Union with Christ - Spiritual Rest and Victory

Very few people in these modern times abide in God's rest (Hebrews 4:10). We are too overcome by the stress of the multitude of activities that we allow to rule our life, by the consequences of our choices and by the people with whom we fellowship.

We lack discernment, will power and wisdom; we take on too many tasks at one time; and we spend too little time in God's presence, growing into a spiritually mature Saint (John 15:16; Ephesians 4:11-14).

Unless we grasp the fullness of our identity in Christ, we fall short of all that God wants to do in us and through us. We do not earn this divine life by our good works; it is a free gift which comes along with Salvation (Ephesians 2:8-20; 2 Peter 1:4).

Christianity is not a religion. It is an intimate union with the Lord of Hosts living His divine life in and through every authentic Believer (1 Corinthians 6:17).

As God Word strengthens us, we overcome this world and we also live victorious lives over the wiles of Satan (1 John 2:14). We scatter the darkness by turning on God's Light.

Deceiving thoughts flee at the mention of Jesus’ name. Satan cannot initiate anything in our life without God’s permission; and if we submit to God and resist the devil, he is obligated to flee from us (James 4:7).

Satan may try to distract us from serving God, but as we keep our mind on Christ, we remain in perfect rest and victory as His Holy Spirit leads us through each moment of the day (Isaiah 26:3; Philippians 4:7).

Prayer:

Father God, You gave all of Your spiritual blessings and everything pertaining to life and godliness to all of Your Saints in the past, to those present with us now, as well as those who will be born in the future (2 Peter 1:3; Ephesians 1:3; 1 Corinthians 2: 20-21). Your love flows to all of us through thousands of generations of those who love and serve You with our life (Deuteronomy 7:9; Exodus 20:6).

Remind us that You work Your power in us and You are able to do more in us and through us than we can ever imagine or accomplish for You on our own (1 Corinthians 1:24; Ephesians 3:16, 20; Colossians 1:11; 1 Peter 4:11). You give us an abundant supply of power for everything we need in order to sufficiently accomplish Your will for our life (2 Corinthians 3:5, 4:7, 9:8).

Thought for the Day:

We do not pound out a meager existence for our self in this life, but we live in the fulfillment of abundant life through Christ in us. - John 10:10

United with Christ

God originally created mankind in the image of the Trinity (Genesis 1:6). Adam and Eve lived in an existence of body, soul and spirit in close fellowship with the Father (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

They enjoyed the same immortality, which Christ exhibited after His resurrection. Yet, when they believed Satan's lies, they chose to ignore their spirit and to give in to the temptation of their human nature.

As a result, their spirit died, and we all reap the consequences of their choice. Knowing this before He created the world, God planned to become man as Emmanuel (Genesis 1:1; Matthew 1:23).

He paid the ransom for the sin debt of anyone who chooses to submit to His will rather than to our human desires or the devil's temptations (Romans 4:25, 5:6; John 3:16-18).

The reason that God's Spirit regenerates our spirit and sanctifies our soul is so that we will live in the divine life of Christ in us, rather than through our human life with its earthly thoughts and desires (2 Peter 1:4; John 1:1, 12-14).

This is possible once our spirit is Born Again. It is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us (Romans 12:2, 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3:3-4). We live, move and have our existence in Christ alone (Acts 17:28).

We are united with Christ in our spirit, in the same way that Jesus' humanity was united with His Godly nature, while He lived on this earth.

The life, which we live in this body, is lived through the faith of God's holy Son (Galatians 2:20). We continue the work of Christ on this earth, and we do greater works as we function as His Body (John 3:3-6, 14:12).

We think, feel, speak and act in the will of God as we follow the leading of His Spirit through every decision we make, every word we speak and every action we take.

This affects our words and behavior in our vocation, marriage, extended family, neighborhood and church Body. We live as a city on a hill, and we never hide the light of Christ within us (Matthew 5:14-16).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for sending Christ to redeem us from sin and its destruction. Thank You also for helping us to renew our mind through the washing of the water of Your Word (Ephesians 5:26). Since Christ set us free from sin, then help us to stay free from its demoralizing clutches (Galatians 5:1).

Teach us how to walk in the divine nature of Christ in us. Help us to live and move and have our being only in Him, so that we can walk in Your will, exhibit Your character and do the works of Christ all the days of our life.

Thought for the Day:

Since Christ abides in us by His Spirit, then even though our body will die because of the sin, which cursed this world, God's Spirit gives us His life in our spirit, soul and body, because of His holiness. - Romans 8:10 

Many thanks to Matt Milligan for the use of his photo.

Godly Intimacy

Through Salvation, we are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, regenerated by His Spirit, sanctified in our soul - our thoughts, choices and emotions - and transformed to walk in a new way of life (1 Peter 1:19; Titus 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

God gradually draws us to the ultimate realm of intimacy with Him. He enables us to step out of our humanity and to walk in the divine life of the Spirit of God within us (2 Peter 1:4; Galatians 5:15-25).

God's Spirit perfects us from one level of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18). He abides in our spirit, once He justifies our spirit, and then He gradually sanctifies our soul (Romans 6:6; 1 Corinthians 6:11).

As we decrease, Christ in us increases (John 3:30). The world has no more power over us, because we are no longer attracted by it (Galatians 6:14). We are also free from the power of sin.

We do not live to fulfill our passions and goals, but we enjoy our intimacy with God and submit to Christ as He accomplishes His purposes through our life (Galatians 2:20).

We do not even work for God, because we simply allow Christ to live in and through us instead. His truth inspires us and we are compelled by His love (2 Corinthians 5:14, 11:10).

We make Jesus the Lord of our life and follow His Spirit's direction each moment of our life (1 Peter 3:14-15). In our union with the Lord, we are one with Him in Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17).

We live, move and have our being in the power of Christ in us, so that we glorify Him with our every thought, word and deed (Acts 17:28; Philippians 1:19-21). He is all we need.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You so much for teaching us to walk in love, just as Jesus walked in love and sacrificed His life for us. May we reject the temptations of this life and live as a fragrant offering to You instead (Ephesians 5:2).

Remind us that our whole purpose on this earth is Christ, who is our life, and that to leave this world and to enter the next is truly for our advantage (Philippians 1:21; Colossians 3:3-4). We surrender our goals, aspirations and plans to You, and we ask You to guide us in Your will for our life.

Thought for the Day:

From the foundation of the world, Christ gave Himself on the cross according to the will of God, in order to indwell Believers and rescue us from slavery to sin in this evil age.

- Galatians 1:4