Our mission was simple that night. Mission One was to sneak into the girl’s dormitory and the second was to climb over the fence of the continuing education centre our parents had paid so much to get us into. These two crimes would definitely have gotten all six of us suspended that same night.
I slipped into a purple sweater and joined the others outside our dormitory. We had the very makeup of amateur casts for a 007 remake and our tiny flashlights added to the flavor. Sneaking into the girl’s dormitory was a dangerous task because it meant crawling past the house of the Proprietor of the center. If he happened to hear a sound or step out of his front door, merely being in front his house would spell doom.
Two hours later, we were happily slapping Hi-five’s around the library. We went, saw and conquered. I had put all my parents trust, money and hopes on the line for ten minutes of registering my name in the hallmark of the boys who had visited the girl’s dorm.
Today, I think about that moment. The adrenaline rush, the thought of being caught and the shame, humiliation and torment of having to face my parents, and even the feeling of victory that the girls would see me as the latest sensation could not be compared to the risk I had taken. Was it really worth it?
It dawned on me then how so many times I had sacrificed being good for a temporary feeling of acceptance from my peers. A rebellious teenager who went to church on Sundays, yet wanted to do everything else that was labeled ‘bad’ in the good book on other days. What made me skip prep lessons so many times to go play video games in my friend’s house? Why did I leave school early to play soccer with my friends? Why did I smoke that first stick of cigarette with my buddies? Trust me; it was more than peer pressure.
I realize today that my sinful nature had always found free expression in my life. Even when I was scolded and swore that I would be good, somehow or the other, I always found myself back in my old ways and because I had such an adventurous mind, I always invented new ways of being bad.
I was a good kid generally, don’t get me wrong. But for every good deed, there was a little dark deed that always seemed to creep in and stain my record. Today, I understand why and the answers are not too far away if you are still walking around in my old shoes.
The battle has always raged within. Even after becoming born again, my flesh has constantly struggled to hack into my mainframe. That wild nature has always battled with my spirit and this battle has not been friendly.
Paul confirmed it when he groaned: “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” Romans 7:24. Yet, the apostle Paul gave me some life seed to chew in Romans 8:1. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
How encouraging that is. But check this out: Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
Having given the Holy Spirit free expression in my life, I’ve begun to understand how to live above the sinful nature. Romans 8: 6 says “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” This is really encouraging because when you accept Jesus Christ as savior, something changes directly within.
This new birth takes place within the Spirit. It happens inside and totally eradicates the sinful nature and you automatically receive the nature of God. Note that the body is not changed, neither is the soul which seats the mind, will and emotions. And that’s where the action is.
The body/flesh still naturally lusts after those things that are ungodly and that is why it has to be controlled. Paul called this crucifying the flesh (Galatians 5:24) and it involves a whole lot of discipline and feeding the Spirit consistently with the word of God and yes! Walking in the Spirit!!!
(Galatians 5:16 KJV) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Give your attention to spiritual things; renewing your mind by the Word of God and praying in the Holy Spirit!
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. Romans 8:5
Written by the Rotimi Kehinde a.k.a. D’ KultureMan
