Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
At one time, we pursued the desires of our own flesh and our own mind... doing those things that seemed to make us look good to ourselves and to others ...
God then had mercy on us and lifted us out of the world, causing us to know HIM, causing us to be born again ... causing the old to die and causing a new creature created in HIM, made in HIS image.
There are times I recall my past life and am embarrassed ... Recently I was reminded by the Holy Spirit of the following which raised me up from the past ... and set things straight ...
II Cor. 5 ... 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
The old man is dead ... there is now a new creation. So why should be dwell at all now thinking of that which is dead? When dead it is over.
When we are baptized it is like dying and being resurrected. When we go down into the water it is like being buried with Christ. When we come out of the water it is like being raised with Christ to allow us to consider our flesh dead not allowing it to reign over us as it once did so we can serve God, now continually recreated into the image of God, going a new way, in the way of God.
I Cor. 9 ... 24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection:lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
We keep our flesh crucified, not allowing it to do as it wants to do. The flesh wants to hate. The flesh wants to hold grudges and seek revenge. The flesh goes by how it feels. We live by faith in what God says, not by feeling. We put away many things of the flesh as we continue to go forward in God.
And we continually set our course by "What does God say about this matter ... What does God want us to do ..."
Eccl. 12 ... 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:Fear God, and keep his commandments:for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.