The
importance of knowing and experiencing the power of Christ’s
life in us to overcome the stresses and
trials of the end times
During His time on earth, the Lord presented us with a consistent
warning about being prepared for God’s judgment of the world, and His second
coming. It was “WATCH,” for the Son of
Man is coming in an hour that you do not expect.
“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the
coming of the Son of Man be. For as in
the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and
giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not
know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of
the Son of Man be.” Matt 24:37-39.
“Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Matt 24:40-44.
“Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming -- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning -- lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping [not prepared]. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” Mark 13:33-37.
“Behold, I am coming as a thief.
Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments [maintains his righteousness], lest he walk
naked and they see his shame.” Rev
16:15.
Jesus warns that the end of all things is to come suddenly, with distress and perplexity facing those who are not prepared.
“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Luke 21:25-28.
The signs in the sun, moon, and stars, the waves roaring, and the powers of the heavens shaken, is a figurative description of the shaking of all things on the earth, as also prophesied by Haggai, and Paul. The consistent warning throughout these readings is to watch for the signs of the Lord’s coming; and to be prepared by setting and maintaining our spiritual lives in order.
In such a time of distress in the world, it is important to know that we
are children of God, having the added assurance that God, Jesus, and the Holy
Spirit are indwelling us, and are ever ready to come to our aid in times of
need. It is in receiving this truth in
our hearts that we will stand, and not be greatly moved. In the light of this truth, emphasised in
Paul’s words, “in Him we live and move and have our being,” our study
will focus on the fullness of the Godhead as our refuge and overcoming life,
rather than the horrors facing the world.
Key Bible Reading: Presents that we live, move, and have our being by the miraculous indwelling power of the fullness of God.
“God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him [the fullness of God--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] we live and move and have our being…” Acts 17:24-28.
In the reading above, Paul was
speaking to the men at Athens who worshipped many pagan gods. Paul had noticed that they had even erected
an altar dedicated “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.”
Paul used this observation in an endeavour to persuade them that the
unknown God they were worshipping was in fact the Lord God Almighty, the
eternal Creator, “gives to all life, breath, and all things,” and
because of His life giving Spirit in us, “in Him we live and move and have
our being.” The fact that Paul was
speaking to the Athenians in no way diminishes the basic truth that through
God’s Spirit in us, we as Christians are given “life, breath, and all things,”
and that “in Him we live and move and have our being.”
Paul’s truth is qualified by the condition that it is IN HIM we live and move and have our being. This leads us to the question, what does “in Him” mean?
Because Paul was speaking to unbelievers, “in Him” was conveyed in a general sense, meaning everyone and everything is in the compass of God’s power, and since this includes the whole universe, all living things are “in Him,” created and upheld by His Spirit. Paul was saying to the Athenians that they, as part of the whole universe were “in Him,” and upheld by His power.
As Christians, the words “in Him” have a new significance. We have been baptised in, or into, the name [or fullness of the attributes] of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. [“For as many of you as were baptised into Christ have put on Christ.” Gal 3:27]. To be in Him is to be in a harmonious obedient relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit, so that potentially we are able to receive the fullness of their blessings. In short, it is to be obediently in tune with God’s will for us. The truth of God filling and upholding all things is verified in Scriptures like the following.
“If He
should set His heart on it,
If He
should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath,
All
flesh would perish together,
And man would return to dust.” Job 34:14-15.
“Thus says
God the LORD,
Who created
the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread
forth the earth and that which comes from it,
Who gives
breath to the people on it,
And spirit to those who walk on it.” Isa 42:5.
The following reading from Psalm 139, tells us that
our pattern and days were known by God even before we were placed in our
mother’s womb.
“For You
formed my inward parts;
You
covered me in my mother's womb.
I will
praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvellous
are Your works,
And that
my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was
made in secret,
And
skilfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your
eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in
Your book they all were written,
The
days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.” Ps 139:13-16.
In the New Testament, Jesus further emphasised that
God is the creator and supporter of the life of all earthly things.
“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” Matt 6:28-30. If we trust Him, our provision becomes His responsibility.
“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Matt 10:29-31. The Spirit of God enlivens every living thing.
Paul went on
to tell the Athenians that their “unknown god,” Almighty God, was not only the
source and supporter of all life, but also all movement - every heartbeat,
every breath, and every step is by the power of His Spirit. Furthermore, in Him they had their being,
that is, their very existence. The
length of their days on earth was in His hands. “I call heaven and earth as
witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death,
blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants
may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His
voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and
the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the
LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” Deut 30:19-20.
In speaking to the Athenians, Paul
used the Greek word ‘zoa’ for ‘life.’
It means to have life as opposed to being dead. He pointed out that the life that was in their
bodies and enabled them to move, and carry out their activities and normal
bodily functions, was from the Spirit of God.
For most people, this requires an adjustment in our thinking, for we are
conditioned to believe that our life comes from our own bodies, and when they
wear out or come to grief, our life comes to an end.
We in particular as Christians should embrace Paul’s worlds, “He
gives to all life, breath, and all things,” and “for in Him we
live and move and have our being,” for we are new creations with a new kind of life that is enhanced by the
Spirit. Compare ‘zoa,’ the life spoken about to the Athenians, with ‘zoe,’ the life that Jesus
promised to us when He said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to
kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life [zoe], and that they might have
it more abundantly [more than is necessary needed to sustain it].”John
10:10.
“Zoe”
is the absolute fullness of life belonging to God, empowering us and providing
an additional miraculous capacity to meet our needs. Paul gives us a glimpse of the ‘zoe’ life in
this promise to the Roman Christians. “For
if when we were enemies [unsaved] we were reconciled to God through the
death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by
His life [zoe].” Rom 5:10-11.
“Thayer’s Greek Lexicon,” translates ‘saved’ as - “universally, [save] one [from
injury or peril]; to save a suffering one [from perishing],
e. g. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health…”
We
were eternally saved when we accepted Jesus as our Saviour and Lord. Now, having been saved, His saving grace is
ongoing, and we are continually saved [restored, made well, healed, empowered
to work] by His indwelling life. Of
God’s continual grace and the quality of Christ’s ‘zoe’ life working in us,
Paul writes, “Now to Him who is able
to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according
to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ
Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.”
Eph 3:20-21.
We are able to reign over all of our circumstances when we ‘feed’ on the power of Christ’s indwelling life. “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” Rom 5:17. When Paul wrote, “To this end I also labour, striving according to His working which works in me mightily,” Col 1:29, he knew and had constantly experienced the reality of Christ’s miraculous indwelling life enabling him to live and work above his natural potential. The degree that we as Christians receive the indwelling power of Gods’ Spirit is qualified by the degree that we are “in Him,” or in a right relationship with Him.
In the working of the Godhead, God the Father is the source and initiator of all things, and Jesus Christ using the vehicle of the Holy Spirit, distributes them. The zoe life of God in Jesus Christ is released by Him in us through the power of the Spirit.
“For as the Father has life in Himself, so He
has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to
execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.” John 5:26-27.
“Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life [zoe]: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6.
“I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light [the light of truth] of life.” John 8:12.
“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread [a symbol of that which sustains] of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger [fall short]; and he that believes on me shall never thirst [want more].” John 6:35.
Christ’s analogy of the vine and its branches is a
perfect illustration of how we should continually draw life from Him. “I am the true vine, and My Father is the
vinedresser… Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of
itself, unless it abides [a continual dependent union] in the vine,
neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him,
bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing [no spiritual work].” John 15:1, & 4-6. This is a very clear example of the
relationship we should have with the Lord, abiding, or continually living in a
dependent union with Him, by faith drawing on the fullness of His life in us to
meet our needs.
Many
Christians are unaware of the super abundance of the life of Christ indwelling
them and available to them, and they live out their lives restricted to their
own natural capacities. But the word
says, He “is able to do exceedingly
abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in
us.” When we accept in our hearts the analogy of the true vine and its
branches, we are enabled to draw on the life of Jesus to receive additional
strength, love, faith, truth, wisdom, patience, endurance, humility,
understanding, and so on, to meet our needs as we encounter them.
For instance, if we have a difficult relationship
with another person and are required to converse with them, we may present the
situation into the Lord’s hands, and ask Him to release His wisdom, discretion,
love, humility, and understanding into our hearts, allowing Him to manifest
what we should be in the relationship.
The only way that we can walk through this life living in victory above
our circumstances is to walk in the light of the super abundance of Christ’s
life at work in us, knowing that it His desire that we continually ‘feed’ on
Him.
Two Types of Empowering
1. At our conversion we receive the
impartation of the Holy Spirit into our spirits, so that they are regenerated
and enlightened to perceive spiritual truths. He becomes our comforter, our teacher and
guide, and the revealer of Christ and His blessings to us. Of particular importance is the knowledge
that Jesus dwells in us, and is a source of overcoming life that is available
to us to meet our needs in all of our circumstances. Jesus described this type of empowering in this
figurative description.
“Whoever drinks of this water [from the well] will thirst again, but whoever
drinks of the water that I shall give him [the Holy Spirit released in our
spirits by Christ] will never thirst [want]. But the water that I shall give him will
become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13-14.
Even
though with maturity we should experience and enjoy more and more of the life
of Jesus, drawing on His life to meet our needs is the right and privilege of
every Christian, no matter whatever the state of their spiritual growth.
2. The
second type of empowering is commonly referred to the baptism of the Spirit,
and was first experienced at Pentecost.
This is a filling of the Spirit that may be accompanied by spiritual
gifts that empower us to minister to the needs of others. In this case Christ describes the Spirit as a
river of living water flowing out of our hearts to encompass others in need.
“If anyone thirsts, let him come
to Me and drink. He who believes in Me,
as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37-39.
Being baptised in the Spirit was the
normal procedure for all new Christians, and so is still available to all
Christians. To be true to the pattern of
the early Church, baptism of water should be followed by a baptism of the
Spirit as an empowerment to minister to the needs of others. This initial baptism of the Spirit may be
followed by further infillings of the Spirit during a Christian’s lifetime. The early disciples experienced another
empowering to enhance their ministry in their dire need. Experiencing much tribulation, they prayed, “Now,
Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness
they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs
and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” And when
they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and
they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with
boldness.” Acts 4:29-31.
The Two Types of Empowering
Illustrated in the Ministry of Philip
The two types of empowering - the regeneration of
our spirits, and empowering for service, are illustrated by the experience of
Philip the evangelist when he went down to Samaria to preach the
gospel of salvation to the unsaved.
They believed Philip, confessed Jesus as Saviour
and Lord, and were baptised in water. “But when they believed Philip as he
preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ,
both men and women were baptised.” Acts 8:12. At this point they received the Holy
Spirit regenerating their spirits so that they could understand and receive the
things of God. They received the
indwelling presence of the Lord, and had the capacity to draw on His life. This is the first type of empowering of the
Spirit mentioned above.
In the early church the baptism
in water was automatically followed by a baptism in the Spirit, usually through
the laying on of hands. Notice what
happened to the Samarians who had believed Philip and were baptised in water.
“Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard
that [the people of] Samaria
had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they
had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as
yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptised in the name of
the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy
Spirit.” Acts 8:14-17.
This passage from Ephesians describes our state before salvation, under the power of Satan, with a power of death working in our whole being.
“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus [our spiritual sate of blessing in Christ], that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Eph 2:1-7.
By the cross of Jesus all Christians have passed
from death to life. Before salvation we
were in Satan’s kingdom and held captive by the law of sin and death. Having been saved, the law of sin and death
has been superseded by a higher law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who
do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law
of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and
death.” Rom 8:1-3.
Now we are vessels of life, continually upheld by
Christ’s indwelling Spirit. However, we
must never forget that this blessing has its foundation in what Jesus achieved
for us through His sacrificial death on the altar of the cross, and this must
be the ground on which we claim it by faith and receive it. That is why Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I
say unto you, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man [partake of the
blessing of our sins and their punishment borne in Christ’s body on the cross],
and drink his blood [receive and walk in the righteousness and
sanctification He procured for us by His shed blood], you have no life in
you.” John 6:53.
Righteousness
and Eternal Salvation by the Blood of the Cross
Through the cross, the
effectiveness of the purifying power of Christ’s blood has made us spiritually
righteous eternally. We are delivered
from the kingdom of Satan and transferred into the kingdom of God. We are eternally saved. We are now able to plead the blood of Jesus
over every sin and receive God’s forgiveness. Every accusation of Satan against
us is negated, for we are reconciled to God, being holy and blameless in His
sight. These are spiritual realities to
be claimed by faith.
Spiritual Healing has its Basis in the Cross
Of particular importance to our healing and health
is this remarkable statement by Peter. [Jesus]
“Himself bore our sins [with their punishment of sickness disease and
death] in His own body on the tree [cross], that we, having died to
sins, might live for righteousness -- by whose stripes you were healed.” 1
Peter 2:24.
Through the cross, our bodies were spiritually set
free, or spiritually healed and released from the law of sin and death, and
every legal claim of Satan against our bodies was nullified. They were made sanctified vessels for the
indwelling Holy Spirits. “Or do you
not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you,
whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a
price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit.” 1 Cor
6:19-20.
By Christ bearing the punishment
for our sins in His own body on the cross, He has prepared the way for us to
receive God’s healing of our mortal bodies. As we testify and claim our spiritual healing
by Jesus Christ, the way is paved for God to miraculously release His Spirit of
life in our mortal bodies. This does not
necessarily mean that we are automatically healed instantly. That may be the will of God, but the more
usual occurrence is that the natural healing power inherent in our bodies is
enhanced, and our healing is by a steady process.
We are
Sanctified and Grow in Sanctification Through the Cross
By
Christ taking on Himself the mantle of mankind on the cross, our old man is
incorporated in His sacrificial death.
We can now declare our carnal natures included in Christ’s death on the
cross. If we desire in our hearts that
this becomes a reality, the Holy Spirit comes to our aid by putting to death
the deeds of the flesh, or gradually nullifying our carnal natures. “For if you live according to the flesh
you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,
[your carnal nature] you will live.” Rom 8:13-14.
All of these benefits are
spiritual in nature, and it is only as they are personally claimed and received
by faith that they become a physical reality.
Every spiritual blessing we receive from God has its foundation in the
righteousness and sanctification Christ procured for us on the cross.
There is a current trend to bypass the cross, and
call down the power of the Spirit to fall on us and empower us. The Holy Spirit never acts or speaks on His
own authority, as His office is to represent and glorify the name of the Lord,
in particular bearing witness to the blessings of His cross. “He will not speak on His own authority, but
whatever He hears [from the Lord] He will speak; and He will tell you
things to come. He will glorify Me, for
He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” John 16:13-15. Those who call down the Spirit without
reference to Jesus and His finished work on the cross may receive a
manifestation from a spirit that is a counterfeit spirit - the spirit of
antichrist.
It is a spiritual law that new spiritual life comes out of the death of
our carnal nature. In introducing this
truth, Jesus starts by saying “most assuredly,” or most emphatically. “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of
wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it
produces much grain. He who loves his
life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal
life. If anyone serves Me, let him
follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me,
him My Father will honour.” John 12:24-26.
Paul describes how the death of
our self-life is the catalyst that produces the life of Jesus in His Spirit
that is implanted in us, so that it may flow out to others.
“Always
bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus [in our carnal
nature], that the
life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body [to those in
need].” 2 Cor 4:10.
“For we which live are alway delivered unto death [of our self-nature] for Jesus' sake, that the
life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death works in us, but life in you
[the life of Jesus flows out to you].” 2 Cor 4:11-12.
“Therefore we do not lose heart.
Even though our outward man [our carnal nature] is perishing, yet the inward man [Christ
in us] is being renewed day by day.” 2 Cor 4:16-17.
This is the nature of our
spiritual walk - continually placing our self-life on the cross daily to be put
to death by the Spirit, and receiving Jesus as our life. Jesus pointed out that those who were not
prepared to embark on this path of holiness were not worthy of Him.
“And he who does not take his cross and follow
after Me is not worthy of Me. He who
finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find
it.” Matt 10:38-39.
“Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his
life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.” Mark 8:34-36.
Our New Life Grows in
Power as Christ’s Kingdom is Formed in Us
Since God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy
Spirit are ONE, the terms the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Christ, and the
kingdom of heaven are interchangeable. When we read, “For indeed, the
kingdom of God is within you,” Lk 17:21, we can equally say that the
kingdom of Christ is within you.
The word kingdom applies to a
place where a king rules, and since Christ does not rule in every part of our
being, His kingdom or rule in us should be continually growing as we relinquish
parts of our nature into His hands. The
new life that flows out of our hearts to help others grows as the kingdom of
Christ is formed in us. As we submit one
area of our lives to His control, it becomes part of His kingdom in us. That is why Jesus presented the parables of
the leaven and mustard seed.
“And again He said, “To what shall I liken the
kingdom of God [or Christ]? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid
in three measures of meal till it was all leavened [as in using yeast to
make bread].” Luke 13:20-21.
“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The
kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his
field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is
greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come
and nest in its branches.” Matt 13:31-32.
As the kingdom of Christ is formed in us by replacing our carnal flesh,
we become a source of nurture to others, as His life flows out to minister to
those in need “so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”
Open Our Hearts to God’s Miraculous Power in Action Through Us
We are in a crucial stage in the
history of mankind for the end of the age is near. It will be the day of God’s judgment on all
those who have turned their backs on His grace, and have gone their own way in
wickedness and rebellion. This is a time
for us to be emptied of our carnal natures and receive a further infilling of
the Spirit, so that we will be sustained in the fury of God’s judgment on the world,
and so that we may become prepared vessels He can use. God is asking us to open
our hearts to the miraculous power of the Lord’s Spirit of life in us, so that
it may flow out and encompass those in need.
On
the other hand, it is a time to humbly acknowledge who we are. Paul called us earthenware vessels,
containing the treasure of the miraculous power of the Lord. “But we have
this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of
God and not of us.” 2 Cor 4:7.
The earthenware vessel cannot produce a miracle in itself. That is why the Lord said, “without Me you
can do nothing.” Our position is to
be still, waiting on the Lord, not initiating anything of ourselves, or
speaking on our own authority, but allowing Him to minister through us
unhindered by our flesh. This is the
only way we can have a pure ministry in the Lord.