NOT OF THIS WORLD

Not of this World

John 17:14 – 20 AMP, Jesus makes a statement in prayer to the Father that I think we sometimes miss when we read it.  He said in Vs.16 they are not of this world, as He was not of this world.

            We read things in the Word that we think of as “someday things”.  That some day, we really will not be of the world.  The truth is, you are not of this world now.  You are in this world, but not of this world!

            We find in Ephesians 2:5 – 6 AMP that in the Word of God, we were raised to gather with Him into heavenly places.  People tell me all the time, “Well, brother, that is just a legal term”.  If it is a legal term, there must be a vital side to it.

            I live in America.  In America, we have some legal terms called a “Constitution”.  By taking what is legally mine and walking in it, I now have the vital side of legality working in my life.  It took the death and resurrection of Jesus to bring about the legal aspect of my salvation, but now that it is legal, I have a right to it on the vital side of my redemption.

            Without the legality of this Gospel, there is no vital walk and no benefit.  If it is legal, then I can enjoy it to the best of my ability and understanding.  Many Christians are like what they are calling, “Illegal Aliens”.  They are in America, but can’t enjoy the benefits because of the legalities that govern this nation.

            If we are not of this world (and Jesus said we are not), then how do we walk in the legal things of the world in which we are citizens?

            In Matthew 6:32 – 33 AMP, Jesus said to the people, all of the things we seek after and need, God already knows we need them.  But then He said to seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and His way of doing and being right, then all these things will be added to us.  God has a way of doing and being right that we haven’t obtained yet in our walk.  It is legally ours, but not by practice.  When you change from one kingdom to another, there are different ways of doing things.  If you moved from Ireland to America, you would live by different rules and standards than when you lived there.  One thing you would have to change would be the side of the road you are driving on!  It would be legal for you to drive here, but you have to abide by the way things are done in this nation.  The vital side and the legal side have to work together.

            Jesus, when He was here, said He was not of this world, He came from the Father.  You and I are now not of this world and we came from the Father.  When He was here, He walked in the legal aspect of heaven, and even here the laws that uphold heaven were the laws He used to supersede the laws here.  Even to the laws of nature and natural man.

            When He stopped storms, walked on water, multiplied the fish and loaves, He did it by a higher set of laws (Matthew 6), remember?  HIS way of doing and being right.       

            If we begin to apply the vital side of what is legally ours, things will change in the life of the believer.

            I read in History that in 1865, there was a war that freed the slaves and set them free.  This was a LEGAL proclamation and it was the law.  Some rejoiced in their new found liberty, but some did not.  It was 100 years later that the vital side of the legal term was put in place.

            A great warrior by the name of Martin Luther King, Jr. made up his mind to walk in what was already HIS.  I remember the walk through Selma, Alabama, when he said, “I have seen the promise land”.  From 1865 until 1965, the legal side of freedom was there, but when he began to make that law a reality, it changed everything.  After all the years of living in the shadow of the legal aspect, we now have our first African-American in Washington – the most powerful political figure in the world today.

            We, as Christians, read Luke 4, where Jesus said He came to set all of us free from the bondage of sin and the power of Satan.  We make noises like we actually were free, but continue to live under the same bondage.  Now is the time for a Moses, Abraham and another Martin Luther King, Jr. to rise up and tell the legal aspects of our new found life and put the vital side of it to work in our lives.  Change to do it God’s way.  Take the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and walk free of the law of sin and death.

            This is for the “too far” people of God.