The Christian life is an exchanged life: Jesus' life for your life. When Christ takes control, your life takes on dimensions you would never have known apart from Him. When you are weak, then Christ demonstrates His strength in your life (2 Cor. 12:9—10). When you face situations that are beyond your comprehension, you have only to ask, and the infinite wisdom of God is available to you (James 1:5). When you are faced with humanly impossible situations, God does the impossible (Luke 18:27). When you encounter people whom you find difficult to love, God expresses His unconditional love through you (1 John 4:7). When you are at a loss as to what you should pray for someone, the Spirit will guide you in your prayer life (Rom. 8:16). When Christ takes up residence in the life of a believer, “all the fullness of God” is available to that person (Eph. 3:19). It is marvelously freeing to know that God controls your life and knows what it can become. Rather than constantly worrying about what you will face, your great challenge is to continually release every area of your life to God's control. The temptation will be to try to do by yourself what only God can do. Our assignment is to “abide in the vine” and to allow God to do in and through us what only He can do (John 15:5). Only God can be God. Allow Him to live out His divine life through you. He is the only One who can. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day
I almost remember the day when this really hit home for me. That part near the beginning. "When Christ takes control, your life takes on dimensions you would never have known apart from Him."
Many years ago at the Church we were going to the topic those evenings was prayer. It was about the second or third Sunday night when God broke through with me.
I went up at the altar call and wept. It went on a few times till the end of the service. God was changing me. I needed changed. It's been since then that He's been doing oh so much through me.
He has opened my eyes to a great many things. To see through events, see through people at times. To find understanding in His Word. To pray like I hadn't before. To start having the ability to let go of chains that were of my own making. The chains began to come off. The weeping at the altar happened a few more times. I certainly am not the same as I was back before that time.
I have learned to let go of so much wrong thinking. To embrace the simple truths of God. So many over the centuries have over complicated a life with Christ.
Additional do's and don'ts. This version of the Bible over that. Must do this must not do that. If alll these extra things were necessary, how does it fit with the words of Jesus? My yoke is easy and my burden is light? How does it fit with His saying that one must come as a child?
My life changed because it finally became Christ living in me. Not me keeping Him in a room in my heart but in giving Him full reign in my life. It's been awesome to see where He leads me. I have seen vast mountains moved. Have seen children healed because of prayer. Have seen so much and it's all what He has accomplished through my obedience.
Oh don't get me wrong. It's still a daily struggle with sin. In this I share Paul's words in Romans. What's different now versus before those days of breakthrough in weeping is that after I get knocked down, I have learned to get back up again and move.
I know that I am still going to sin. But it's not going to define my life. I am a Child of God. Heir to the Kingdom of God. Friend of Jesus. A brother of Jesus. I am beloved by my Father in Heaven. I am cherished by Him. I am still a sinner but I am a forgiven sinner. I am not defeated, I am victorious in Christ. In me the I AM dwells.
Victory in Jesus begins with the realization of who you are and whose you are.
Your enemy will try everything he can to get you to self-incriminate to doubt your relationship. To believe you are anything but who you are in Christ. Everything.
For while he succeeds at that, you are ineffective for Christ. As long as you are preoccupied with that it means that you aren't obeying the Word of God concerning yourself.
Jesus lives within the believer in Him. So what, you sinned and fell down. Ask for forgiveness, get back up. Let Him clean you up and get back on your way with Him. You are never defined by your sin or sin nature when you are in Christ. You are who HE SAYS YOU ARE!
So today remember who and whose you are in Christ, if you are indeed a believer in Jesus. If not...then you don't remotely know the half of what you are missing. Come to Christ today. Learn what living is really about. Do a search for Romans Road. Don't just say the words, mean it when you want Jesus to be Lord of your life.
Begin living...today.
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