THE LIFE OF FAITH AND THE GLORIOUS CHURCH - 2009
                                                      FEBRUARY 23rd


IF WE SEEK TO DO ANYTHING APART FROM CHRIST THEN WE SHALL NOT EXPERIENCE LIFE


...."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. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God"....
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Colossians 3:1-3 NASB

It is written in Hebrews 12:1-2, "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus". If we are truly going to keep our eyes "fixed" on Jesus then we are going to have to keep our eyes fixed on the place where He is - seated at the right hand of God [Ephesians 1:17-23].

          ...."Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth"....  vs.2

The cross-reference in verse 2 for the word "set" says "be intent on", and so we are given a very strong indication that we are to fix ourselves steadfastly upon the "things above" [the Kingdom], and not let anything distract us or deter us from keeping our mind fixed on them - and NOT on the things that are "below" [the world]. Since we have died with Christ we no longer have the desire to seek after the things of the world IF we truly believe that we have been crucified with Christ [Galatians 2:20]. But if we allow the "old man" and all of the selfish desires contained therein to rise up through our unbelief, THEN we shall find ourselves seeking after things in the world and will not keep our minds on the things above.

          ...."For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory".... vs.3-4

          We must realize that all of our life [love, light wisdom etc.] is "in Christ"! If we seek to do anything apart from Christ then we shall not experience life, but rather death and corruption in our walks - in some form. This is precisely why the Word of God states, sow to the Spirit and you shall reap life, sow to the flesh and you shall reap corruption and death [Galatians 6:8].

          ...."Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immortality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come".... vs. 5-6

          In this last hour, those children of God who refuse, in their rebellion and hardness of heart, to love the Lord their God with their whole heart - that is, to obey Him, and walk in faith in all things [and who have thus allowed "immorality", "impurity", "passion", "evil desire" and "greed" to be manifested in their lives] shall indeed experience the wrath [judgement] of God. If we are "allowing" any of these things to get a grip on our lives then we shall "set ourselves" in a place wherein the judgements of God MUST fall. There are many children of God who believe that because they are "under grace" that they are still able to go and do anything that they desire to do. No! Grace is accessed by faith [Romans 5:1-2] - and we are under grace in order that we might be empowered to do those things that God has called us to do. Every Christian must come to a clear realization [gain a revelation] that we must remain under the Covenant that we have with the Father, in Christ. For without the protecting cover of the Blood of Jesus, we leave ourselves in a "vulnerable position" to Satan. Let us be those who are found keeping our eyes fixed on the "things above"  - for in doing so we shall surely be in the proper spiritual positioning to crush Satan and his forces under our feet wherever we are sent - setting many captives free in the process.

Related Scriptures: Galatians 5:24; John 15:5; Luke 10:27; 1 Peter 4:17; Malachi 4:3; Romans 16:20; Acts 10:38;


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