God's Ultimate Plan

Through Adam, God formed humanity in His image and likeness, as His ultimate creation in the Garden of Eden. Sin cast us down from our lofty position; and instead, required that we toil in the earth for our sustenance. However, the divine Christ took the form of a human being to redeem mankind for eternity. Now, He works in our life until we willingly surrender our carnal flesh for mortification by His Spirit, until we realize that we are dead, and our life is now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

When we consider Jesus’ prayer in the Garden, prior to Judas’ betrayal, we can assume that He dreaded the horrendous coming events, which God required of Him. He begged God multiple times to allow the cup to pass from Him. Whether He feared the torture and crucifixion, or the bounty of God’s wrath, the debt of our sin or His separation from our Father for that period of time, we do not know. However, it is clear that Jesus felt apprehensive and craved His disciples’ support and prayer at that time.

We all know the end of the story. Jesus triumphed over sin and death. This same powerful Christ lives within us, with all the dynamic authority of His resurrection. He delivers every authentic Born Again Believer from any situation, which life throws at us, even death (Roman 8:11-23). Once the dynamite power of Christ moves into our spirit, we connect to the victory of the perfect union with Christ in us. We are now heirs with Jesus of all the glory due to Him, not because we are worthy, but because of what He did for us through Calvary’s cross (Romans 6:5).

Our humanity is dead, because we are crucified with Christ; yet Christ lives in and through us (Galatians 2:20). We are conformed to the likeness of His death through baptism, and then raised to walk in the freshness of new life in Him. We excel in His Kingdom work through His divine life within us. As Christ consecrates our spirit, soul and body to His service, we abide in Him as our righteousness, our salvation, our sanctification, our serenity, our sanctuary and our sufficiency.

Although all of creation awaits the revelation of the sons of God for its redemption (Romans 8:19), we currently abide in Christ with all the power of the triune Godhead residing within us. Yet, we live as prisoners to our negative emotions, our fleshly lusts, the lure of the world and the wiles of Satan and his minions. The reality of Jesus as the Lord of our life needs to sink into our soul until we eat, sleep, breathe and see it more clearly than any truth we have ever learned. Then we will walk in this reality with all the power of the triune Godhead within us (Mark 16:17-18).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You draw us into a closer union and fellowship with You through each passing day. We yield in unconditional surrender in order to partake of Your divine nature, unconditional salvation and victorious life. We desire nothing less then perfect conformity to Your nature and to be filled through all of our being with all the fullness of Your spiritual power (Ephesians 3:19). We rely on You to bring us into a deeper and more intimate abiding in Your presence within us, until we lay down our will and walk in Your will instead.

Thought for the Day:

When the storms of life shake our peace and our faith in our Rock, Jesus Christ, we can blame our self-efforts for this malady; however, we find abundant faith to meet any turmoil, when we trust only in our Savior and Lord. – Galatians 3:1-3

Abundant Life

It is foolish to count our worth according to our fame, fortune or success in this life. These are fleeting and transitory and can change in an instant. As followers of Christ, we no longer pursue aspects pertaining to this earthly realm, but we focus our mind, affections and goals on the purposes of God for us (Colossians 3:2). We no longer desire to fulfill the deeds of the flesh in our mortal body; because we are putting on the new self, which Jesus is renewing within us (Colossians 3:10).

 

Without the understanding of Christ dwelling within us, we cannot walk in victory over sin, sickness and death. Once we come to an epiphany of our union with Christ, anything is possible, according to the will of God (Mark 10:27). We serve the God who graciously forgives our sin debt (1 John 1:9). On top of that, He saves us from the punishment of our sins (Romans 6:23). Then He moves into our spirit to live His life through us.

 

The greatest aspect of our relationship with God is to come to intimately know Him as the one true Father of compassion, the God of all comfort, and to realize that He wants to live His life through Christ in us moment by moment throughout the day (2 Corinthians 1:3; John 17:3). God provides us with the desire and the will to bring Him pleasure (Philippians 2:13). He also gives us His Spirit to teach us all things that we need to know for a successful life of Godliness (1 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Peter 1:3).

 

We are never more fulfilled than when we are walking closest to God through Christ in us. God changes our nature from carnal, earthly flesh to one full of purity, Godliness and spirituality (2 Corinthians 3:18). He gives us a way out of every future temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). He walks with us every moment of every day, giving us His strength to go through every trail and to deliver us from it (Philippians 2:12). With our mind focused on God, we walk in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). Our deepest affections are reserved just for Him.

 

True abundance in this life only comes when we adopt a spiritual purpose (Matthew 6:19-21). When we focus on our life with an earthly perception, we experience stress, anxiety, anger and many other negative emotions. The consequences of our choices and actions follow us into eternity. When we focus with an eternal perspective, we are only interested in God’s intentions, instructions and His inclusion of us in His plans. His peace, which transcends all human understanding, fills our heart and mind through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).

 

Prayer:

Father God, we want to daily contemplate Your goodness, majesty, power, mercy, love, wisdom, justice and sovereignty. We are to walk in a different dimension than unsaved humanity. Remind us that our values and purpose are centered on Your Kingdom. You supply us with the spiritual resources to perform supernatural feats as we interact in our daily activities with family, church, work and community. When the love we feel for our fellow mankind springs from our love for You and from You, it is more committed and unconditional. All of creation is eagerly waiting for the manifestation of Your sons (Romans 8:19).

 

Thought for the Day:

When we surrender our life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ we enter the realm of abundant life, which He promises. - John 10:10

Thank you, Tracy Hassall, for the use of your photo.