God's Divinity within Us

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 God (Colossians 2:9). We are no longer sinners chained to the flesh.

Christ is our righteousness, deliverance, redemption, sanctification and so much more (1 Corinthians 1:31). He challenges us to hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6).

If our flesh is tempted to sin, we simply remember that it is dead and hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3; Romans 7:25). 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. We are a new creation freed from the power of sin through the divinity of Christ who dwells in us.

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, 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 sin, death and hell for us all (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).

Sin has no more power over us; therefore, we live a victorious life through Christ in us, both now and for all of eternity (James 1:25). We draw from the strength of His divinity within us for healing, wisdom, strength, righteousness and direction.

Prayer:

Father God, our finite mind has such trouble understanding what we cannot see. Yet, the faith of Christ within us helps us to see with spiritual eyes of understanding. Help us to walk in Your truth by the faith of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who dwells within us by Your Spirit; so that we no longer think that we have to sin and we may bear fruit for You (Romans 7:4).

We limit Your use of us on this earth by our watered down concept that we are still sinners and will always be sinners weighted down by our sinful, fleshly nature. Remind us that this old nature is already dead in Christ, that we are new creations by Your Spirit, and that we are now spiritual beings and slaves to righteousness, not to sin (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:18).

Thought for the Day:

Once we make Christ our whole life, we are no longer sinners hindered by sin and our flesh, because the power of the spiritual law of life through the Holy Spirit has set us free from the power of the fleshly law which once held us in bondage to sin and death.

- Colossians 3:3-5; Romans 6:14, 6:22, 8:2; John 8:36

Consuming Union with Christ

 

God spews out of His mouth anyone who lives a lukewarm life (Revelation 3:16). Our union with God is so intimate that He consumes us into Himself.

Not only do we have a spiritual union with Jesus through salvation, sanctification and eventually glorification; but we also enjoy an even more intimate unity as we consume Him into our self.

Jesus calls us to eat His body and drink His blood (John 6:53-59). During communion, we symbolically drink the juice and eat the bread, which represents His body and blood (Romans 12:5).

Life is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11, 14; Deuteronomy 12:23). We receive eternal life through the blood, which Jesus' shed on the cross (John 3:16).

There is one bread, Jesus, from which the whole body of Christ partakes (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). We are Christ's body and each of us is an essential part of it (1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 4:4).

We commemorate His sacrifice through the ordinance of communion, but we also have spiritual communion with the Lord each moment of every day.

When we consume Jesus, we have eternal life, because He is an integral part of our very being (John 6:57; Colossians 3:4). Our intimacy with Christ sustains us individually and as His corporate Body - the visible expression of Jesus on the earth.

Jesus made it clear that His food is doing the will of our Father (John 4:34). Even at a young age, Jesus found satisfaction by living in the center of God's will (Luke 2:41-52). God's will is our food as well.

Prayer:
Father God, when we thirst for You, our Almighty God, Your living water quenches our thirst (Psalm 42:2). We hunger for Jesus, our bread of life, and You fill us until You satisfy our longing (Luke 6:21; John 6:35).

We ingest Christ's flesh, which He gave for the life of the world, and we live eternally (John 6:51). We drink the living water, and we are intimately united and completely satisfied (John 4:13-14). Teach us the reality of this intimate union with you.

Thought for the Day:
Completely satisfied through Christ in us, we never hunger or thirst for anything this world has to offer us. - Colossians 1:27; Galatians 2:20; Revelation 7:16

Many thanks to my brother-in-Christ and mentor, Dan Busey, for helping me to look at this revelation of a total intimate unity with Jesus.

Salt and Light

 

God made His Saints as salt and light in our world (Matthew 5:13-16). As light, we reveal the hidden wounds in a sinner’s life; and as salt, we create a thirst in their soul. Sinners resent being reminded of their sin, and despise those who keep them accountable. Unbelievers often criticize Christians when we tell them the truth. As ungodliness increases with the growing apostasy in our world (2 Timothy 3:12-13), these people attempt to extinguish our light in order to hide their darkness.

When salt sits in the box, it clumps together and loses its usefulness (Matthew 5:13). It is only as we allow Jesus to pour us out, that we are any good to His Kingdom. Speaking God’s truth will season, cleanse, heal, preserve and prevent decay in the life of those who will listen and believe. Hopefully, those whose thirst we amplify will want to quench it with Living Water (John 7:37-39), which only comes through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (Mark 1:14-15).

Salt also enhances sweetness, such as bringing out the natural sweetness of melons. Expecting Christians to be sweet as pie, sinners resent the salty truth of God’s word. It is actually those preachers who dilute and sugar-coat the gospel of Christ that steer people in the wrong direction. They falsely imply that life in Christ is all about health, wealth and success. They disguise sin, calling it a weakness or saying it is biologically predestined; therefore, Jesus accepts it.

These lies lead people down the eternal path to destruction, rather than the narrow way of truth. Eternal joy comes from living in the presence of God for eternity. Although Authentic Believers all over the world are persecuted more and more, just like Jesus was during His lifetime (John 15:20), we are not deterred from sharing the truth of God’s Word. We do not merely listen to the Word and deceive our self, but we also obey God’s Word is Spirit and sincerity (James 1:22-24).

Prayer:

Father God, Your Word is truth and shall never pass away (John 17:17). Help us to be lights, which shine into this dark world, illuminating the way for whosoever will to come to salvation in Jesus’ name (Revelation 22:17). Until we walk in and share Your Truth, it simply remains a thought in our mind and does no good for anyone (2 Timothy 3:7). Your Spirit leads us into all truth (John 16:13). Give us the courage to continue to share it.

Thought for the Day:

The power of Christ working in us can accomplish more than we could ever imagine. – Ephesians 3:20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring of Living Water

Jesus promises that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled (Matthew 5:6). He used the concept of water to express the free flowing ministry of the Holy Spirit in us and through us. He told us that when we drink the water He gives us, we would never thirst again. Christ is our spring of living water, which provides us with His divine life now on this earth as well as in eternity (John 4:13-15).

His water wells up in the midst of our soul and flows freely out of us to all those around us (Matthew 12:40). This living water comes not just from one, but many rivers (John 7:38-39). It supplies us with light, love and liberation. His holiness within us flows out of us and blesses others. It is like a continual fountain centered in a beautiful lush garden of life within us. The abundant supply of spiritual water brings liberal blessings to us and to everyone in our life (Exodus 17:6).

All we need to do to receive this thirst-quenching water is to believe in Jesus Christ and come and drink from the well of His salvation (Isaiah 12:3). As we drink freely from the fountain of the water of life, which surges from the throne of God, we will thirst no more (Revelation 7:16-17, 21:6, 22:1, 17). His wisdom and comfort pour plentifully and constantly in us and through us. It is a strong stream, which overcomes the conflict of our doubts and fears. We find Christ’s fullness in our body, soul and spirit.

The indwelling Spirit of Christ in us infuses us with the abundant water of His grace. We are instruments of the Holy Spirit and we draw from the water of life, which comes from His deep spring. He uses us to impart His mercy and grace to our family, friends, neighbors and associates who are poor and needy in soul and spirit (Isaiah 44:3). They are all searching for this living water to quench their soul, which is scorched from life on this earth (Isaiah 41:17).

God’s water cleanses and purifies us and allows us to bloom as fruitful trees of righteousness, which grow and bring forth the fruit of His Spirit. As fruitful trees, we also provide a cool refuge to those wounded by their trials in life. They are revived, comforted and encouraged to grow in their spiritual life as well. We bring reconciliation to the world through the abundance of living water flowing through our attitude, words and actions.

Prayer:

Father God, Your unfailing love is priceless to us. Thank You for enabling us to live a self-controlled and Godly life in Christ Jesus (Titus 2:12). We feast on the abundance in Your household and we drink from Your river of delights. You are the fountain of life; in Your light we live and move and have our being (Psalm 36:7). You make known to us the path we should take in life and You fill us with joy in Your presence within us. You give us eternal pleasures now and for eternity (Psalm 16:11). Keep us as the apple of Your eye and hide us always under the shadow of Your wings (Psalm 17:8; Psalm 36:7).

Thought for the Day:

If we truly desire to live joyfully forever, we will allow Christ to rule and reign in our life.