To my fellow brothers and sister in Christ,
I have one simple question for you. Do you want the power? You can spend all your money supporting the pastors of mega-churches and get this same message that I received from the Apostle Paul free of charge, given in love, in hope that you may use it to enrich your life. Here we start.
Resurrection power is quiet. It is the kind of power that was evident in the Lord Jesus. He came silently from the tomb-no sound effects, no Hollywood or Bollywood pyrotechnic visual effects. There was only the quiet, inexorable, irresistible, power of a risen life. The stone was rolled away-not to let Jesus out but to let people in, so they could see with their own eyes, that the tomb was empty.
This is the same power that God has released to us. His quiet but irresistible power changes hearts, lives, and attitudes, recreating from within. That is resurrection power. It flows to us from the Head of the new creation, the risen Christ, the source of all power.
Col 1.21-22 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical power body through death to present you holy in sight, without blemish and free from accusation.
Paul is addressing you and me as well as the Colossians. We too were once estranged, and enemies of God because of sin and I surely sinned but now God has reconciled us through the physical death of Jesus, unleashing His Resurrection Power in order to make us holy and guiltless in sight.
Paul goes on to give us a demonstration from his own life of this power. He says that God called him and put him in the ministry to proclaim a mystery.....odd I thought but still intrigued.
Col 125-27 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness-the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations,(I was feeling the hair on my neck) but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of the glory.
In other words, you can not find this explained in the Old Testament. It was experienced there but never explained. Now, however it has been disclosed to us the followers of the Almighty Christ. What is the great mystery? Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Now, my brothers and sisters, the time has come to get fired up with this Resurrection Power. It is Christ living in you. This is the supreme declaration of the Christian Church. You have never preached the gospel until you have told people not only that their sins will be given when they come to Christ, but that Jesus will indwell them and empower them!!! That is the transforming power of the gospel: Jesus lives in us and through us, giving us the creation power, the resurrection power, to do all God expects us to do and all He designed us to do and all He created us to do.
Jesus died for us so that He might live in us. That is the ultimate glory and power of the Christian gospel.
Paul goes on to describe what it means to live by the power of Christ:
Col 1-28-29 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with wisdom, so that we may be present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
My brothers and sisters, most of you all know ,the life Paul lived, it’s not like some of the mega-churches of today. He was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, living with little and sometimes in abundance. Where did all this energy that works so powerfully in him come from. The Christ in you, the hope of the glory.
Praise be to our Lord, Jesus Christ.
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Friday, October 19, 2007
"I have fought, the good fight"
Brother and Sister, Beloved in Christ,
I read so many prayer requests that make me so upset, reading Christains describe their life in total defeat, given up, yeilded to the enemy. When I read one, my first words that I type are always "such sad words coming froma Christain". So, I created this blog as a tool to inspire and educate fellow Christians to live the life of victory not defeat,the blessings of the Resurrection Power and to get up and fight the good fight. I am not perfect, I am a sinner saved by the blood of Christ, redeeemed through his resurrection, justified, sanctified and I believe soon, by the return of my Lord Jesus, made glorified. Let us encourage one another to be victorious and to recieve the promised blessings of Jesus. I believe one way is to share scripture based on the above topic with a narrative at the end.
Victory comes by Faith
God wants all his children to live a victorious life. However, this is only possible through the walk of faith. "...this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4). Faith is that which makes us overcomers against all the trials and circumstances of his world (1 John 5:4). A victorious life of faith no longer lives by feelings, emotions or circumstances. It is no longer manipulated by the emotions of discouragement or depression. As believers, we live and abide according to what the Word of God says, not by what the circumstances say. "We walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). This walk of faith is what brings victory.
Paul -- A man of Faith, Victory, and Trials
Perhaps there is no one who knew how to live the victorious life better than the Apostle Paul. He was a man of great faith and strength with God, but he endured circumstances that were almost unbelievable. He wrote of his ordeals in the ministry: "...In labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches" (2 Corinthians 11:23-28).
Despite his tribulations, Paul didn't lose sight of his victory. He wrote, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). Paul's life and ministry were filled with tremendous hardship, but his attitude remained confident and resisted defeat. "...Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).
You can live in Victory, Not in Defeat!
If you are facing trying situations, don't allow them to rob you of your victory! The Bible tells us that "God is your refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalms 46:1). You are not alone. Jesus has promised to never leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 12:13). Turn your attention to Him and His Word. Wait upon Him and He will strengthen you with His peace. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee" (Isaiah 26:3).
By faith, release your cares, your concerns and worries to Him. Trust Him to work out the end result. He will either change your circumstance or will change you to deal with them! Take His rest and peace upon you, believing that He has taken the burden from you. "Cast all your cares upon him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).
Remember and follow the Apostle Paul's example. He knew adversity at its worst, but also knew that circumstances need never threaten the joy and victory of the believer. He wrote, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ...Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Romans 8:35,37),II Timothy 4:6-8
6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
I read so many prayer requests that make me so upset, reading Christains describe their life in total defeat, given up, yeilded to the enemy. When I read one, my first words that I type are always "such sad words coming froma Christain". So, I created this blog as a tool to inspire and educate fellow Christians to live the life of victory not defeat,the blessings of the Resurrection Power and to get up and fight the good fight. I am not perfect, I am a sinner saved by the blood of Christ, redeeemed through his resurrection, justified, sanctified and I believe soon, by the return of my Lord Jesus, made glorified. Let us encourage one another to be victorious and to recieve the promised blessings of Jesus. I believe one way is to share scripture based on the above topic with a narrative at the end.
Victory comes by Faith
God wants all his children to live a victorious life. However, this is only possible through the walk of faith. "...this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4). Faith is that which makes us overcomers against all the trials and circumstances of his world (1 John 5:4). A victorious life of faith no longer lives by feelings, emotions or circumstances. It is no longer manipulated by the emotions of discouragement or depression. As believers, we live and abide according to what the Word of God says, not by what the circumstances say. "We walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). This walk of faith is what brings victory.
Paul -- A man of Faith, Victory, and Trials
Perhaps there is no one who knew how to live the victorious life better than the Apostle Paul. He was a man of great faith and strength with God, but he endured circumstances that were almost unbelievable. He wrote of his ordeals in the ministry: "...In labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches" (2 Corinthians 11:23-28).
Despite his tribulations, Paul didn't lose sight of his victory. He wrote, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). Paul's life and ministry were filled with tremendous hardship, but his attitude remained confident and resisted defeat. "...Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).
You can live in Victory, Not in Defeat!
If you are facing trying situations, don't allow them to rob you of your victory! The Bible tells us that "God is your refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalms 46:1). You are not alone. Jesus has promised to never leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 12:13). Turn your attention to Him and His Word. Wait upon Him and He will strengthen you with His peace. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee" (Isaiah 26:3).
By faith, release your cares, your concerns and worries to Him. Trust Him to work out the end result. He will either change your circumstance or will change you to deal with them! Take His rest and peace upon you, believing that He has taken the burden from you. "Cast all your cares upon him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).
Remember and follow the Apostle Paul's example. He knew adversity at its worst, but also knew that circumstances need never threaten the joy and victory of the believer. He wrote, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ...Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Romans 8:35,37),II Timothy 4:6-8
6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
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