Monthly Archives: January 2020

Indwelling Christ, Union with Christ

Are You More Like Batman or Spider-man?

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In his book, Union with Christ, Rankin Wilborne asks us to consider two superheroes. Batman, a rich, strong man with “lots of cool gadgets” [1] and Spider-man, a superhero because of a bite from a radioactive spider. The encounter with the spider changed Peter Parker from within. He became Spider-man. Batman had to rely on his own abilities and possessions.

Who are you most like?

If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ, you’ve become a new man. Jesus Christ now lives within you. You’ve been changed from within.

Jesus told His disciples, “And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.” (John 14:16 NASB)

Paul confirms that the Holy Spirit of Jesus now lives inside of believers, fundamentally changing who we are. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, (Ephesians 1:13 NASB)

Spider Powers

Like Spider-man, we’ve been changed, but what are our spider powers? Although it would be fun, it’s not squirting webs to buildings and swinging through the air.

Consider the following powers: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 NASB)

These powers include a quality of love which is sacrificial beyond reason, joy and peace which transcend every circumstance, kindness and goodness which puts others first and looks past every offence, faithfulness and gentleness which becomes for others a soothing balm in all infirmities, and control to walk in these inner powers no matter how we’re feeling.

What Joy we’d experience if these powers of Christ continually flowed from within us.

But too often we forget about the powers within. We might ask God to give us patience and self-control, but that’s just asking God to change us.

He wants so much more. He wants to be our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control from the inside out.

There’s a real difference between asking God to help me and relying on His Spirit within to empower me.

Real Life Example

My dad struggled with alcoholism for decades. It cost him his marriage and almost his life. But things changed. He ended up not drinking the last fifteen years of his life.

One day I asked him how he did it. “I tried everything,” he said. “AA and countless programs, but nothing worked. I’d been asking God to help me quit, but it just wasn’t working. Finally, I said, ‘God you have to do it, I can’t.”

After praying this prayer, he cut the grass and opened a beer. He said it tasted awful. He spit it out, poured out the beer and never had another drop. My dad learned to depend upon the power of God to deliver him when nothing else did.

Prayer

Lord, Your Spirit has changed me forever. Please forgive me for living on my own. You tell me that apart from You, I can do nothing.[2] I’m tired of wearing myself out in my own strength accomplishing nothing. Trying to live without you is like Spider-man not using his powers is. Never again I pray. Please teach me how to live every moment of every day in the Living Waters of Your Spirit within. Stop me quickly when I do life without You and teach me how to utterly depend on You. Have Your way with me I pray. Amen

[1] Union with Christ, Rankin Wilborne, David Cook, p. 52-53

[2] John 15:5

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains

Complete Joy, Completely Loved

The Joy of Decreasing

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Before he was thrown into prison and beheaded, John the Baptizer spoke into a dispute his disciples were having. They were bothered by the fact that folks were going to Jesus to be baptized instead of them. John told them, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.”[1] He said, “I must decrease and He must increase” [2] He spoke of rejoicing and being full of joy in yielding his life to Jesus.[3]

As we yield our lives to the Lord, this frees us into the joy of caring for and focusing on others. In Philippians, Paul tells us to fight for the interest of others, to stop caring just for ourselves.[4] He says to pattern our lives after Jesus’ life, who emptied Himself and was obedient to the point of death on a cross.[5]

Then he writes, “But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me. (Philippians 2:17-18 NASB)

Being poured out – rejoicing and joy. We’re starting to see a pattern here.

In Romans 15, Paul challenges us not to live to please ourselves, but to patiently empower others.[6] He calls God a fountain of hope who fills us to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as we trust our lives to Him.[7]

There’s overwhelming evidence that self-promotion, self-glorification, self-serving and self-effort is the antithesis of joy. God is calling us to pour our efforts towards others. This means we must trust ourselves to His care.

 Before Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, John gives us a peek into His thoughts. “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God, and was going back to God, rose from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself about.” (John 13:3-4 NASB)

Peter would deny Him and Judas would betray Him, yet Jesus washed all his disciples’ feet. He needed nothing from men. He trusted in His Father’s complete love. And this same love is available to us.

Jesus tells us, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.” (John 15:10-12 NIV)

Jesus tells us how to remain in the Lord’s love and how to complete our joy. As you might guess, it has to do with loving and caring for others.

 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (John 15:10-12 NIV)

Following Jesus’ example of trusting His Father’s complete love and loving others sacrificially fills us to the brim with the Joy of Jesus.

Joy doesn’t come from promoting ourselves. It comes from trusting, from yielding, from decreasing, from loving others because our life belongs to God.

The Kingdom of God flows in opposition to the world. The world says – look out for yourself, seek your happiness and you’ll be satisfied. Jesus says empty yourself and trust your Father with your well-being. Serve others sacrificially and your Joy will be complete.

[1] John 3:27b

[2] John 3:30

[3] John 3:29

[4] Philippians 2:3-4

[5] Philippians 2:5-8

[6] Romans 15:1-2 TPT

[7] Romans 15:13 TPT

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures. Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post once a week. Thank you for reading. 

Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

God is our Reward, What is Good?

Do we Just Settle for a Good Day?

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Recently a missionary dear to our hearts made a statement which is rocking my world. She said when invited by God to serve and love someone, she has a choice. She can step into what God wants for her or choose to just have a good day.

Over the last few years she’s learned a deep level of dependence upon God for provision and direction. She doesn’t always have the luxury of knowing how the next bill will be paid or what she’ll be doing six months from now.

She’s sensed the Lord’s calling to go wherever He sends her – Jesus’ nomad. She’s learning to listen to her Savior’s voice and follow where He leads. 

She’s been on several ministry trips speaking the name of Jesus boldly and offering His salvation for those who believe. There have been healings and “unlikely” conversions. At times she’s felt foolish, but her desire is to always listen and obey what she believes God is asking her to do.

Wow. I want this kind of heart for Jesus. Aren’t we all called to be missionaries? Didn’t Jesus send us out to our own people to tell what marvelous things the Lord has done for us and how He’s shown us mercy? Aren’t we all to follow Jesus with this same gusto, being His disciples and making disciples?

I want to learn this level of dependence, trust and obedience. Am I allowing my desire for good days to get in the way of something bold Jesus wants to do through me?

A Good Day

What is a good day? Is it accomplishing what needs to be done amid pleasant circumstances, being with the ones we love, doing things we enjoy? I like days like that, but does my desire for ease keep me from stepping into what God wants for me?

Unlike our missionary, I’ve settled into the comfort of predictability. There’s nothing wrong with planning, but do I allow my plans to cloud what God may want me to do? I pray not. Smooth days are nice, but they can feel empty.  Good days are pointers to what’s is wonderfully, joyfully, eternally good – God Himself.

Asaph wrote after he entered the sanctuary of the Lord, But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; (Psalm 73:28a)

God is what’s really good, no matter what our circumstances are. He’s at work in us to help us know this, sometimes through difficulties. He doesn’t want us to settle for less than Him as our heart’s desire.

“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” (Genesis 15:1b NIV)

Prayer

Lord, I surrender my longings for a smooth, comfortable life. Like our missionary, I want to choose you over a good day. I know You are my Good. No matter what happens, You are with me. In Your presence is fullness of Joy. Lead me into a deeper surrender of those comforts I hold on to.

 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. (John 10:27-28)

 Lord, help me learn to hear Your voice. Guide me into the adventures You have for me each day. I want to speak Your name boldly and offer Your Salvation to those You bring my way. You are my Life.

Amen

[1] Unless otherwise noted, the Scriptures quoted are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures. Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post once a week. Thank you for reading. 

Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains