"My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you" - Galatians 4:19
What is it that forms a person in life? In the psychological and scientific world there is a nature vs. nurture debate that has been around for ages.
Whatever the influence, we can all agree that in the end what forms you, is the way you think about yourself. The bible says it like this, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." -Proverbs 23:7. Makes sense, right?
With that in mind, you cannot become what you are not choosing to believe and identify with! Wooooohooo!!!!
So who was Paul speaking to in the verse above? He was speaking to the Galatian church! Hmm...so wouldn't that mean that they already had Christ in them? Yes. But Christ, as Paul had said, was not formed in them.
God cannot change your thoughts and cannot reform you, and form Christ in you; the mature Son of God in you; when you allow religion to cause you to fear and not look upon the Word of God with an open faith. Faith is what appropriates to you everything God gave to Jesus.
"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; ..." Ephesians 3:17 AKJ
Another translation:
"I pray that Christ may make His home in your hearts through your faith;..." Ephesisans 3:17 WNT
So it's through faith that Christ dwells in your heart. That's why it is possible to be a born again Christian and remain a baby never becoming a son. Just because Christ is in you, doesn't mean that he is LIVING in you. You can be forming somebody else by identifying with your old nature. God will dwell in you in an active form when you exercise faith in the reality of his indwelling and begin to identify with everything that Christ is.
You must let God's word LIVE in you and not just exist in your memory or become head knowledge. When the Word lives in you, it will express itself and people will be able to encounter that Word in you. The Word will form The Christ living inside of you.
"I pray that Christ may make His home in your hearts through your faith...."
What makes Christ feel like a guest and not a resident in your heart?
When you are in disagreement with the Word of God. Honestly, no one ever feels at home in a place where they are not received just the way they are.
Somebody tells you, "You are more than a conquer in Christ Jesus". (Romans 8:37). If you respond by saying..." I wish I could believe that." or "You have no idea what I've been through." Christ is standing in a small corner of your heart, not even relaxed or sitting down, stuff still packed, and just thinking while shaking his head, "Man, who's house is this anyways?" He wants to unpack all his suitcases filled with fulfillment of promises and settle in your heart, but you have to have faith to make Him feel at home first.
Christ feels at home when your faith works in agreement with the Word of God. Then He's chilled, unpacked, lying on the big sofa, feet propped up and thinking, "Oh yeah! My Word is law in this house."
When you relinquish the authority of your house to the Lord he should be able to move at any moment and you should be ready to comply. You should be a complete extension of Him. His thoughts, His lifestyle, His actions, His same confidence towards God...He'll be doing it all right through you!
Those people you may envy who are moving in deep dimensions of God; the only difference between them and those who are stagnant or moving at a turtle's pace in the Spirit, is that God feels at home in them. God has been identified by them, formed in them; through their own meditation and thought life.
Christian maturity is dependent upon a diligent lifestyle of association in thought, in word, and in action with who Christ is! Shabba.
This message is based on notes I took while listening to a mighty prophet in the Faith. I loved his message so much, I felt a need to organize my notes the best I could, add my own touch, and share it with the people of God as I continued to minister to myself by rewriting it all down. Writing this blog is so much fun. Hope you are blessed by this Word as I was and am
~Lynn~
What is it that forms a person in life? In the psychological and scientific world there is a nature vs. nurture debate that has been around for ages.
Whatever the influence, we can all agree that in the end what forms you, is the way you think about yourself. The bible says it like this, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." -Proverbs 23:7. Makes sense, right?
With that in mind, you cannot become what you are not choosing to believe and identify with! Wooooohooo!!!!
So who was Paul speaking to in the verse above? He was speaking to the Galatian church! Hmm...so wouldn't that mean that they already had Christ in them? Yes. But Christ, as Paul had said, was not formed in them.
God cannot change your thoughts and cannot reform you, and form Christ in you; the mature Son of God in you; when you allow religion to cause you to fear and not look upon the Word of God with an open faith. Faith is what appropriates to you everything God gave to Jesus.
"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; ..." Ephesians 3:17 AKJ
Another translation:
"I pray that Christ may make His home in your hearts through your faith;..." Ephesisans 3:17 WNT
So it's through faith that Christ dwells in your heart. That's why it is possible to be a born again Christian and remain a baby never becoming a son. Just because Christ is in you, doesn't mean that he is LIVING in you. You can be forming somebody else by identifying with your old nature. God will dwell in you in an active form when you exercise faith in the reality of his indwelling and begin to identify with everything that Christ is.
You must let God's word LIVE in you and not just exist in your memory or become head knowledge. When the Word lives in you, it will express itself and people will be able to encounter that Word in you. The Word will form The Christ living inside of you.
"I pray that Christ may make His home in your hearts through your faith...."
What makes Christ feel like a guest and not a resident in your heart?
When you are in disagreement with the Word of God. Honestly, no one ever feels at home in a place where they are not received just the way they are.
Somebody tells you, "You are more than a conquer in Christ Jesus". (Romans 8:37). If you respond by saying..." I wish I could believe that." or "You have no idea what I've been through." Christ is standing in a small corner of your heart, not even relaxed or sitting down, stuff still packed, and just thinking while shaking his head, "Man, who's house is this anyways?" He wants to unpack all his suitcases filled with fulfillment of promises and settle in your heart, but you have to have faith to make Him feel at home first.
Christ feels at home when your faith works in agreement with the Word of God. Then He's chilled, unpacked, lying on the big sofa, feet propped up and thinking, "Oh yeah! My Word is law in this house."
When you relinquish the authority of your house to the Lord he should be able to move at any moment and you should be ready to comply. You should be a complete extension of Him. His thoughts, His lifestyle, His actions, His same confidence towards God...He'll be doing it all right through you!
Those people you may envy who are moving in deep dimensions of God; the only difference between them and those who are stagnant or moving at a turtle's pace in the Spirit, is that God feels at home in them. God has been identified by them, formed in them; through their own meditation and thought life.
Christian maturity is dependent upon a diligent lifestyle of association in thought, in word, and in action with who Christ is! Shabba.
This message is based on notes I took while listening to a mighty prophet in the Faith. I loved his message so much, I felt a need to organize my notes the best I could, add my own touch, and share it with the people of God as I continued to minister to myself by rewriting it all down. Writing this blog is so much fun. Hope you are blessed by this Word as I was and am
~Lynn~
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