Cease from Sin

1 Pet 4:1 ¶ Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

What does it mean that he that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin?

2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

No more to the will of men, but now to the will of God. Jesus came to do the will of the Father who sent him. I now live not for myself, but I deny myself, my thoughts, my opinions and my ways. Begin to allow the word of God to train you and mold you and teach you the wisdom of God. The wisdom of God is to learn that the word of God is powerful to the point of creating all the worlds.

Wisdom is hearing the word of faith and then acting upon it. Wisdom is knowing that Father has commissioned us to go and prepared us for the divine anointing to do it. We grow in this anointing by heeding the word of God and living not for ourselves, but for the will of God.

So we no longer live by our dictates of what we think we should do next. THe word we read we obey; love your enemies; rejoice in persecution; avoid adultery, uncleanness and witchcraft, do what he says.

Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Peter is not expecting us to do this; Jesus did it.

Heb 2:10* For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Heb 9:18* For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

If you want to follow me, says Jesus, then your life must be about the kingdom of God; Father I do not want to do it unless it is about the kingdom. Father will do it, if you will ask him.

Jesus continually said no to the lies of the devil; he humbled himself even unto death.

Jas 1:2 ¶ My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Abraham is the Father of faith for all who believe; the high water mark for walking with God and doing whatever he would ask; learning in relationship to absolutely trust God.

We come to a place where our own human ability avails nothing; you cannot rely on any of your own ways, but rely solely upon God. He that suffers in the flesh; denying his own human ability and saying no to your own human instincts and leaving everything in the fire to be burnt up as the will of God would be. Lord let your fire fall upon me.

Everything about God is glorious and supernatural. You receive by brokenness, humility and contrition. We must engage in this process; this is suffering in the flesh. No longer relying in our own ability but living only doing what God says do and no longer according to our intersts; the will of man; but the will of God.

Why does the potter pound the clay; because he hates the clay? No because the clay must be made pliable and completely without air and impurity. A yielded vessel allows the Father to squeeze it as much as He wants. The present suffering is not to be compared to the glory which will be revealed in me.

I walk in the spirit and I have no confidence inhuman ability. He leads me and in him I live and I move and I have my being.

Thank God for Job who had absolute trust in God; he knew that God would keep and uphold himself no matter what. Abraham who would do anything that the Father would ask of him; even to offering his own son as a sacrifice. God often has his people do things which got them in terrible trouble, but he that has sufferred in the flesh has ceased from sin.

Phil 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus came in the volume of the book; as it was written of him, to do the will of the Father.

He showed us an example of a life which was not important to him, but the life of others and most of all the will of the Father. Paul counted not his own life as important, but he no longer walked in the flesh because there is no condemnation to those who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.

Ga 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

We can learn to become so sensitive to the movings of God. Walk soberly, honestly, cautiously and one step at a time. Not interested in my reputation, but solely in following the will of God. We are called to a place of no more self-interest and no more our kingdom, but his. We must totally yield to the Holy Spirit; fully yielded unto everything being stripped out of your life.

No more holding tightly to anything but him. No more my own way, but your way Lord. Self interest and self importance is shoved out of the way in the light of the glory of God and our encounters with him.

He made himself of no reputation; he humbled himself and walked in servitude and therefore came into a glorious ability in God; he was highly exalted. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and he will exalt you in due time.

1 Jn 5:18 ¶ We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

They keep themselves in this life of Jesus; making themselves nothing except those whom Jesus loved. john the disciple who only called himself the disciple that Jesus loved. So sensitive that at the announcement of betrayal he says; “is it I?” The sensitivity and the tenderness of relationship.

Peter; so sensitive that at the miracle he says; “depart from me Lord I am a sinful man”. No figuring, just a recognition of the glory of God. He wants us to be so sensitive to his sacredness and his presence. Christ is formed in us by his spirit and his word.

He that has suffered in the flesh; he that has ceased to rely upon his own ability or to do his own will. The words speak of devastating circumstances or situations. jesus was consecrated to the Father with a knowledge that one sin would destroy everything that could be beneficial to all of humanity. Everything he did he saw impacting all humanity.

Should you be willing to walk in the spirit; Oh what God would do to you. When you see nothing in your own life of any value, but yield entirely to the life of God, see what God can do. Moses tried by his own strength and power and became a murderer and not a deliverer and he has to flee for hie life. He loses all his self-importance; his self-value. He is still hungry for God and sensitive to the move of the spirit, but he has no ability to rely on. he desired no reputation or self-exaltation, but he was overwhelmed with the glory of God. 40 years before he was bold and confident, but now he has nothing to rely on but God.

God does not demand you to jump in the fire; he counsels you to buy Gold tried in the fire.

1 Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

I live my live solely for the will and the purposes and the life of the Father.

Unless you are changed and become like a little child you cannot enter into the realms of the kingdom.

My life is not for me anymore, you have purchased me and I live for your will and not my will. In that realm iniquity does not stand a chance.

Heb 5:8* Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

9* And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

He suffered and never sinned. Butter and honey did he eat that he would learn to choose the good and refuse the evil.