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) has passed. Behold! the fresh and new has come. But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ has 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)."
We've always looked at ourselves through the eyes of what we've been taught and see ourselves as being two separate people. One is the man of the flesh and the other is the man of the spirit. We've tried understanding the new creation, by our carnal minds and religious training. And, we've found ourselves seeing this new creation man, more by the carnal minded teaching, instead of after the spirit, which has left us seeing ourselves as "only sinners who were saved by Grace." This is certainly true, but we've failed to see the Truth of the miracle that occurred when we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
We've read in God's Word that, "All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God" and "None were righteous, no not one," and have placed ourselves into these categories, instead of how God describes us after being born-again. As God's children, we're no longer described as sinners and unrighteous in His eyes, because this would mean that Jesus' Sacrifice wasn't enough to bring about the new creation. If we were only "covered" by the Blood, then we are no different from the old covenant people.
The Blood of Christ Jesus didn't only cover our sin, but it completely removed it and made us into this new creation. We've never seen ourselves like God sees us and we've adopted the world's view and opinion of us. We've fallen into the same trap, satan has used since Adam. We've spent most of our Christian lives, trying to become what God has already made us to be in Jesus.
This keeps us constantly working to become righteous, without having an end or destination in sight. We keep doing good works, in order to become approved by God. But, when we do something wrong, we end up back where we started. It's like we're running on a treadmill. One small mistake puts us back under condemnation and guilt, which hinders us again, in our prayer life and fellowship with the Father. This treadmill has ruled the Church, from the second century.
We should always look to Jesus as our Example and see how Jesus always did good things to help people, without having the animosity we feel at times. We've failed to look at the trials and tests that satan brought against Jesus, during His earthly walk. Jesus never had it easy. He just made it look easy. Satan knew Who Jesus was and did everything possible to try and stop Jesus. The difference between Jesus and us is, that Jesus handled everything by the Word and the Holy Spirit within Him. We try handling the devil, with out own intellect and the flesh.
Jesus was our Example of how to walk in this world, while still not being of this world. He prayed this for us too, in John 17:15-20 (Amplified) saying, "I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them, purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy, by the Truth, Your Word is Truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." Jesus continues in Verses 19-20, "And so for their sake and on their behalf, I sanctify, dedicate, consecrate them to Myself, that they also may be sanctified, dedicated, consecrated, made holy, in the Truth. Neither for these alone do I pray, it is not for their sake only that I make this request, but also for all those who will ever come to believe in, trust in, cling to, rely on Me through their word and teaching."
If ever there was a prayer answered, then it was Jesus' prayer of faith, power, deliverance and Truth to the Father. The Father is still upholding this prayer, to all who will accept it as Truth. The Father never intended for His children who were born from the Seed of Jesus, to suffer the same fate as satan. Jesus petitioned the Father to "keep and protect them from the evil one." We've exercised little faith in the prayer.
We not only have failed to placed faith in Jesus' prayer of protection, but we've accused the Father of bringing these troubles on us. Jesus said, "we are not of this world, even as He is not of the world," and He meant exactly that. Jesus is our Example, showing the new creation family how to walk in this world. It takes the Super-natural Spirit of God living in us, to walk like Jesus walked. When we deny the Super-natural, we walk as mere men and not as the new creation family, who are made in the Image and Likeness of Christ Jesus.
Our spiritual enemy (satan) does his best, to hold the family of God in bondage. We're not required to face him in our own strength and ability, but in the power of the Spirit, according to Ephesians 6:12 (Amplified) where Paul says, "For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood, contending only with physical opponents, but against the despotisms, against the powers, against the master spirits who are the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the Heavenly Super-natural sphere."
We cannot fight the world by worldly weapons and expect to win the battle. We must learn to walk in the Spirit, without being squeamish about who we really are in Christ Jesus. We've been so careful to offend the natural man, because we fear they will not understand. They can't understand, because they are still carnal and are being raised in carnality, even in the Church. Jesus didn't offend the leper, when He cleansed him. The leper praised God for his deliverance.
The world is waiting for the Church to see the Truth of the Gospel, setting the captives free. The world will continue believing we're "just another religion," until the Father is revealed in all His Glory to them. We haven't shown the world any more proof that Jesus is anymore Alive, than their gods. "The whole of creation awaits and groans for the manifestation of the sons of God, to set them free," according to Romans 8:19-20 (Amplified). The planet is wanting to do what God has created it to do, but as the sons of God, we must first make our entrance into our sonship rights, that Jesus made ours.
Romans 8:16-17 (Amplified) says, "The Spirit Himself thus testifies together with our own spirit, assuring us that we are children of God. And if we are His children, then we are His heirs also, heirs of God, and fellow heirs with Christ, sharing His inheritance with Him, only we must share His suffering if we are to share His Glory."
Jesus' suffering isn't what He bore on the cross in His death. He suffered this, that we could be free. We cannot suffer what Jesus did on the cross. We cannot pay for the sin of the world, we cannot suffer the Curse of the Law and we cannot suffer all Jesus did to take away the sickness and disease from humanity. Only Jesus could do that. What we suffer on His behalf, is being misunderstood by others and being so different from everyone else and not accepted in all circles of humanity.
When you begin healing the sick, casting out demons, and operating in the Holy Spirit, you'll be surprised how many people will persecute and oppose you. One would think they'd embrace and be glad, but not everyone will react that way towards you. The "suffering that Jesus endured," was the heartbreak He suffered because many people didn't accept Him or the ministry He was sent to do. Jesus couldn't do mighty works, for those who wouldn't believe and this suffering was greater for Jesus to bear, than all the rest He endured.
This remains true, for those who follow Jesus in the Super-natural. Watching someone die from a disease that Jesus could and would heal, but couldn't do so because of their unbelief, is heart breaking. Too many have left this earth early, because we've lost sight of the ability of God in this present age. It still takes faith in Jesus, "to do His works."
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