Conviction or Condemnation

Some of the questions brought to me from time to time reveal a troubling condemnation in persons with a sincere hunger for God and a drive to live pleasing to Him.  It is not surprising in those who attend a church with a strong emphasis on right behavior to please God, but it occurs in those who attend regularly where Jesus is exalted and faith in His victory over sin is emphasized.  In Romans, Paul reveals the inner struggle that exists when a knowledge of God's Word and the desire to reveal Him in daily living are present in a life.  Having been educated in the Scriptures and knowing covenant with its existing curse, Paul had sought to live an exemplary life as a Hebrew under covenant with God.  He was acquainted with the struggle.  Even after He had embraced the New Covenant and been taught by the Holy Spirit, he struggled with the awareness   of his zeal to kill Christians and the resultant tragedy in people's lives.

The accuser of the Christian believer is ever ready to discourage with condemnation anyone he considers a threat to him.  If you have thoughts of condemnation that can be a comfort!  If you have repented with sorrow over your sin or thoughtless act that has hurt someone, read aloud verses that speak of Jesus' provision already accomplished to present you faultless to the Father.  It is important to speak aloud your affirmation of what Jesus has done in your life and your identity with that victory.  Romans 10:10 (NLT)

¹⁰ For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

The term "saved" has been so identified with "being born again" that it is interchangeable.  But we are born anew in our spirit and it is our soul that is being saved.  That is a process that we are responsible for our interaction with God, for it is by faith that we are being saved.  Our mouth has a great deal to do with this process.  When we confess doubt, discouragement, criticism and anger, we are planting weeds that grow in our soul.  When we speak the Word of God, (as Jesus did when Satan came to tempt Him) we plant that Word in our soul.  His peace, faith and love grow by the watering of the Word.  The change in us is by the power of the Holy Spirit, but we are responsible for what we feed upon and speak.  The Holy Spirit will check us when we begin to undo or tear down what He is building in us.  We will feel the hurt He feels and repentance and praise in Jesus' finished work will bring the peace.  But on the heels of this, Satan begins his condemnation and accusation for he does not want you to be a work of the Holy Spirit and remain in fellowship with Jesus.  If you feel guilt over that which has been repented, it is condemnation and not conviction.  Psalm 19:14 (KJV) ¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Romans 8:1-5 (ESVUK) 8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ² For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. ³ For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵ For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.        The Holy Spirit is your Guide and Teacher and He will guard your spirit, soul and body.  Let Him lead.

Identifying with God's Power

Colosssians 1:29  (NASB)  For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.  Paul identified with God's power and in doing so, he was able to not only do the will of God, but, also, give the glory to God and not draw it to himself to draw men's admiration to his ministry.  A false humility withdraws from stepping out to boldly allow God's power to be exhibited.  True humility works in tandem with God to do His will while praising Him for His display.  If the world is to know the only true God, we must so identify with Jesus, abiding in Him and His Word abiding in us, that we also identify with His power and authority to do the works He did.  John lived this and his word to us is that we also live it.  I John 5:20 (NLT)  And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.  
The key to understanding covenant, is to realize the identification covenant brings.  You become identified as one living in covenant under the power and authority of your "covenant friend".  All God is becomes available to you in the covenants He has made.  Israel walked in protection and might when they identified with their covenant Friend.  Christians walk in the Way Jesus revealed as well as the Truth found in Him when they respond to the covenant He cut for us.  The Threefold ministry of God is at work in God's people to reveal God to a dark world.  Without the knowledge of this, God's people become passive.  That is why the knowledge of God is so important to the Church.
Paul expresses this importance to the church at Ephesus.  It is vitally important for us today for we need this knowledge.  Ephesians 3:7-12 (NIV) ⁷ I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. ⁸ Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, ⁹ and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. ¹⁰ His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, ¹¹ according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. ¹² In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Paul continues and enlarges the work of His power in us, that not only allows us to minister to others, but to become like Him in His nature.  This power works within us to change us into His likeness!                     Ephesians 3:14-21 (ESVUK) ¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  ²⁰  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.
This is also my prayer for you!  Go in His strength!

Identifying With His Power

There are Scriptures that speak of the power of God that works in you so that you can comprehend His attributes and His ways.  One that is perhaps the most familiar is found in Paul's letter to the Ephesians.  The portion that is most quoted begins with 3:14.  It begins with "for this reason", and, therefore, there is a thought that comes before that we need to consider.  In this letter, Paul is addressing a body of people of both Jew and Gentile origin.  He speaks of the mystery of Christ that brings together a people in Him that share in a relationship with God that Jesus has revealed.  This relationship with God exposes them to the power of God to mold them into His purpose.  It is not limited to power to have a ministry or to do miracles, but is a power at work in them to comprehend, and with which to become identified with Christ.

Ephesians 3:7 (ESVUK)  Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power.
Ephesians 3:14-21  (ESVUK) ¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  ²⁰  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen. 

The comprehensive knowledge of God's attributes does not come from human understanding for it is embodied in feeding from the Tree of Life, Jesus Christ.  To the human mind, understanding of Jesus' life and ministry is unfathomable.  The scholars of the Law and Prophets did not understand Who Jesus was, for  they were clouded by the "wall of circumstances" that hid Him from their view.  All of their study did not reveal what only the Spirit could do.  The angel with the fiery sword defended only the tree of life.  The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is still available to all who choose that method of gaining knowledge.  The things of God are incomprehensible to human understanding.  Therefore, God gives us the power to be able to comprehend the unfathomable riches in Christ Jesus and to identify with, revel in, and be identified with the very nature of God--His love.

The Power of God

Ephesians 1:18-21 (NASB) ¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might ²⁰ which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.  In the 19th verse, the power of God is described as the surpassing greatness.  The English Standard describes it as immeasurable.  Ephesians 1:19 (ESVUK) ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power towards us who believe, according to the working of his great might ...  Paul had no word to describe the power of God, nor do I.  I can only pray that I do not doubt what I cannot comprehend.

We live in a culture (world wide!) that denigrates God and those who believe Him.  They may speak of  "a higher Power", but do not have the eyes of their heart opened to know that power working within them.  It is easy to refuse and reject what you do not know.  But to have seen God in action and still not believe is a tragedy, the effects of which, are eternal.  We live in a natural world that expresses the love and power of God.  Clocks are set by the mathematical perfection of this creation.  The moment of sunrise and sunset can be known years in advance.  The tides of the oceans are predicted with accuracy.  Every seventh wave is bigger in a rising tide.  We celebrate the resurrection of our Lord without comprehending the power that brought Him out of that tomb and the power that was revealed in His Ascension. 

That power is inherent in The Spirit of God that is in the world and in us who receive Him as our Counselor, Guide and Teacher.  That power is inherent in the Blood of Jesus that is able to give us new birth into the Family of God and heal, cleanse and guard us consistently and unfailingly.  That power is inherent in the Name of Jesus that is given to us in covenant with Him.  You need only call on His Name to be saved.  Saved from sin, temptation, danger and error.  When you live in His Name as your identity, you do not even know the power of God that continually provides covering and deliverance.  You are surrounded and kept in His love by His powerful Hand.