For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. (Colossians 2:9, 10 NLT)
I am fascinated by the concept that Mike Bickle taught at OneThing, session 7, last December. A quick summary in my own words: when we come to Jesus, our spirit is made one with Christ instantly, already made perfect. Our soul is being made perfect as we "work out our salvation," inviting the Holy Spirit to transform us into His image as we choose to submit to His Lordship and thank Him for His power to make love, joy, peace, etc. manifest in our mind, will, and emotions (and actions. Our body will be made perfect at the resurrection.
Salvation, sanctification, glorification. That's what those terms mean. I have been saved, I am being saved, I will be saved. Praise God!
I am learning to cooperate with God's grace more as I allow Him to work understanding of these things into me. As a result, I have had some of the best days ever with the kids this week, because I am not looking for the peace around me, but within, where His Spirit dwells. And I am learning how to actually do that. It has often felt like wishful thinking before.
He gives three ways to cooperate with that grace and access the power of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives - to actually allow us to access the power that resides in our spirit to change our thinking and feelings to conform to the fruit of the Spirit. 1) Agree with who we are - beloved, perfect before God, Holy Spirit dwelling within. This is how God sees us. It is our legal position before Him. 2) Repent and turn away from our sin. 3) Thank the Holy Spirit for His perfect love, joy, peace, etc. (fruit if the Spirit) dwelling perfectly in my spirit, and ask Him to make that a present reality in my emotions, thoughts, words and actions. To make what is true in our legal/spiritual position also true in our living condition. The amazing part to me is that He does it! As I align myself with truth (what God says about me), give Him my sinful thoughts (anger, resentment, whatever), and ask/thank Him for His pure thoughts (love, joy, peace, etc.), He is actually changing my emotions and thoughts to align more closely to His!
I have seen such fruit as I have begun to apply this in my own life and teach it to my children. We are loving each other more, calling each other to a higher standard in our interactions, digging deeper in our conversations, talking about the Word more. There is more joy and peace in our home. The ideals of Scripture which we talk about and memorize (like Galatians 5:22-23) are starting, little by little, to become more present in our daily experience. The changes are minute, and we have so much further to go, but there is a noticeable difference to me.
I feel as if up to now, my spiritual walk could be likened to trying to get around and ice rink in my regular shoes. I would try every day to rein in my thoughts and emotions, and to teach the kids to do so, but I would mostly slip and stumble and fall. After a while I'd get frustrated and tired and have to leave the rink to nurse my bruises and heal a bit before trying again. Now, I feel like I have ice skates on my feet! I'm still awkward and clinging to the wall, I still stumble and fall, but I'm starting to experience a little bit of progress and the hope of becoming more skilled at walking (skating 😊) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. It's tiring using these new muscles, and it's intense at times, but I have hope! The Holy Spirit is with me, teaching me and my children to cooperate with the grace that is available to us instead of trying to do it in our own strength!
I am so not an expert at this. I am just grateful that God gives us what we need at just the right time, if only we will ask Him. Thank You, Father, for Your loving leadership! Thank You, Jesus, for becoming sin for me and nailing it to the cross so that I can be free! Thank You, Holy Spirit for dwelling in me, teaching me, correcting me, bringing me to repentance, and daily transforming me a little more into Your likeness. Let Your Spirit continue to lead our family as we seek You. Give us the power to will and to do Your good pleasure. Help us to love one another well, by Your Spirit.
P.S. I was so excited to hear Mike Bickle's message that I asked Paul to listen to it as well. He did, and then he read Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee, which is taking our understanding even deeper. I love learning and growing together in the Lord!
