In this episode, we dive into Romans 8 and the powerful promise that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We explore the shift from the struggle with sin in Romans 7 to the freedom and victory found through the Holy Spirit. Together, we'll talk about what it means to live by the Spirit, embrace our identity as God's children, and walk in the resurrection power that is at work in every believer.

The content shared on Living the Selah Life is for spiritual encouragement, personal reflection, and informational purposes only.

It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace medical, psychological, or professional advice of any kind.

Please consult a licensed healthcare provider or qualified professional for any physical, mental or emotional health concerns.

The views expressed are those of the host, Kimberly Lockanore, and are based on personal experience and Biblical insight, not clinical or professional training.

Welcome back to Living the Selah Life, a podcast that invites you to slow down, to breathe and to reconnect with the presence of God.

I am your host, Kim, and this space is for anyone longing to become more familiar with his presence.

Each episode is an intentional pause, a moment to reflect, realign and remember that God meets us when we create space for Him.

So take a breath.

You're right on time.

Let's live the Selah life together.

In our last episode, we faced the honest reality of the war within.

We talked about the struggle between wanting to do good and doing evil, between delighting in God's law and battling indwelling sin.

Paul ended Romans Chapter seven with a cry, o wretched man that I am, who will deliver me?

And then the answer I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Today we step into Romans chapter 8, one of the most glorious chapters in all of Scripture.

After the struggle of Romans chapter 7 comes the victory of Romans chapter 8.

This chapter begins with some of the most liberating words a struggling believer can hear.

There is therefore now no condemnation.

Let me say that again.

There is therefore now no condemnation.

And it gets better from there.

So get ready to celebrate the Spirit's power to do what the law couldn't.

We will call this week's main teaching no Condemnation.

Life in the Spirit.

Let's start with Romans chapter 8, verses 1.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

That word therefore is a bridge.

It connects us back to the cry of Romans chapter 7 Because Jesus is our deliverance, we we are no longer under condemnation.

Think about that.

No condemnation.

Not even a little bit?

Not sometimes.

It says none and none means none.

And this is a stunning declaration, especially after the raw honesty of Romans chapter 7.

Paul just finished describing the intense ongoing struggle with sin, and he painted a picture of a man at war with himself.

And now he says there is no condemnation.

Your struggle doesn't condemn you.

Your failures don't disqualify you.

Your ongoing battle with sin doesn't put you under judgment.

Why?

Because you are In Christ Jesus.

To be in Christ Jesus is to be united with Him.

It's a spiritual reality that changes us, that changes us positionally and eternally.

It means his righteousness is now your righteousness.

His victory over sin and death is now your victory.

When God looks at you, he sees you through the lens of His Son.

And this is the foundation of our freedom.

So why is there no condemnation?

Paul explains in verses 2:4.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh on account of sin, he condemned sin in the flesh.

That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled.

In us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

There's a new law at work in you.

It's the law of the Spirit of life.

And this law is more powerful than the law of sin and death.

The old law, the law of Moses, was good and it was holy, but it was powerless to make you righteous.

As we've discussed, it could show you what to do, but it couldn't give you the power to do it.

So God did what the law could not do.

He sent his own Son, Jesus, in human flesh.

Jesus lived a perfect life and then he took on all of our sin at the cross.

God poured out the judgment for our sin on Jesus.

He condemned sin in the flesh.

And because of that, the righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled in us.

This brings us to a distinction that Paul makes in verses five through eight.

The difference between living according to the flesh and according to the Spirit.

He says, for those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh.

But those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God.

For it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be so.

Then those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

There are two ways to live.

One is to set your mind on the things of the flesh.

And this means your thoughts are consumed with earthly concerns, sinful desires and self focused pursuits.

And this way, not only is it exhausting, but it leads to death.

The other way is to set your mind on the things of the Spirit.

And that means your thoughts are filled with God's concerns, eternal realities and spirit directed pursuits.

And this way of life leads to life and peace.

The carnal mind, the mindset on the flesh, is hostile to God.

It can't and won't submit to God's law.

It's impossible for someone who is in the flesh, someone who doesn't have the Spirit to please God.

But here's the good news for every believer.

Paul says in verses 911 but you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.

Now, if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.

And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are not in the flesh.

You are in the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit lives in you.

And if the Spirit of God lives in you, then the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in you.

That resurrection power is not just for the future.

It is for today.

It gives life to your mortal body right here and right now.

Because of this, we have a new obligation.

Verses 12 through 13 says, Therefore, brethren, we are debtors.

Not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die.

But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

We don't owe the flesh anything.

We are free from its demands.

Our obligation is to the Spirit.

We are called to cooperate with the Spirit in putting to death the misdeeds of the body.

Notice a balance here.

We are the ones who do the putting to death, but we do it by the power of the Spirit.

It's a partnership.

And when we struggle here, all we have to do is be authentic before the Lord and He will help every single time.

And what is the result of this new life in the Spirit?

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.

For you did not receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry Abba.

Father, those who are led by the Spirit are the children of God.

The Spirit's leading is the evidence of our adoption.

The Holy Spirit is not optional.

He is evidence of our adoption.

We are no longer slaves living in fear.

We are sons and daughters.

We can approach God with the intimacy and Confidence of a child approaching their loving parent.

And it gets even better.

And if children, then heirs.

Heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.

If indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together.

The Holy Spirit gives us an inner assurance that we belong to God.

And as his children, we are his heirs.

We will share in the inheritance of Christ.

This inheritance includes both suffering and glory.

If we share in his sufferings, we will also share in his glory.

Our present struggles are preparing us for a future glory that is beyond all comparison.

And what does it mean to be led by the Spirit?

It's the normal Christian life.

Being led by the Spirit means that we are sensitive to his gentle nudgings.

It means that we are listening for his voice in the pages of Scripture and in our everyday lives.

It means that we are seeking his wisdom in our decisions.

It means that we are yielding to his will even when it's hard.

The Spirit leads us into all truth.

He illuminates the word of God to us, helping us to understand it and apply it to our lives.

He leads us in paths of righteousness for His Name's sake.

And he guides us into the good works that he has prepared for us to do.

He leads us to love others as Christ has loved.

He leads us to bear the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

And the leading is not some abstract formula.

It's a relationship.

The Holy Spirit is a person, and he's the kindest person that I know.

I will say that until the day Jesus comes back.

It's a daily walk with a person.

It's learning to recognize his voice, to trust his heart and to follow his lead.

It's a very beautiful dance of dependence and cooperation.

And this leading of the Spirit is the evidence that we are the children of God.

Not something good to have.

Hear me.

It is the evidence that we are the children of God.

It's the proof of our adoption that we are not orphans, that we have a loving father who is guiding us every step of the way.

And when we have the Holy Spirit, our helper who is with us and in us, leading us home.

Let's also consider the Spirit's witness.

Paul says the Spirit Himself bears witness with our Spirit, that we are children of God.

The Holy Spirit, we all know, is the third Person of the Trinity.

He communicates directly with our human Spirit, confirming our identity as God's children.

It's a deep inner knowing, a settled assurance that we belong to Him.

This witness of the Spirit is what gives us the confidence to cry out abba.

Father.

It's what anchors us in the midst of all of life's storms.

And it's what reminds us of our true home when we feel like strangers in this world, which for me is all the time.

Praise God.

Thank you, Holy Spirit.

Thank you, Jesus.

We will move on to this week's Pause Prompts.

And Pause prompts are just meant for us to take inventory of where we are so that we will know where we are going.

Pause Prompt number one Are you living under a cloud of condemnation?

Do you constantly feel guilty, judged, or like you're falling short?

Are you trying to live the Christian life in your own strength?

How do you approach God?

Do you come to him as a fearful slave or as a beloved child?

And what are you setting your mind on?

Are your thoughts consumed with the things of the world or are they filled with the things of God?

Your mindset determines your experience.

You are not fighting alone.

You have resurrection power at work in you.

Now.

We are going to move on to our Selah moment and prayer.

Let us enter into a time of guided prayer and reflection.

Find a quiet place where you can be still before the Lord.

Take a deep breath and as you exhale, release any tension or distraction.

Settle into the presence of God.

Picture yourself standing before God.

See the love in his eyes.

There is no condemnation, no judgment, no anger, only grace.

You are in Christ and you are accepted.

Now hear these words from your heavenly there is no condemnation for you.

You are in Christ.

You are free.

I love you with an everlasting love.

Acknowledge the Holy Spirit who lives in you.

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is dwelling in you right now.

This is a living reality.

Feel his presence within you, strengthening you, comforting you and guiding you.

Thank you, Holy Spirit.

Let us pray.

Father, we come before you with hearts of gratitude.

Thank you for the truth, that there is no condemnation for for those who are in Christ Jesus.

We are in Christ and we are free.

This truth is almost too wonderful to comprehend.

After all of our struggles, our failures and our frustrations, you tell us that we are not condemned, that we are not guilty, that we are not under your wrath, but we are beloved children.

Thank you for doing, Lord, what only you could do by sending your son Jesus.

We praise you that it is not by our effort but by your power at work in us.

Help us, Father, to set our minds on the things of the Spirit.

We Confess that all too often we allow our minds to be consumed with the things of this world.

Forgive us for our self focused pursuits or sinful desires and help us to redirect our thoughts to you, to your truth, to your kingdom.

Thank you that we are not in the flesh but in the Spirit.

Thank you that your Holy Spirit dwells in us.

Help us to live in that space of resurrection power each and every day.

Help us to cooperate with your Spirit's work in our lives and make us sensitive to his promptings.

Give us the grace to repent quickly, to obey willingly and to apply your word diligently.

Thank you that we are not debtors to the flesh, Lord.

We are free from its demand commands by your Spirit's power.

Help us to put to death the misdeeds of the body.

Give us victory over the sin that so easily entangles us.

Lord, we thank you that we are children led by your Spirit.

Thank you for the spirit of adoption that allows us to cry out abba.

Father, help us to live in the intimacy of that relationship.

Help us to approach you with the confidence and trust of a child.

Lord, we thank you that your Spirit bears witness with our Spirit, that we are your children.

Thank you that we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.

Thank you that our presence sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us.

When we struggle, remind us of this Lord.

When we fail, remind us of your grace.

When shame tries to overwhelm us, remind us that there is no condemnation for us in Christ Jesus.

The truth is our firm foundation.

It is settled, it is permanent, it is unshakable.

Help us to live in the freedom of no condemnation and the power of the Spirit.

Not in a way that takes grace for granted, but in a way that marvels at it daily.

Make us a people who walk by the Spirit, who are led by the Spirit and who live as your body.

Beloved children, we thank you that we are in Christ and that we are free.

It is in Jesus's name that we pray and it is so.

Let's lean into our Salah moment.

Well my friends, that is it for today.

Thank you for listening to Living the Selah Life.

If this moment stirred something in your spirit, share it with someone who needs to be reminded to pause and to listen.

You can connect with me on Instagram, a Facebook group, not a Facebook page.

I don't man that page or YouTube at Living the Selah Life.

Or email me your story to livingtheselahliferoton me until next time.

Remember that God is speaking.

He wants to guide you and direct you and give you his wisdom for your life.

Create space to listen.

May you go from this place, resting not just in body but in spirit, carrying the awareness that his presence is always near.

May you be rooted in the unshakable word of God, the Logos that ground you and the rhema that guides you.

For man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that pronounced from the mouth of God.

May you keep rising into the life he designed for you, into purpose, into peace, into the fullness of his calling.

May your life become a living selah, an intentional pause that reveals his presence.

And it is so Selah.