Each day we make the decision to live according to the inner man or according to the outer man. If we choose to live according to the inner man, looking always to the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit will make alive our physical body at the return of Christ.

If we choose to live according to the lusts and passions of the outer man, not looking always to the Spirit of God, then, in the Day of the Lord, our body will not be made alive by the Spirit of God. We slay our own resurrection when we choose to live according to the desires of our mind, our flesh, and our soul.

We hear people say that as long as we are in this world we cannot serve God as we would. We have to sin—at least a little. Our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak, and so forth. This is not the attitude of the victorious saint. He understands well that he owes nothing to his flesh. He keeps his body under subjection to the Spirit of God, often denying the cravings of his flesh and soul.

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. (Romans 8:13)

The believer who chooses to keep on living according to his flesh and soul will drive out the spiritual life that was given to him when he received Christ, leaving only his adamic nature. The believer who looks to the Spirit of God every day will be able to kill the deeds of his own body, forcing his body to obey the Spirit of God. This individual will attain the first resurrection, the resurrection that will take place when the Lord appears.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14)

We know we are a son of God when we truly are being led in every area of life by the Spirit of God. Being led by the Spirit of God is an art, shall we say, that is mastered by long, faithful, patient enduring of our personal cross.

For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. (Romans 8:19)

The natural creation is in the chains of corruption today because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve. When the Lord Jesus returns He will be accompanied by His brothers, the sons of God. The sons of God, having conquered their own personality by following the Spirit of God into battle against their internal enemies, will then be able to drive Satan from the earth, thus releasing the natural creation from the bondage of corruption.

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:22,23)

We of the Church have the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit. If we will be faithful in following the Spirit into full victory over the worldliness, lust, and self-will in our own personality, we will gain the redemption of our body; we will attain the early resurrection from the dead. We then will be qualified and able to drive the spiritual darkness from the entire creation.

When the spiritual darkness has been driven completely from the natural creation, the peoples of the saved nations of the earth will be able to enjoy life lived in the Spirit of God, the eternal Life of which we of the Church have the firstfruits in the present hour.

To be continued.