The Power of Christ in Us

The Jewish culture looked for powerful signs to follow, and the Greek culture craved the latest tidbit of wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:21). When Christ came, He served as a stumbling block for both cultures. To those of us, who are called in Christ, however, Jesus is both the power and the wisdom of God for us (1 Corinthians 1:22-24). To know God personally is to relate to Him in the same way that a man “knows” his wife (Genesis 4:1). This is not an intellectual pursuit, but an intimate union.

Once we know the Lord, we enter into eternal life with Him (John 17:3). We labor with all the powerful energy of Christ working in us (Colossians 1:29). This is the same power, which manifested through Christ when God raised Jesus from the dead and seated Jesus at His right hand (Ephesians 1: 19-20). God does not look for excellence, eloquence and elegance in His people. He simply looks for a surrendered life. He does not need our natural talents. He gives us supernatural abilities.

God does not call those who want the credit, only those who humbly give Him the glory. He wants a submissive person, emptied of him/her self and filled with all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (1 Corinthians 15:10; Colossians 2:9). This takes a work of God’s Spirit in our life. For instance, when the soldiers came to take Jesus, Peter unsheathed his sword to defend Jesus to the death; however, just a few hours later, he denied Jesus three times, just like Jesus said he would (Mark 14:66-72).

Jesus knew Peter’s habit of depending on the flesh to fight his battles. That is why the transformation in Peter after Pentecost is so amazing to me! For the first time, he preached by the Spirit, unashamed of the gospel (Acts 2:14-36). Peter learned that it is not by our human talents or abilities through which we accomplish great works for God, but only by God’s Spirit can we ever make an impression on anyone for the Lord (Zechariah 4:6). We can learn from His example.

Prayer:

Father God, when I lay down to sleep, I remember all that You do for me. I cannot help but to worship You with all of my heart (Psalm 86:5). Remind me that You want all of the glory for what You accomplish through me. I surrender my flesh, which wants to take the credit for Your accomplishments through me, and I ask you to give me Your humility in its place. Do not cast me from Your presence, but create a clean heart in me, and renew me with a righteous spirit (Psalm 51:10-11). Unite me with You in the power of Christ in me (Colossians 3:3).

Thought for the Day:

As Born Again Believers, we intimately know the joy, which belongs to God's Saints, instead of the fleeting happiness provided by the world, the flesh and the devil.

Intimacy Through Union

 

Once we come to Christ in Salvation, we never need to search for significance again. He dwells within us. We are one with Him and with the Father (John 17:21). It is an indestructible union that neither principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, nor anything else in all creation can demolish (Romans 8:39; Ephesians 6:12). We have more intimacy and oneness with God than is possible with any human relationship, because Jesus dwells within us by His Spirit (Romans 8:9).

Christ’s presence transcends feelings and human reasoning. He is there whether we “feel” Him or not. Jesus lives in us and through us. Our relationship is a union in which the more we decrease, the greater He increases in us to the glory of God the Father (John 3:30; Philippians 2:11). We are the manifestation of His Body in the world today. His supernatural abilities reside within us by His Spirit. We are able to do whatever He calls us to do, no matter how impossible the task appears (John 14:13-14).

We do not strive to become like Christ; we simply surrender to Him. Then He uses His power and authority through our life. We will do greater works than He did, because He lives within us (John 14:12). Keeping Biblical mandates and the Law does not keep us from sinning. The opposite is actually true. Our failure to keep the law makes us more aware of our sinfulness and failings. The power of sin is in the Law (1 Corinthians 15:56; Romans 3:19-20). God gave us the Law in order to point us to Christ (Galatians 3:23-25). When we slip into sin, we have an advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1).

We are so united in our intimate relationship with God, through Christ by the Spirit, that sin is the only thing that can bring a division between us. Yet, once we repent of our transgression, God is quick to restore our union with Him again (1 John 1:9). This union brings us liberation from sin and the world. Sin has no power over authentic Believers, because Jesus, who has the power over sin and death, lives within us (Romans 8:2-4). Now we live under grace (Romans 6:14). God made Jesus, who never sinned, to be sin for us. Now we are the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 1:9).

God is not a personality that lives way up on a throne in Heaven. Christ dwells within us (Colossian 3:3). Once we realize the overpowering truth of this statement, our whole attitude about life changes. Nothing in life happens to us alone. It also affects the triune God living within us. God use these circumstances for His purposes: to perfect our life and to further His Kingdom in the earth. Once we get fed up with trying to keep the law and completely surrender our life to Christ, God rejoices. He wants us to live our life with our focus on Christ, not on our self.

We simply need to ask God to reveal His will and purpose to us in the situation we are in right now. We ask Him what He wants us to do and say. Then we listen and follow the leading of His Spirit within us. We find more purpose and meaning in life with this mindset. Nothing happens by chance, but by God’s design and for His reasons. Christ is all and is in all (Colossians 3:11). God created everything through Christ and nothing was created except through Him (John 1:3). We are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10). Our burdens are lighter, because we have taken His yoke upon us (Matthew 11:28-30). When we are weak, then we are strong in Him (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, if we think of our self as separate from You, then we feel the need to carry our burdens alone. The only reason we would have to be upset about our circumstances is if we forget that we are not helpless in them. They are also happening to You within us. You are a permanent resident within our spirit. We are one with You. Once we realize that You want to reveal Yourself in us and through us, then we will never walk alone again (Galatians 1:15-16).

Thought for the Day:

There is no spiritual life in us apart from Christ in us, our hope of glory.
– Colossians 1:27