No Longer a Sinner - Conformed to Christ's Image

God's glory within us increases incrementally as we cooperate with His Spirit's discipline and direction. We reflect this glory to the world around us and draw people to Him who want more of Him in their life as well.

His sanctifying work starts with the rebirth of our spirit and continues throughout our lifetime, as the imperfect in us is transformed into the perfected (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2).

As God's Spirit transforms us with the mind, likeness and divine character of Christ, we change from one stage of glory to the next (2 Corinthians 3:18). This is not a matter of Him changing us from one stage of sinner to the next.

We are no longer a worm, but a butterfly soaring in the spiritual realm of life. Our inner man is drawn by the Spirit of God into ascending realms of spiritual maturity, rather than Him dragging us out of our penchant toward one sin and then another (Ephesians 4:13).

This sanctifying work starts with the rebirth of our spirit and continues throughout our lifetime, as the imperfect in us is transformed into the perfected (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2).

Our cooperation with God's Spirit insures that our perfection continues without disruption until we are completely conformed into the image of Christ (Romans 8:18; 1 Corinthians 13:12).

Christ, who is the image of God and abides within us (John 1:14, 14:9), gives us both the desire and power to work out our salvation in cooperation with God's Spirit (Colossians 1:15; Philippians 2:12-13; Hebrews 1:3).

As we focus on Christ, as if looking in a mirror at His image in us, we reflect increasing stages of His glory. We realize that our carnal nature is all but dead, and that Christ is our whole life (Ephesians 3:3-4).

Prayer:

Father God, reveal to us that only the veil of sin, which so easily hinders us if we take our mind off Christ, will thwart our personal journey into perfection. Help us to allow Your Spirit to cut away the dead skin of the flesh, so that we walk in unity with Your Spirit and in the likeness of Christ in us.

Remind us to continually focus on Your glory reflected on the face of Christ within us. Fill us daily with Your Spirit and allow us to totally submit until He takes full possession of our body, spirit and soul - our thoughts, choices and feelings. Our whole desire in our life is to reflect Your glory to the world around us and to draw everyone in our sphere of influence to a closer walk with You.

Thought for the Day:
Our dark and sinful soul is transformed into the image of Christ as we consistently walk in His marvelous light. 

- 1 Peter 2:9

Union with Christ - God's Opportunities

At times, the difficulties in life hang like the burden around our neck. God does not want us to try with all of our might to solve the problems by our self. He wants us to know that He is involved with us in every issue of our life.

We are usually overwhelmed by many of our trials, but Jesus can successfully settle every one of them. He gives us courage, wisdom and divine revelation to resolve them, or He instructs us to leave them in His capable hands.

He uses these conflicts to build Godly character in us and to further His Kingdom in the earth. We can embrace every negative issue with faith and peace, knowing that the Lord Jesus Christ dwells within us with all the power of the triune Godhead.

This is how we dwell in serenity all the days of our life. It is important for us to understand that God already arranged for a solution for these issues prior to them ever happening.

He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), and He has a perfect plan for our life (Romans 12:2).

Jesus within us breaks the chains of every type of satanic or earthly hindrance that attempts to steal our freedom from us (Psalm 107:14). He encourages us to take His yoke upon us, and to learn of Him; so that we can find true rest for our soul (Matthew 11:29).

Jesus is poised to deliver us from the bondage of every negative emotion and circumstance, and to bring us astounding joy that is beyond words and full of His glory (1 Peter 1:8).

When we see our problems as God’s opportunities, it changes our focus and attitude about them. Our supply for each circumstance, and the wisdom to deal with it comes from Christ in us, our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

Prayer:

Father God, teach us to view our problems as adventures rather than as challenges. As we trust in You, You work them all out for good, just as You promised You would (Romans 8:28). Life is not about me, but You. You call us to proclaim Your presence and Word to the world in which You plant us.

You provide us with the energy and power to teach and admonish others about what we learn from You (Colossians 1:28-29). We live a life of thanksgiving and praise to You for Your willingness to sacrifice Your Son for our redemption, and for demonstrating Your glory in creation and in our everyday life.

Thought for the Day:

Jesus, the Word, is the physical manifestation of God’s glory, and He exhibits God's glory and divine character in and through every one of us who live a completely surrendered life before Him.

Changed from the Inside Out

 

As I learned to enter God's rest and walk in His Spirit, I experienced intense withdrawals from my former codependent lifestyle. I acted like a schizophrenic.

One moment I would say or do something codependent and the next moment I would step into my new role as a Spirit-led Believer and say or do the opposite. I confused people by this dual personality.

Gradually, I decreased in my role as a codependent and Christ increased in me. I learned to say "No" unless God told me to say "Yes." He taught me to let the job go undone; so others whom God was calling to that role would step up and do it instead of me.

I started to see and appreciate the gray hues and tones in life, rather than seeing only black or white. My flexibility increased and my rigid extremes decreased.

The demon of perfectionism left my soul and I found joy in the messes of life as I had more time to enjoy other pursuits, which God called me to do. I actually left dishes in the sink and went to bed.

God's Spirit slowly changed my perspective from a carnal, earth-bound outlook to a spiritual, heavenly-minded one. He also healed my wounded soul, traumatized and dysfunctional since childhood and young adulthood ( www.theophostic.com ).

I released the shame and feelings of defectiveness attached to the wounds of the past and accepted His divine character and the fruit of His Spirit in their place (2 Peter 1:4; Galatians 5:22-23).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for exposing Satan's lies, which made me believe that I had to earn love by my behavior. Your Agape love opened me up to expect unconditional love from the significant others in my life. The fear, insecurity, defensiveness and over-sensitivity, which plagued my life decreased as I learned to trust You in spite of the untrustworthy people in my life.

You taught me the reality of the fact that You work out everything for our good, even the negative experiences in our life, which threaten to choke the very life from our soul (Roman 8:28). You trained me to look for the seed for a miracle in every trial. You are our worthy, benevolent Father and we are completely loved by You.

Thought for the Day:

Self-destructive behaviors - driven by frustration, anger and a wounded soul - diminish as we learn to enter God's rest and bask in His peace and joy, which are our true source of strength. - Nehemiah 8:10