2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) is passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come. But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
As new creations, we're unlike any other creature that has ever existed on this planet before. We cannot live by the laws that governed the old covenant people and we cannot live by the adopted rituals and traditions of other people. Because we've failed to see ourselves as what God created us to be, for the most part, we've not been very successful in our prayer life or in our new position in Christ Jesus.
Paul spoke to Timothy about something that hasn't previously resonated into our spiritual understanding in 2Timothy 2:3-7 (Amplified) saying, "Take (with me) your share of the hardships and sufferings (which you are called to endure) as a good (first class) soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of (civilian) life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him. And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down It is the hardworking farmer (who labors to produce) who must be the first partaker of the fruits. Think over these things I am saying (understand them and grasp their application) for the Lord will grant you full insight and understanding in everything."
There are Heavenly and spiritual laws, that could only apply to this new creation people. In order to the new creation family to function like it's supposed to, we must function "lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down)." There are rules and laws laid down for us that never applied to previous people, before the new creation. We've struggled to make the Word work by the old rules or Laws, that were here previous to the family. Prayer has nearly become a sort of playing the lottery and we continue praying, hoping to hit it big.
We've acted more like beggars than sons of God, because we've not understood our rights and privileges in Jesus. Paul said that we must go by the rules to be crowned in this competitive new thing we are involved in as new creation family. You must compete by the rules of the game, in order to win (even the lottery). You never see any player tackled in a basketball game, because there are rules to operate in. You never find anyone trying to score a basket, in a baseball game. The rules of competing in these games, are different. In order to win, you must use the rules or laws that govern the game.
Ephesians 2:6-7 (Amplified) tells us, "He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together (giving us joint seating with Him) in the Heavenly sphere (by virtue of our being) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One). He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in (His) kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus."
Paul continues in Ephesians 3:10 (Amplified) saying, "(The purpose is) that through the Church the (complicated, many-sided) wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the Heavenly sphere."
Through the new creation life we received in Christ Jesus, we've been given the Heavenly Laws (rules) of the Kingdom, to rule over the principalities and powers of the enemy. There are now different rules and Laws we operate in, from the Kingdom we rule from in Him. In order to stop satan in his overthrow of the Church, Paul said we "must compete lawfully according to the rules laid down." If we play this game unlawfully (outside the rules of the Kingdom), then we don't we like we should. The old saying is, "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game that counts." I say, "If you play the game correctly, then you win."
We've been trying to "get Heaven to work for us," by using the rules or laws of the old covenant, instead of the new creation rules. In the army, I encountered hardships that went with my enlistment. Not everything in the army, was parades and leave time. We had rules and laws that we followed, that civilians didn't need or didn't know about. We followed and were required to know the chain of command, as well as other rules. We didn't get involved with civilians affairs, but there was a code of conduct that applied to the civilian world.
Every soldier was required to know the rules of functioning with a weapon, along with the hardships of warfare (even if we weren't in a combat zone). We had respect for our superiors and had to deal with orders from those in command. The old saying was, "The right way, the wrong way, and the army way." Civilians didn't always see the army way as the right way. This new creation life requires us to walk in some things, that will not look right to those who don't understand, because they are the army way or the way of the new creation.
We are an invading army, sent to change things wherever we go, and we're not supposed to adjust to the civilian life of those we were sent to liberate. We didn't go to war with Germany, in order to learn their way of doing things, but to change what was being done to the millions of people being slaughtered by the Third Reich. There were even laws of war that governed our army, which was called the Geneva Convention.
In the new creation army, the rules of prayer have changed and our authority has been granted by our Commander-in-Chief (Jesus), Who governs these rules. We haven't seen ourselves from the realm of the Heavenlies, but by the way the world has trained us too. We're not playing or serving by the proper laws that govern this warfare. The army that enlisted us provided everything we'd need to perform our duties. I never needed to purchase my own uniform or rifle, because these were given to me by those who enlisted me. My allegiances were to the army and my orders or rules of conduct came from this source.
Many in Vietnam didn't always understand why we were there, or what we were doing. When the soldiers returned home, many suffered hardships, because the civilians didn't always understand what our mission was and, because many soldiers continued living under the military's rules and laws of conduct. As "good first class soldiers of Jesus Christ," the new creation people too, will suffer criticisms and hardships, because not everyone will understand our orders and positions. Paul instructed Timothy in 2Timothy 2:7 (Amplified) saying, "Think over these things I am saying (understand them and grasp their application) for the Lord will grant you full insight and understanding in everything."
James 1:5 (Amplified) says, "If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask f the giving God (Who gives) to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or fault finding, and it will be given him." God isn't upset when we "ask Him" to show us the "rules" used, in order to compete lawfully in this new creation. Our Commander-in-Chief has granted us authority and access to new laws from His Throne Room, so that we can win. We've been using carnal weapons, instead of what the One Who has enlisted us has provided. We've been given a new way to conduct this warfare, that includes a new of prayer and authority that we haven't used until now.
Read 2Timothy 2 and ask the Lord to reveal this to you. Once we understand this, everything will change in our prayer lives and in our enlistments into this Heavenly Army, which is God's family. Our Family Crest is The Risen Christ. Amen.
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