The faulty thinking of most
Born Again Believers is that we are separated from Christ by the ethereal
boundary between Heaven and earth. We view God in Heaven with Christ sitting on
the throne at His right hand. That leaves us all alone, struggling down here on
Terra Firma to live a holy life. When we come to the understanding that we are
dead, and that Christ is now alive within us (Colossians 3:3), we stop striving to perfect our self and we step
aside and let God be God in our life.
Jesus substituted His life
for ours on the cross. In the same way, He now lives our life for us and
through us. Jesus fulfills our Father’s will in us as we follow the leading of
His Spirit moment by moment throughout the day. Life no longer requires any
effort from us. God only wants our obedience. We simply stand firm as we watch
the Lord bring deliverance in us and through us (2 Chronicles 20:17). Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, the Holy
of Holies (Hebrews 9:3). The
Holy Spirit lives through us in the perfection of Christ and according to the
will of our Father (Colossian 2:9).
Jesus challenges us to
hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6). Christ is our righteousness, and our deliverance,
redemption, sanctification and so much more (1 Corinthians 1:31). There is nothing left for us to strive for or to
attain to. Therefore, there is no way we can boast about our accomplishments in
the Lord. We boast in Him instead (1 Corinthians 1:31). Once we get the focus off our self, and place it on
Christ where it belongs, then He can use us to fulfill His purpose in the
earth.
If our flesh is tempted to sin, we simply remember that it is dead and hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). When we view any temptation through the eyes of the Spirit living within us, the sin loses its appeal for us. We realize that we would much rather live righteously through Christ than unrighteously through our old, dead flesh. In the same way, if we attempt a ministry for the glory of God, and the Spirit did not lead us to serve in that area, we will never find His anointing in it.
When Jesus lived in the flesh, He suffered trials in every area of life, and had just as many temptations as we do. Yet, in each instance, He drew from the strength of His divinity; and in the end, He conquered death and Hell for all of us (Revelations 1:18). Every Born Again Believer lives in divine union with this same Christ. Even though we still live in a body of flesh, we now live by the faith of the Son of God who cares for us and sacrificed Himself for us (Galatians 2:20). We draw from the strength of His divinity within us for healing, wisdom, strength and direction for a victorious life.
Prayer:
Father God, Jesus prayed that He is in us, and You are in Him. He wanted us to experience this same unity with one another so the world would know You sent Him and that You love us as much as You love Him (John 17:23). All of Your fullness dwells in Christ and He is the head of all powers and principalities. In Him, we are made complete (Colossians 2:9-10). Therefore, help us to let Your light within us shine so brightly, that people will see Christ in us and glorify You, who are our living hope (Colossians 1:27; 1 Peter 1:3).
Thought for the Day:
We search in vain for Christ outside of our self, only to discover that He lives in all of His fullness within every Born Again Believer.
Thank you, Tracy Hassall, for the use of your glorious photo.
