In my last post I showed steps to get into the absolute Will of God. In this post I am going to show what the Will of God is for us. Brazen, huh? Well, let me confine this to myself then and you see if it is yours as well. The Will of God for me is Christ. The absolute Will of God for John Enslow’s life is “Christ in me.” Not my achievements, not my fulfillment, not my legacy…but HIS!
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:20 NLT
Christ Bought for Me the Will of God
Jesus Christ died and He and I were resurrected so that He could now be my life. It wasn’t a death so I could squeak by into heaven under grace. It wasn’t a sacrificial death to mop up my mess so I could do it better. And He wasn’t even crucified so we could eternally hang out together. No, Jesus conquered death so He could now be my life. Like I said in my last post, Christ bought my ability to live in the absolute will of God.
Wow, I can live in the Will of God! Painless? No. Glorious? Yes! Uh oh, my god of work and effort doesn’t care for that. Christ in you costs you everything, and gives you Everything. I sit here today writing this in the Will of God. I wanted to go to a special place with Carole, Martha, and her family, yet here I sit because His Will for me is to stay home. And as I stay home, I think of all the things I need to get done, but instead I sit here writing. And in the deep recesses of my heart, I ask the question, “Is this Your Will, Father?” This is the cost of living in the Will of God.
Sometimes the Will of God is clearly apparent, and at others it’s just not as much. Christ’s Life in my life is the work of surrender. It is the effort of listening. It’s the yielding of time. His Life is not in my performance but in my soul’s prostration.
Imitation or Impartation of the Will of God
Sometimes it seems the imitation of His Life would be more expedient. Waiting for the movement of His Life is so much more impractical. It leads me to the thought in my last post, what would the painting of my life look like if it was only IN Christ, FROM Christ, and BY Christ? Or to take this further, if everything was removed that was not Christ, what would remain?
I can contend for the Life of Christ as Christ in me. It is my heart to see in my life, “He not me.” But it requires such great faith in His resurrected Life, utter vulnerability to Him as God, and a huge YES to Him that overshadows my yeses to me. While Christ in you is satisfaction, glory, and eternal significance, this is on the other side of a great big NO to me.
Oswald Chambers reveals this secret very well. In My Utmost for His Highest, he says:
“The one marvelous secret of a holy life lies not in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfections of Jesus manifest themselves in my mortal flesh. Sanctification is ‘Christ in you.’ It is His wonderful life that is imparted to me in sanctification, and imparted by faith as a sovereign gift of God’s grace. Am I willing for God to make sanctification as real in me as it is in His word?…Sanctification is an impartation, not an imitation.”
Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17
When anyone or anything comes into view, there is choice; & a vying for our heart…& our worship. I often say to the Lord, “You’re Everything to me”. He wants us to know Him just that way, & to Live this Reality in us. The Joy of our ‘yes’ has a ‘no’ behind it. No other reliance or plan or allegiance. No, makes a place for the priceless ‘yes’. Blazing truth, John: “He not me. But it requires such great faith in His resurrected Life, utter vulnerability to Him as God.” His so great salvation, Grace! Out of terrible depths… Read more »
Wonderful surrender! Stop trying to do something, just rest in being Something, Christ in you as you!
Amazingly said, thank you Richard! I agree totally!
the English word “imitate” [as sometimes in use from I Corinthians 4:16; 11:1; I Thessalonians 1:6…] has become weak via its cultural association with fake or knock-off (imitation) things. Greek, μιμεο, mimeo (as-like “mimeograph”) a faithful copy from the original; not a fake or altered rendition.
So true Marshall! As you might have read on this blog, I define it as the actual Life of Christ (Christ in you) not soulish patterning of the life by what we feel is appropriate. This is too subjective and fluid. “I like this expression of Christ and this I don’t particularly care for.” Thank you for your comment!
John,
This paragraph really stuck out to me especially line three.
“I can contend for the Life of Christ as Christ in me. It is my heart to see in my life, “He not me.” But it requires such great faith in His resurrected Life, utter vulnerability to Him as God, and a huge YES to Him that overshadows my yeses to me. While Christ in you is satisfaction, glory, and eternal significance, this is on the other side of a great big NO to me.”
Thank you Seth, yes that line got me too. Just amazed! Bless and love you, John
“…if everything was removed that was not Christ, what would remain?” Glory!
Thank You Father for John’s obedience. Thank You for fulfilling the promise of, more of You as there is less of us who long to be wholly sanctified. May everything we do be done according to Your Will by Your Spirit and for Your Glory.
“…”Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!…
You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and
were created.”
Revelation 4:8,11 NKJV
Your always such an encouragement. Thank you dear lady. Hey, I have a secret. Did you hear? Looks like there is a conference going to be scheduled for August…. YAY!!
WOOHOOOOO! Joy unspeakable! Answered prayers! YAY!!!! Can’t wait!