WHO IS THE KING OVER YOUR LIFE?

I have nearly 300 people and ministries on my WhatsApp list, and it is such a privilege to be able to pray for them daily, as well as those others who do not use WhatsApp. The great thing about WhatsApp is that I can keep in regular contact with them wherever they are around the world, I also seek to send an encouraging word every week to them as well.
Just yesterday I wrote to them recommending a Bible translation that I have recently been introduced too, The “Passion Translation” of the N.T. (O.T. is not yet complete).  I have been greatly blessed each time I have spent some time reading it.. Brian Simmons is a scholar, previously been a Missionary (doing translation work) and the Pastor of a very successful church in the U.S. His website indicates the various Charismatic/Pentecostal ministries that have impacted him.
We know how words can change their meaning, and when you have lived 76+years as I have, there are many words, that now mean something almost completely  different to when it was when a teenager. Sometimes this is reflected when you look at a good Lexicon and can often pick up how the word has changed it meaning. You know one I use regularly Bosko that is translated “feed” but the etymology of the word has a much broader interpretation, as the picture of the shepherd going through the wool of the sheep looking for the cuts and scratches bruises and rubbish caught up in the wool and the fact that the smell of the sheep is on the shepherd.
I heard a sermon on Sunday morning from Gal. 5:13-26. where Pul speaks of the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. So I turned to the “Passion Translation” to see what it said
.Beloved ones, God has called us to live a life of freedom in the Holy Spirit. But don’t view this wonderful freedom as an opportunity to set up a base of operations in the natural realm. Freedom means that we become so completely free of self-indulgence that we become servants of one another, expressing love in all we do.
For love completes the laws of God. All of the law can be summarized in one grand statement:
“Demonstrate love to your neighbor, even as you care for and love yourself.”
But if you continue to criticize and come against each other over minor issues, you’re acting like wild beasts trying to destroy one another!
The Holy Spirit, Our Victory
As you yield freely and fully to the dynamic life and power of the Holy Spirit, you will abandon the cravings of your self – life. For your self – life craves the things that offend the Holy Spirit and hinder him from living free within you! And the Holy Spirit’s intense cravings hinder your old self – life from dominating you! So then, the two incompatible and conflicting forces within you are your self – life of the flesh and the new creation life of the Spirit.
But when you are brought into the full freedom of the Spirit of grace, you will no longer be living under the domination of the law, but soaring above it!
The cravings of the self-life are obvious: Sexual immorality, lustful thoughts, pornography, chasing after things instead of God, manipulating others, hatred of those who get in your way, senseless arguments, resentment when others are favored, temper tantrums, angry quarrels, only thinking of yourself, being in love with your own opinions, being envious of the blessings of others, murder, uncontrolled addictions, wild parties, and all other similar behavior.
Haven’t I already warned you that those who use their “freedom” for these things will not inherit the kingdom realm of God!
22–23 But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions:
joy that overflows,
peace that subdues,
patience that endures,
kindness in action,
a life full of virtue,
faith that prevails,
gentleness of heart, and
strength of spirit.
Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.
Keep in mind that we who belong to Jesus, the Anointed One, have already experienced crucifixion. For everything connected with our self – life was put to death on the cross and crucified with Messiah. We must live in the Holy Spirit and follow after him. So may we never be arrogant, or look down on another, for each of us is an original. We must forsake all jealousy that diminishes the value of others. Passion Translation.
As a born again believer, we sure know something of the struggles we have with the works of the flesh. We read in Romans 6 that our old nature was crucified (rendered powerless) when Christ was crucified.  Yet daily there seems to be this struggle, again I turned to the “Passion translation” and read in Romans 6: 12-13
Sin’s Reign Is Over
Sin is a dethroned monarch; so you must no longer give it an opportunity to rule over your life, controlling how you live and compelling you to obey its desires and cravings. So then, refuse to answer its call to surrender your body as a tool for wickedness. Instead, passionately answer God’s call to keep yielding your body to him as one who has now experienced resurrection life! You live now for his pleasure, ready to be used for his noble purpose.
I love that statement “SIN IS A DETHRONED MONARCH”.  This is our glorious POSITION in Christ, but how do we make it our DAILY EXPERIENCE?  In verse 13 Paul is stating what he states again in Romans 12:1 we must CONSTANTLY & CONTINUALLY PRESENT OUR BODIES IN SURRENDER.

EITHER CHRIST IS THE THRONED MONARCH OR SIN IS!!!!

Either our bodies are an instrument of purity and power and blessing or an instrument for sin, the works of the flesh to control.
Will you visualise with me a flower and the centre with 8 petals.
The centre is the agape love of God that was poured into our life by the Holy Spirit when we were born again (Romans 5:5) and the 8 petals are the other FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT (OF CHRIST). The “Passion translation” says in verses 22-23
joy that overflows,
peace that subdues,
patience that endures,
kindness in action,
a life full of virtue,
faith that prevails,
gentleness of heart, and
strength of spirit.  
We can meditate on all these apsects of the fruit, I want to highlight the last one which in most translations is interpreted Temperance  or Self Control . Look at Simmons footnotes on the Greek word  Egkrateia (Strongs 1466)  its meaning is Lordship or Spirit strength. This suggests to me that the growth and development of the fruit of the Spirit is not related to how long we have been a Christian  but to:

THAT DEGREE WE HAVE LEARNT TO SUBMIT TO THE LORSHIP OF CHRIST.

As Christ becomes the enthroned Monarch then the works of the flesh are rendered powerless’

I am not sharing anything new today, but emphasising afresh to myself and my readers, that Jesus must be the KING 24/7. Surely this is an important reason why Biblical Discipleship is essential to help the new Believer  live under the Lordship of Christ,
I trust this has been a blessing to you as it has been to me.