When we come to Christ, our spirit
which was dead in sin, comes alive (Ephesians 2:5). We are Born Again and everything
in us is made new (John 3:1-21; 2 Corinthians 5:17). The manifestation of this
change takes years.
God convicts us in areas which are
negatively affecting our witness for Him. We cannot judge others. We may think
someone smokes too much; but God is more interested in deeper issues, which we
cannot see.
In the beginning, we are partially
surrendered to Christ. We hold back whole rooms in our soul, where we do not
want God to go. We slam the doors shut and sometimes even lock them.
This is why we appear to our self and
other people as a split personality. Part of us is sanctified and part of us is
carnal and still caught in the web of sin.
The longer we walk with the Lord, the
more willing we are to surrender more of our secret self to Him. We unlock some
doors, but we protectively keep some of them closed or partially open.
We are not willing to live in total
transparency before the Lord and our fellow Christians. However, with time, we learn to
trust God's kindness and mercy. We depend upon His grace above all else.
We come to live a surrendered life
when we understand that it is not I, but Christ living in and through us
(Galatians 2:20). Christ is our whole life and we want nothing else (Colossians
3:4).
Total surrender to Christ produces fruit in us from the Vine (John
15:5). We develop the habit of walking in stride with God's Spirit (Galatians
5:15-25). We learn to think and speak by the Spirit too, reaping God's rewards (1
Corinthians 2:13).
Prayer:
Father God, Your Spirit transforms us from a split personality
into a totally new creation. We no longer desire carnality, but want only that
which is spiritual in our life. We come to know Christ intimately and the power,
strength and truth of His resurrection (Philippians 3:10). We grasp all that
Christ provides for us (Philippians 3:12).
Thank You for transforming us into the likeness of Christ (2
Corinthians 3:18). Help us to live a life of whole-hearted devotion and worship
to You in holiness and with eternal goals, priorities and values. We rely on
You to walk with us through the perils of this life and to make us victors in
all things (Romans 8:37).
Thought for the Day:
We bring glory to Jesus when we live in the fullness of His
atonement and the redemption of His sacrifice, which He shared with us by His
resurrection from the dead and ascension into Heaven. - 1 Peter 1:3-4
