Philippians 3:10-11 (Amplified) says, "For my determined purpose is, that I may know Him (that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His person more strongly and clearly) and that I may in that same way come to know the power out flowing from His resurrection (which it exerts over believers) and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed (in spirit into His likeness even) to His death (in the hope) that if possible I may attain to the (spiritual and moral) resurrection (that lifts me) out from among the dead (even while I am in the body)."
Paul's prayer and purpose was to be continually transformed into the very Image of Jesus, even in his natural body. Paul's purpose was that the character and nature of Jesus to be manifest in him, even while he was still in his own fleshly person. This is something we must yield to rather than do works to achieve. This character has already been placed inside us through the new birth. We must learn how to yield by faith, to Him living through us, instead of our trying to live to ourselves. We keep trying to mast the flesh instead of allowing Him to master the dead flesh by His Living Spirit. We've tried making the the flesh behave differently through regulations and laws, but the flesh has been well trained by the sin nature living within it.
Paul makes a statement that we should strongly desire to do more than just read in Galatians 2:20 (Amplified). Thus, he says, "I have been crucified with Christ (in Him I have shared His crucifixion), it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me."
Paul determined himself to be dead and that Jesus was alive and living through his dead body. We've always tried living for Jesus instead of allowing Him to live through us. If we were crucified with Him, then we died with Him. Now, He is the only One Who actually is living through us. We've always tried finding a way to let us feel worthy enough to have God use us. If only we could arrive to the place where we realize that it's Him Who is the Only life we have.
We read the scriptures and understand what they say, but then miss the truth about what they truly say. Because we still walked, talked, ate, slept and worked at our jobs, we considered ourselves alive. Truthfully, though, we are already dead, buried in baptism and raised to newness of life in Jesus. Paul said that, "The life that I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God." This means that "The just shall live by faith." Romans 1:17 (Amplified) says, "For in the gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith (disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith) As it is written, the man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith."
We believed, by faith, that we've been forgiven of our sin and are saved. Mostly, we didn't let our faith "lead us to more faith," but instead we just had faith we were going to heaven when we die. Our faith was supposed to continue growing into His life and by faith, having His life living through us.
The character of Christ Himself is something we must allow, by faith, to flow out of Him through us. We've always felt we were unworthy or saw ourselves as still sinners in some cases. Our lack of faith in these areas of our life, is the reason why the world doesn't see Him represented in our lives. The world has been seeing people striving to live for Christ and not seeing people who are living through Christ. The world views us as phony and self-righteous. This isn't what the people saw when Jesus walked among them. They saw His holiness, but they also saw His love and His ability to change them without condemning them.
We've tried walking in His character by means of the soulish realm or by our feelings. Our own humanity gets in the way of His Spirit. Because we didn't wish to seem self-righteous, we went to the other extreme of accepting everything. We laid down laws and creeds to live by instead of allowing Him to live through us without all the ritual.
The world has seen a bunch of hard nosed, judgmental people who had no compassion (even among themselves). We fought against one another and against other denominations. We became self-righteous and refused to listen to anyone who disagreed with us. We weren't called to make the world behave differently, but we were called to reveal Jesus to others. When Jesus is revealed, He doesn't make the world behave differently. He changes the world into new creatures who behave differently.
You can lead a donkey into the stables of a Kentucky thoroughbred and you can groom it until it shines. You can feed that donkey the best grain and hay and give it jockey colors and a jockey of his own. You can lead it to the track and place him at the starting gate. But, when that gun signals the start of the race, that donkey will still be standing at the gate because he was never a race horse,but a well treated donkey.
The presence and character of God can only be manifest in us by the Spirit of God. We need to allow our faith to accept the that that this is acceptable and desirable by God for us. Once we realize that this is God's will and purpose for our lives, we will walk in this area. Only God can manifest God's love through us. His presence needs to be revealed to the world. They need to see Him and not us. God's character can't be counterfeited nor can we make it manifest aside from Him. We might change the way we dress, talk, walk, sing or do anything, but these things can't reveal Him. He has to reveal Himself and not reveal us, to the world.
Jesus said in John 12:45 (Amplified) that, "Whoever sees Me sees Him Who sent Me." Most of us can't say that, "Whoever sees me sees Him Who sent me." We still want people to see the goodness and right things that come from us, but they are of no value unless they reveal Him. If it only reveals us, then it is still by works and not by faith. Our good works and right things are important, but only if the world sees Jesus in them and not just us.
1Corinthians 13:1-3 (Amplified) show us the very difference between good works and God works. All of the things Paul spoke about in these verses are good things, but if they don't reveal the presence of God (Love) in them, then they don't mean much to God's kingdom. The world can feed the hungry, clothe the naked and even house the homeless, but never reveal Love in them.
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