12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 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. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
St Paul calls us slaves and debtors. We are not slaves to our flesh but slaves to the spirit. We are not debtors to the flesh, but debtors to the Spirit who gives us life. It is the Spirit that comes into our hearts crying out, "Abba! Father!" But all this only leads us to verse 17.
You have to suffer with Christ in order that you will be glorified with Christ. The Life of a Christian is a life of suffering. It is not the easy life. It is a constant battle between our own flesh and the Spirit of God. It is a battle between fear of the world around us and fear of God. This battle will not end until Christ returns or we close our eyes in death. Until then it is the duty or gift of every Christian to fight with the Spirit of God to put to death the works of the flesh.
We do not fight this war alone. We do not fight this war without certainty of Victory. There are many battles on the way to Victory in which we may lose. But in these we suffer along with Christ. As we suffer with Christ, we still have certainty that we will be glorified with Christ Jesus. Christ has died to claim your Victory. He has won the war, and the Holy Spirit fights with you in every battle. God will be your strength as you continue to fight this war in the flesh.
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