A Deadly Pandemic Part 8
Now the battle is of faith, a battle to believe. I’m to believe, not struggle to perform. As stated, I can’t and was never intended to perform the Divine Life.
See, I’m simply dust from the dust. My regenerated spirit has the resurrected Son as my life. I was resurrected when He was resurrected. As with everything, God had to solve the problem of me.
So this is a work of faith not practicality, but there is a practical part to it found in Luke 9:23 NLT.
“Then Jesus said to them all, ‘If anyone wants to follow Me,
he must give up himself and his own desires. He must take up his cross everyday and follow Me.’”
Facing the Mirror
SO if I’m resurrected with a new nature, then why do I struggle so continually? I might think that the choice is made in the morning, but there in the next moment is my ENTITLEMENT staring me in the face.
Why? Because I oppose God in me. Entitlement is not a force – I am! My old Adamic nature is the one that stands in direct opposition to the Life of the Son. It’s my nature. So, will I ever rise a day without seeing the entitled ME in the mirror?
Though Christ offers the Solution as a gift, His choice does not alleviate mine. I have to daily choose to lay Entitlement in the grave and follow Christ.
Without death there is no resurrection. The Life of Christ rises on the smoldering ashes of my grave. Relationally, I have to choose in Whose life I will walk. It’s not a choice of finality, for any day I wish to let my entitled-self rise, I can. I must DENY myself, and actively TAKE UP my cross. It’s not passive; it is an active work. Then I will see the evidence of this scripture, “For to me to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21).
I AM the Creator
In Job 38:4 & 7, God says,
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding?
When the morning star sang together
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?”
To this I can only answer as Job, “I sit in dust and ashes and repent” (Job 42:6b). Yes, I am but dust.
God is GOD
“Where were you?” The entitled one has no answer!
The Life of the resurrected Son was present when the foundations of the earth were being laid. He knew our form before we were knit in our mother’s womb. The entitled one has no rights, deserves and is ENTITLED to nothing.
All that is, is for the Son. He’s entitled to everything. He deserves and has rights to the whole lot.
My consistent struggle to own is ended in my death. The freedom from my wrestling is found only in “Christ in me, the hope of my glory” (Colossians 1:27). When Christ lives as me, then I will see His glory.
Though entitlement is the bane of the old nature’s existence, there’s a blessing in His Lordship and a gift in His Sovereignty.
“And He died for all, so that all those who live might live no longer to and for themselves, but to and for Him
Who died and was raised again for their sake.”
2 Cor. 5:15
Click to the beginning of the Series Deadly Pandemic
YES to booklet form!
If this is the last of the series, I should say a big “BLESS you”, John, and may God find His ways to spread the message.
what I have never seen before is our “why me” reaction to the stuff of life really stems from this whole entitlement thinking …
this truly is something deeply rooted in us all, stemming from the garden encounter .. that little whisper in Eve’s ear …
that is one huge root that needs to be killed …and I fear it is like a tap root, capable of hiding underground and springing up every now and again so this will require a whole lot of uncovering in the soil of us ..
Father I want to live for You not for myself today. I surrender all my hopes and desires. Keep alive in me only those desires that are Yours for Your Son. Give me the eyes to see,a heart to recognize the difference and the grace to be faithful to You. Help me to trust You that what You desire for me is better than what I believe I need. To trust that You love me tenderly.
“I must DENY myself, and actively TAKE UP my cross. It’s not passive; it is an active work. Then I will see the evidence of this scripture, “For to me to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21).” Spiritual disciplines are of great value in learning/training to take up my cross daily. Dallas Willard says that “the disciplines allow space” for the Holy Spirit to do His work in me. I am finding that to be true in my walk. John, please reconsider putting these posts in booklet format. The truths presented about entitlement are so very important and need to be… Read more »
I certainly will reconsider putting this in booklet format. As I reread it as a reader rather than author, I see it is so crucial for such a time as this! Thank you so much for the encouragement Irene!
MY DEAREST BROTHER, I TOO JOIN IRENE TO ECOURAGE YOU TO PUT THIS IN A BOOKLET FORM. THIS PANPHLETS ARE THE GREATEST FORM OF MINIESTERING TO THOSE THAT ARE JUST STARTING THE DEEPER WALK. THEY ARE IN AN EASY READING FORM. TO ALL THOSE THE LORD HAS ENCOURGE ME TO SHARE THIS PAHNPHLETS WITH ALL RESPONDED WITH GREAT ECOURAGEMENT TO WANTING TO PERSUE GETTING INTO THE DEEPER WALK. THE BODY NEEDS THIS MY DEAR BROTHER.
Yes, a “booklet” or similar could be so good…
Love!