Life In Jesus

On this final day of the week, this day when a week dies, we celebrate at the same time the birth of a new month. This has struck me forcibly, for it has brought a reality that cannot be disputed. Today, in this moment, in a real way, no hoping and waiting for it to be so, we are witnessing, in fact, we are living the testimony of death and life taking place at the same time. Is it not a reality that as the old, spent week is dying, the new-born month is emerging? Is this not dying and living at the same time? Has this not struck you? Is it not striking you? Are we, all of us who have been receiving life and change through Jesus, our Brother, being quickened in our entire being? At the beginning of the week, we were informed that we would receive some faith-breaking and faith-building times, to our greater good. Has this not been so?

During the week, we were shown Jesus as He who was totally human and totally divine. We were also reminded that He, who is God, became incarnate and lived among us. Presented to us, in ever instructive and productive terms, with the intention of arresting us and moving us to deeper faith, were these life-moving facts.

The Word was with God.

The Word was God.

The Word became flesh.

The Word made His dwelling among us.

The Word, came with seen glory, the glory of the One and Only.

The Word came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

We know that the Divine took on flesh and blood. Hebrews 2: 14 - 15, sheds this light of reality on us. Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity, so that by his death, he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Jesus has set us all free from the bondage of our sinful nature, to be and live as He. How is this possible, when we are in our natural states? This is all possible, if by faith we believe and do not doubt that Jesus, our Brother, was totally human and totally divine at the same time.

Let’s reason through what we already know. However, as you reason through, and here I’m making this personal, will you submit your thoughts, words and actions to the Holy Spirit? Will you let faith flourish, while killing all doubts, unbelief, skepticism and self-imaging? Just as today is one day and one time yet it carries both ending and beginning, will you receive the same in your mortal bodies?

If you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body you will live. Romans 8: 13. Okay, you say, but I have only a sinful nature, for I am in sinful flesh. Not any longer! As long as you have denied yourself and given yourself over to Jesus. If Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Romans 8: 10 – 11.

What is all this saying to you? These are what you must know and receive by faith, as taking place together. Quite so! It is as today, the dying and living; being buried and being born; leaving and arriving; going and coming, at the same time. When you died to your brother Adam, you lived to your Brother Jesus.

Examine Jesus and see yourself in Him through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is totally Divine and you are totally carnal. Do you agree?

Jesus is fully Spirit and you are fully flesh. Do you agree?

Jesus carries a Spiritual nature and you carry a sinful nature. Do you agree?

Jesus and you are totally opposite. Do you agree?

But God’s love for you was so deep, so vast, so beyond measure, He made a foolproof way to ensure that you and Jesus can be one, while you are in your mortal flesh. You are in the flesh, but you do not have to live in the realm of the flesh. Jesus has publicized this truth without fear. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15: 5. Without Jesus, we can do absolutely nothing that pleases the Father. To have Jesus in us is to have the Spirit within us dwelling. Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8: 5 - 6.

Are you hearing? You have received the Holy Spirit so that you have been given His Spiritual nature. Listen again to it. Jesus, who is totally Divine took on your totally human nature, so that He was totally Divine and totally human. When Jesus died and rose again, He conquered and broke down every barrier that would keep you separated from the Father. Jesus made you to be like Him. Jesus took you, with your totally sinful nature and placed His totally divine nature in you. Do you know that Jesus has made you exactly as He, so that you can live exactly as He lived?