(a) a hardworking
servant that He can "use" to meet His goals?
(b) a child with blind faith, who obeys without ever questioning?
(c) a friend or buddy who sees Him as lenient and only loving?
(d) a faithful church member meeting needs in the community
(e) a bride in union with Him, expressing His heart?
(f) a person who tries his best to do what Jesus would do?
While
all of these may contain a truth, most of them imply that Jesus is separate
from us and we are trying to live "our" life to the best of our
ability, to look like Jesus. The trouble is that the more we try to live the
Christian life "for" Him, the less we do. God came in the flesh to
show us the answer to the mystery of His desire.
Col
1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Only
Jesus Christ can live the Christian life. He came to give us eternal life (not
just a longer life, but His very life living through our mortal bodies.) We
are truly meant to be vessels, containers for Him to live His life in union
with us. He didn't save us to say, "See you in heaven! Now do your best
in your own strength to figure out what I would do if I were there!" This
is separated thinking. Old Testament believers may have attempted to earn
their righteousness, but eventually had to die to their own works and rely on
the faith of the Messiah. (Hebrews 11) The fruit and the love is a person!
1
Cor 1:30-31 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has
become for us wisdom from God-- that is, our righteousness, holiness and
redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in
the Lord."
God continually
describes us as His Bride and our relationship as a union. We grow from being
babes, to servants, to friends, but His passion is for a mature bride with
whom He can be in union: loving each other with our whole heart, soul and
body. Relationships are good, but only in "union" is He able to put
His life into us and reproduce. When we are in union, His life in us will
mature and give birth. The bride cannot reproduce without a union - a
"relationship" alone still involves separation and will not bear
fruit that remains eternally.
John 15:5 ...
"He who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from
Me you can do nothing."
Separated
thinking begs God for the fruit, instead of believing that Christ, who is the
fullness of the Godhead bodily, is IN US, is every fruit, gift or power we
could ever ask or think. Separated thinking feels a lack, a scarcity, a gap
between us and the power of God. Wigglesworth said that the difference comes
when we actually believe the word of God! In Him, we have everything and can
do all things in Christ!
Eph
1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who HATH blessed
us with ALL spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ..... 1:4 we ARE
holy and blameless ..... 1:23 we ARE the fullness of Him who fills all in
all.
Union
requires two "likes" who are opposite in function. We are all Eves
who are designed to express the life of the second Adam. We cannot originate
the life "for" Him; we are expressers of the union life that He so
passionately desires with His bride. God please grant us a supernatural
revelation of your deepest desire.
John
17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast
sent me.
Pray
that we will meet Him in His desire -
to be one Spirit with us. l Cor.6:17
If
you benefit from these articles you may want to register for the class on
Our Identity in Christ versus Personal Strongholds.
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