There are moments when I am writing what I feel to be an important series- (one that God has laid heavily on my heart), that suddenly my own mind and heart becomes bombarded with Satan’s flaming arrows of doubt, fears, and frustrating lies. Perhaps, I like many dear Christians called to perform a ministry find that by the very nature of it we must be constantly open to empathy and to introspection. Both of which lay us open to the bombardment of arrows. I have begun to learn that when these attacks seem to be of a nature most furious, that I must be in the midst of writing something that is very damaging to Satan’s cause and thus I must press forward. Additionally, I am learning better how to fight this battle for joy in Christ; regardless of the raging storms that surround me. Thus was my state of mind yesterday morning. The arrows seemed to enter from every side. "You are a fool if you think God can use you-look at you. Don’t you remember all the failures strung along the path? All the desires now laying dormant along the roadside of your past." fired from Satan’s lips. "You are an idiot with money, why would God ever provide for you? Look at all the money you have given away in the past. You really think God cares?" as Satan presses on in his accusations. "God doesn’t even sell your books. Why do you think that is? Because my child, you don’t matter; how stupid can you be to think God could love or bless you with anything? Look at you." I suddenly realized that I must be in the midst of a very important series, I then prayed to God, "Daddy, I need you now. I picked up my shield of faith and my sword of truth. To Satan I replied, "So what if I am a fool who has failed in the past. I am a Child of God and my Daddy, paid the dearest price for my purchase as Christ’s blood was shed to cover my sins and because of that I am covered by His righteousness. I have been declared a saint because of the righteousness He has chosen to impart to me in exchange for my failures and my sins. You are right I deserve nothing; yet, I am chosen by the most High God and the Blessings I have no money could ever purchase. So you had better run away now." Then miraculously Satan fled.
Knowing the scripture and understanding who we are in Christ is paramount to our being able to fight to hold firm to our Joy in Christ, our Hope in Christ and to march forward into battle in this world so filled with trials, pains, and tribulations. That is why Paul was so diligent to teach this very thing. I urge you to reread Ephesians 1-2 and yesterdays blog. I am including these scriptures here for those who may not have it available otherwise.
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
2 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
In part 2A we looked at four positions held because we are in Christ (hidden in Him by faith unto salvation, covered by His robe of righteousness). Those four were: Saint, Chosen, Blessed, Child of God. Now lets explore four more positions which are ours because of the saving work of Christ on the Cross.
Position #5: Redeemed (risen) Our own sin and sinful nature made us dead to God. Our spirit without the redeeming work of Christ is unable to commune with God’s Spirit and our soul is eternally dead to the presence of God. To help explain, there is arguably no such thing as darkness. There is light and darkness is the absence of light. The same is true, as God "breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living soul"; therefore, a soul’s life is dependent upon God’s Spirit Indwelling. God is life and the absence of God is death (in reference to the soul). The same is true of evil in regards to the world. God is righteousness of which there is none without Him. Therefore, the absence of God is evil. Look now at these verses, Ephesians 2: "4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."
Note that we are already raised from the dead and seated in heavenly places together with Christ. We are already raised from the dead state in which He found us. We may spiritually go "boldly unto the throne of grace that we may find mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" The grace I need for the next minute or the next 5 minutes to face whatever I may need to face is already promised because I have been redeemed and risen from the dead. This is very important because I must realize that God has not only provided the grace for my salvation 53 years ago, but has provided the grace to sustain me while growing me up all of these years, and has already provided the Future Grace that will continue to hold me and transform me into the likeness of Christ where I may enjoy the fullest benefits and riches of His Love, Joy, and Glory.
Position #6: Enlightened. Without the light of God shining into the darkness of our heart through His word, we cannot come to know Him. Yet, once we accept Christ as our Savior and as we seek His and savor Him, we are enlightened more and more with the knowledge of Him and of all that we possess in Christ. As God’s glory is so great that we cannot in our current state see it fully, this is an ever growing, illuminating process. If you had spent your entire life in darkness and suddenly were exposed to the brightest of lights, you would be blinded by the light. Thus in the Christian walk, we are step by step given more and more revelations of who God really is and the fullness of the Grace He has bestowed on us, if we seek Him with all our hearts. This enlightenment leads to our learning more and more how to live out this new life found in Christ. That enlightenment shines down the light of God into every crevice of our spiritual heart until no darkness remains. The completeness will occur when one day we stand before Christ, but crevice by crevice God transforms our darkness into His brilliant light through the work of the Holy Spirit, through prayer, and through studying His word.
Position #7: Beloved. What greater demonstration of love could God have demonstrated to you than that He would send Christ, His beloved son to die on the cross in your stead. Imagine this for a moment, Christ is the beloved son of God of whom He is well pleased; yet, He loved you so very much that He was willing to pour out all of His wrath against sin upon this His son so that He might be able to declare you (with your self-centered, covetous, sin-filled heart) as righteous saint and to adopt you into His family to take part in the inheritance of all His riches. What kind of love would love you so much? A love that goes beyond anything that you could ever imagine.
Position #8: New Creation "workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) Because God has called you His beloved and provides the enlightenment needed to transform your heart, and has provided you the only means of redemption–raising you from the dead to sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus. He has made you a new creation in Christ and has provided everything needed to live forth that life he has created you for in Christ Jesus. This new vessel that He has created from the impure lump of clay that was you can now boldly live forth the good works He has preordained in you.
Now, dear Christian, let me ask you "Where is the strength to make you bold?" Please read this poem I wrote several years ago and I hope it helps you to understand who you are in Christ. If you do not know Him, my prayer is that your eyes are suddenly enlightened enough that you ask Him into your heart today.
The Grace in Which I Stand
Oh feeble heart, Oh fragile soul
Where is the hope on which you hold
With all the failures of your past
Where is the faith to make you bold
Where is the faith to make you bold
There was a King though blameless He
That came to pay my penalty
And in that act He set me free
To follow Him in liberty
To follow Him in liberty
It is His love that drew me out
And in His Grace I shall not doubt
That He who started this work in me
Will finish it with a Glorious Shout
Will finish it with a Glorious Shout
One day the finished work be done
That I might look then like God’s son
Sifted, shined just like pure Gold
As Glory shines forth, Glorious One
As Glory shines forth, Glorious One
And in this hope my faith conformed
I know my life will be transformed
I stand upon this future grace
So for His work my passion warmed
So for His work my passion warmed
So in this faith I firmly stand
That formed in me as God had planned
No force on earth can shake me free
My future held by God’s great hand
My future held by God’s great hand.
The following song is perhaps one of my favorites and I hope you enjoy it.