to trying to overcome them. In that it was revealed to me that in order to avoid, I have to be active in something else. What a better way to avoid the old self than pouring myself into the new self that I have accepted as a gift from God. When I am doing all that is in the name of the LORD, it will be very difficult to find myself in the old self doing the things of the world. Napoleon Hill, writer of the book “Think & Grow Rich” said;
“Positive and negative emotions cannot occupy the mind at the same time. One or the other must dominate. It is your responsibility to make sure that positive emotions constitute the dominating influence of your mind.”
And he is right. I have to take note and focus on the new self and demonstrating Christ and in the process, will avoid the old self all together.
Singing gets the attention of others. Singing is bringing praise to the LORD. Singing gets us started. What a better way to demonstrate to all that we have a new self than to sing praise and thanksgiving to kick things off and then that praise and thanksgiving will lead into the continued demonstration of the new self which is filled with the Spirit and overflows with the fruit of the Spirit.
“22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” — Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)
What are you demonstrating to the world? Are you allowing your old self to come through? What if you put on your new self and demonstrated that new self at all times to avoid the old self altogether?
Trevor's Thoughts 