I hear a lot of condemnation expressed by the Christian community toward the world. In particular I hear things like you can’t be a drunk and be a Christian, or you can’t be a prostitute and be a Christian, or you can’t be gossip or a liar and be a Christian. Those are of course only a small selection of the things you can’t be or do and still be a Christian.

Fortunately, everything I just said is a not true. The truth is that once I trust Jesus with my life, He changes me so that I am no longer any of these things even though I may still do them. His Life comes to live in me and changes the very essence of who I am. I am no longer a drunkard, or a prostitute or a gossip or a liar.

So, what am I? What I am NOW is a son of the living God, and He has wiped away every one of my sins, past, present and future, once and for all. By His power I am RIGHTEOUS and PURE.

Now, this leads me to the ultimate question of life the universe and everything. Why do I still have the desires to do all the things I did before I accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour?

The answer is pretty simple. When Jesus changed you, he changed your heart (spiritually) from being a dead rock, into a new living heart.

Ezekiel 36:26 “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

Where you were once dead, you are now alive. BUT, He did not change your flesh. What is flesh you might ask. Well, your flesh is the body you are currently living in. You know, the part of you that loves to go out partying like there is no tomorrow, or the part of you that is addicted to any number of things, or the part of you that gossips or lies.

You see, when you become a Christian, you are made NEW, but you also enter a battle that every day tries to pull you back down to the old habit patterns of the flesh. FORTUNATELY, there is good news. As a believer, and a son or daughter of the living God, you have a helper, who is always available living inside you. Yes, Jesus Himself lives in each Christian, and He has absolute limitless power to pour out into each of us to enable us to avoid these old flesh habit patterns.

How do I tap into that power? Just ask Him for it. Admit you don’t have the strength, but He does and He will. He wants nothing more than to provide you and me with everything we need to overcome temptation.

As for me, do I sometimes sin? Yes, but when I look to Jesus for my strength, He provides whatever I need. How about you?