Month: March 2017

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, …But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches in His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:1, 4-7 NASB

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”
Colossians 3:1-2 NASB

The perspective of our thoughts and prayers will determine what we “see.” If we are looking from this earth’s perspective up then they will be earth-bound in nature and have much frustration in what we see as answered or not.

If, however, they are prayers and thoughts from the perspective of being seated in Him on the Throne, then they will have heaven’s perspective and are fruit bearing thoughts and words of life. I am struck in my heart with this truth. Oh, our Father is so gracious that He always hears us and always moves with us, but to finally “see” that my perspective makes a huge difference in how I approach my day-to-day thinking, prayers and activities is a burst of hope and power.

We must begin. We must begin to switch our point of view and open to heaven’s input. Otherwise, we are just repeating the obvious. At this point in my life, time is precious and I do not want to just be repeating what I have heard nor do I want only the thoughts of other people in my head. I want the life-giving breath of heaven’s view nurturing my soul.

Scripture is very important here. His own words are always honored and always engender and build faith in the unseen. We begin to “see” in our spirits and our minds the ways of heaven delivered in life through the pages of His book. This is a new world and one where I know little. So as we place ourselves where we have been told by Scripture itself to place ourselves – in Christ seated on the eternal Throne of Glory – thinking His thoughts and “seeing” His world – let us think and pray in ways that release all He is in our world.

This takes some time to adjust to in our minds, thoughts, and prayers. (It is in the category of “taking our thought’s captive.”) But begin with me and let’s watch our hearts rise in expectation as we talk with Him (I think that is what we mean by prayer anyway) about what He sees and knows. What a joy to relax in His love and acceptance here – above it all. It is not a matter of “work,” but a matter of focus and intent. Let’s believe the Word and put it into life as we love Him.

“Even the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints; 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;” Colossians 1:26-27 KJV(ER)

I am constantly amazed and delighted with this passage of Scripture. The word “mystery” is simply a secret that has been hidden, but now is made available to all who call on the name of Jesus. This passage is endless in discovery as we read the Word. Almost every time I study it, read it, or just look at it, I begin to understand things I have not known previously. As the understanding grows, so does my excitement. As those who dwell in His heart as He dwells in ours so much becomes available to us in this new way of living. It is excitement over and over again in my spirit and in my heart.

This mystery of “Christ in you” is more than a statement, much more. It is the key to understanding everything in the New Creation Covenant (2 Corinthians 5:17). This Lord of ours has chosen to reside inside of each of us through the Holy Spirit. We have been made a son or daughter of our Father and have been created completely new from the inside out. The opportunities and consequences of that fact are eternal. Now everything is changed – my breath is His, His mind is mine, my heart is His, His heart is mine. Together we live and move and have our being.

We have known all along that we were not alone. But for years, many of us have worshipped a God outside of ourselves, not really related to us, and our requirement was to obey. I did not know the reality and the fullness of the fact that when He came inside, then the fulfilled law in Him was also in me as well as the motivation and the strength to be obedient. Beyond that, now the knowledge and strength to do the works of Christ Himself is in this body we call home.

The fulfilled law – that is what happened through Jesus’ life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to the Throne of Glory. He fulfilled it and He became it. When He came inside of us at our invitation, then that fulfilled law came as well. So as one of my college teachers said, “The Law did not change, but our position to it did change.” Now we do not try to “keep” it, because it is already kept for us and in us. However, we do confirm or establish it. Romans 3:31 “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law.” Our lives in grace and love confirm that God was right all along and the law is established as truth in and through us.

Trying to “keep” what is already kept, will lead us into legalism that can never be successful in our walk. We always fail that way. Some even refuse to understand their freedom and disregard the New Creation Covenant because of their stanch legal understanding of trying to keep what is already done. This mystery of Jesus inside us is the revealer of such false doctrine.

Holiness is not attained, it is a gift of grace through the presence of Jesus Christ. I think that understanding will find its way into another post shortly.

Thank you for reading and be very blessed in Him!