Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Two things we, as children of God, must work to do as we live on this present earth are:
Hear God by His Spirit and follow God being led by the Spirit ... and work daily, in all circumstances, to live in peace.
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Romans 8:1-12 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
The Spirit will not lead us in ways of the flesh.
For example: Our flesh will strive and fight and do all to win out over other flesh. Our flesh loves to exalt itself. (emulations) Our flesh becomes drunken. Our flesh seeks after adultery and fornication and delights itself in such.
After we are born again and have been given the Spirit of God, we see there is another way. And we deliberately choose the way of God, putting to death the will of the flesh, often keeping our flesh under control of God by simply asking God in prayer not to let us do that when tempted.
And we come to understand, as Paul understood, that in our flesh dwells no good thing. Romans 7:18
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Romans 8:5-14 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
(As children of God, our goal is to please God.)
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Works of the flesh vs. works of the Spirit ...
Galatians 5:19-23 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft (living in superstitions), hatred, variance (debating/arguing), emulations (striving to win out over others), wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:
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We have many opportunities daily during this life to choose the way of the Spirit of God.
One critical thing is to understand we are saved and bought by the blood of Jesus and we will never be worthy outside the price Jesus paid for our sins.
When thoughts come that I am sorry I didn't do better, I must be able to put those thoughts to death by turning to the truth and Jesus' blood that paid for my inadequacies. Jesus is worthy and I enter into His worthiness and refuse to dwell on my own past wrong doing.
We go forward in joy and refuse to wallow in ourselves. We focus on Jesus' payment of HIS blood.
And when we do this, we will find those thoughts of ourselves that pull us down and would drown us in ourselves vanish.
Therefore we enter in by returning to such scriptures as the following.
I John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as HE is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.
If we are cleansed by Jesus' blood, we simply make our minds think on that and refuse to think on our own sins or inadequacies. Our worth is through Jesus' blood which HE shed to pay for our sins.
We can do this because of the Spirit of Christ who now lives in us.
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Romans 8:9-14 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, HE that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.
(We are made alive over and over by the Holy Spirit bringing things of God to our minds.)
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
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And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, HE that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.
(We are made alive over and over by the Holy Spirit bringing things of God to our minds.)
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
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Here is an example of being delivered from my own flesh by the Spirit of God.
A woman sent me a birthday card and put inside the card a note telling me all the things she planned for the upcoming secular holiday as she gathered with her husband, her adult children, and her grandchildren.
Immediately, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the following:
Immediately, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the following:
Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
"That's right!" I excitedly responded, agreeing with the Spirit.
When I thought on what the Spirit said to me, I was joyful, not depressed as my flesh would lead me, for I was alone, no husband-children-grandchildren ... no holiday plans at all.
And while it looks like I have no life, my life is hid in Christ and when Christ appears I will appear with HIM.
Colossians 3:1-4 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.
5-8 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9-10 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of HIM that created him:
And while it looks like I have no life, my life is hid in Christ and when Christ appears I will appear with HIM.
Colossians 3:1-4 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.
5-8 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
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Sometimes when our flesh would rise up and lead us, we have to deliberately work against the temptation before us.
We can feel ourselves beginning to strive against another person. We catch ourselves and back off, praying for help against our flesh. (I've found God always helps me when I want to be helped.)
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If we have accident and hurt our bodies, we refuse to mope about and dwell on thoughts of, "Why did this happen to me?"
We keep our faith in God and rest in the peace that we belong to God and either way it will be OK through God.
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Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
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The apostle Paul instructs:
Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
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