I see things so differently now. Before I felt lost, without purpose, floundering in my hurts and hangups, desperate to find “the more.” Now I have purpose, finally feel free and get to live the life of Christ. I may have been “born again” years ago, but only now do I feel alive. Much of what I have to say has everything to do with showing others the key to unlock the door and step into the reality of the life God intended all along.
The first door that was opened was a revelation of His love for me. Before I would have said that God tolerates me. He loves me for who I will be in Heaven but just puts up with me in this life. I really believed that unconditional meant He could look past my nastiness. Pretty sad, don’t you think? In my pursuit for “the more” of God I found I had never really believed in the power of the Holy Spirit. I had never asked Him to come and make His home in me. Of course He was there but for the first time I knew I wanted and needed more. Then God showed up! I can’t explain it in words precisely, but the Holy Spirit began to reveal to me how much my Daddy in Heaven really loved me. He showed me how Jesus was the proof of that love. He showed me how He has been watching over me all this time. He showed me that unconditional means He doesn’t need anything in return and just loves me as His precious creation. Praise God! He is so amazing.
The next door was identity or who I am because of what Jesus did. Before I would have said that Jesus paid for or covered my sin. This was a “get out of hell free card.” I really was a horrible sinner and God chose to ignore my sin because Jesus covered me. Now I know that I am the righteousness of God in Jesus. Jesus took my sin and annihilated it on the cross. God doesn’t remember my sin anymore. I am alive in Christ living His life. I am unconditionally accepted as a child of God seated in Heavenly places. I am a new creation with a new heart, a new spirit, a holy vessel inhabited by; the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit, the fullness of God. How is that for identity. Those aren’t my words but His. It is finished means it is finished!
The next door was Grace. Before I would have said that Grace is the thing that saves me. For many years we have said that Christians are just sinners saved by Grace. True in a sense. Jesus’ finished work actually makes us saints and Grace is way more that just a ticket to Heaven. God is Grace. His very nature is to provide. His master plan is for human kind to be in a dependent relationship with Him as He intended from the very beginning. Of course we don’t deserve it, but God choses to release His unmerited, undeserved, amazing Grace into our lives. I learned that every time I feel the need to “do it myself” I am actually telling God I don’t need His help. I move away from His provision and start eating from the wrong tree again. He gives me complete access to the tree of life. I get to have life and life abundantly. I never need to worry again, ever.
These are three keys that are separate but nothing apart from another. Sounds like the triune nature of God. Now this is a good word. The Holy Spirit is in us. He is love. His presence is love. He brags about His Son who is manifest love. His power flows from and through love. See it? Jesus is our identity. He not only made a way for us to receive His righteousness, He showed us what it looks like to live a surrendered life. When He was raised from the dead He brought us life. We are seated in Him in Heavenly places today. Come on. And finally God is Grace. He is Jehovah Jireh! He is the God that provides. His provision is only limited by our dependence. He gave His only Son and bankrupt Heaven just so we could be His children again. How amazing is that?!
So three keys in one and one in three. I need to know His love to trust His provision. I need to believe in who I am to have relationship. I need to trust His provision to surrender my life to Him completely. I will leave you with one last verse. Here is what God says:
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (ESV)
This is pretty cool. The Kingdom of God is…in the Holy Spirit. Jesus is our righteousness and God’s Grace is our provision. Seek ye first the love of God revealed by the Holy Spirit, your identity in Jesus and His righteousness to position yourself to receive the fullness of the Grace of God.
Yay God!
Lance
alancetotheheart 