Every believer, at the time of his/her baptism, is filled with the indwelling Holy Spirit to work from within to transform us into the image and likeness of Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. But He helps us in moving forward by guiding us on the path, whereas the walking has to be by us and until we move, nothing happens. In fulfillment of God’s promise we receive new strength to achieve great heights like an eagle during our walk of obedience!
How does this change happen? Tanya, the Jewish book of Mysticism, teaches that a person‘s being is not who he is but what he wears. The human soul is forever looking for ways to unite with God but the elements of this world keep us away from Him. You do not behave in a certain way, you get dressed in it as your conscious thoughts, your spoken words and your deeds. People see your behavior towards others, especially towards the poor and that is how you are known. After sin entered the life of Adam and Eve, they realized their nakedness and it was revealed in their answers to God. The man blamed God and the ‘woman You gave to be with me’, while the woman blamed the snake to have deceived her into eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Their souls were then covered with the darkness of sin of disobedience and they refused to own their responsibility. They were trying to cover their nakedness with tree leaves but their inner nakedness was clearly visible in their behavior of hiding from the All-knowing God.
The trend of concealing to reveal the body actually is more applicable for the inner soul or being, for your language is the inner clothing of your soul. The consciousness of your thoughts and emotions comes when these get reflected on your mind’s screen in images, sounds and words and remain hidden from others till they are acted upon through speech or actions.
But why are they called clothing and not expressions of the soul? For you are never without them and you move about in them and they cover your soul fully. Like the outer clothing reflects your way of life, these inner clothes of the soul reveal your true self. To catch you into a snare, I must get hold of your inner clothes for once these are torn, your vulnerability appears. You start to define your outer clothing also through your inner garments, for that is then your identity. Apostle Paul taught his Roman audience who wore a Toga, an outer robe to cover themselves, ‘Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lists’ (Romans 13:14).
Every believer has oneness with his Saviour Lord, for it is not that only I am in Him but He is also in me (John 15:20). He becomes my inner clothing just like God the Father was His. In His oneness, He could live exactly the way He saw the Father in Himself, for He drew power, guidance and strength from the Father for all His deeds on earth. Once we have put Him on, the soul starts to respond in His ways and words and this continuous transformation process gets started in us. Lord Jesus taught Nicodemus, the Jewish leader about the necessity of being born again to see the kingdom of God. Putting on Lord Jesus is this new birth in Him for only then do we start to identify ourselves with Him.
How do we do this? There are four practical ways to ‘Put on Christ Jesus’. The first is reflection or contemplation and it starts with the heart. The message from the LORD to prophet Jeremiah was about conduct of the blessed and what should one be careful about. He was told that ‘the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked’ (Jeremiah 17:9). Lord Jesus compared this to a good tree bearing good fruit, saying, ‘a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil’ (Luke 6:43-45). To remove evil influences we focus on the Word of God and like a bird that is flying in the sky cannot be allowed by us to make a nest in our heads, we reject every evil thought and do not let it take root.
Second, personal discipleship – Many people seek the Lord as an ATM where our prayers must be answered but fail to get the password which is the Word of God. The command from the Lord is, ‘whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son’ (John 14:13). Reciting merely the name of Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth is trying to use His power and authority without knowing Him. At Ephesus some people were using the name of the Lord in this manner to cast out evil spirits. The seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish Chief Priest tried this and the ‘man in whom the evil spirit was, leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded’ (Acts 19:13-16). When my soul is clothed in Lord Jesus, the evil spirit sees Him and not me and obeys the commands that I give.
The third is, relational discipleship which is to give away what you have received from the Scripture through the first two steps under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Lord Jesus called Simon and his brother Andrew to follow Him to be turned from fishermen to ‘fishers of men’ (Matthew 4:19). The Great Commission is about sharing the Word of God with others to turn them into disciples.
The fourth is corporate gathering by meeting other believers in the Church and other religious gatherings. Apostle Paul taught all believers to ‘encourage one another and build each other up’ (1 Thessalonians 5:11). The whole Church is the body of Christ and helping each other is essential as the ‘First Church’ did at Jerusalem.
When we clothe ourselves with Lord Jesus, we become more like Him in thought, word and deed. As we grow in such a manner, we bring glory to God the Father in heaven and reflect the light of His beloved Son to a dark world.
How to persevere in our walk of faith – The word of the LORD to Prophet Isaiah was to encourage the Israelites for the LORD God ‘gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength’ (Isaiah 40: 29-31). God neither ‘faints nor is weary’ in doing this for His children, to those who diligently seek Him. The might of the young people will fail but ‘to those who wait on the LORD, shall renew their strength; they shall mount on wings like eagles’. Those who believe and receive the Son of God as their Messiah, He gives the ‘right to become children of God’ (John 1:12). Many persons in the Church are regular in all activities and believe in the Lord but have not yet fully received Him. When the trials come, such believers either fall away or after blaming the congregation or the Pastor shift to some other Church.
A child is totally dependent on his Father and looks up to Him for everything. Also, he tries to behave and live in a manner worthy of his Father. Many Christians faced persecution at the hands of the Roman empire under Nero and many were tied to poles and set on fire but hardly anyone ever backtracked from their faith. We receive requests for prayer and the same request is copied to almost all pastors whose programs are telecast on this channel. Do they really believe that the prayers will be answered for it is like taking a chance, by putting in many hooks in the water, with the hope that at least one will catch the fish? God searches our hearts and though they hear the Word but in such people it is like the seed that fell on rocky places and because of lack of depth of the earth perished (Matthew 13:5-6).
A child has his individual relationship with his father and cannot depend on his brother or sister’s closeness to the father. The four steps we discussed are for developing this type of closeness. Everyone must heed the advice of Apostle Paul, ‘Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves’ (2 Corinthians 13:5). Self-examination is the essential step to grow in faith and seeing your own sins will lead to confession, repentance, forgiveness and growth. But it is also a dangerous step, for Satan can and will try and lead you into self condemnation and withdrawal. Remain focused on God’s grace, mercy and compassion while using the twin gifts of His Word and His Spirit. Be deliberate and expect God to show you the things that need repentance and correction. Make suitable notes, believe and pray with confidence in the love of God for you are His beloved child.
The best way to test yourself is to critically assess your life in each area of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17). First, have the disappointments and pain affected you to focus on these as your god, turning you away from the Living God? Second, is there a desire to see God treat you differently due to your dissatisfaction for receiving no answer to prayers. This is idolatry, confess and seek forgiveness. Third, we are to reflect the image and likeness of God, for we bear His name as Christians. Every believer is to bear testimony of the work of the Saviour Lord on the cross and in His life, for otherwise we will be using His name in an unworthy manner. Fourth is about the Sabbath for one day a week, God desires us to rest and get close to Him to be more productive while enjoying your work. Five, do you respect authority, starting with your parents, though you are now self-sufficient. Parents take twenty years to teach and guide you in righteous living which can be squandered with a single careless moment. Examine yourself for submission to your leaders in the Church also.
Six, are you resentful towards others leading you to unexpressed anger? Are you bearing evil thoughts towards someone in anger and bitterness? Confess and seek forgiveness, for this is equal to murder of an innocent person and seek God to cleanse your soul. Seven, Do you have lustful thoughts towards someone in your heart, for this is adultery (Matthew 5:28)? Confess and seek forgiveness and focus on the Word of God to counter such thoughts. Eight, Satan steals and destroys and your excuses for not giving to God His share is stealing from Him as also from others for whom this was really meant. Check what you receive from God and what you give. Nine, Are you faithful in your relationship with God and with others and can you be trusted? List out your weaknesses and seek help from God to overcome in every sphere. Ten, examine your desires, for this is the root cause of sin that lies in the heart, for your joy and satisfaction is not in what God has given you. Covetousness will lead you to evil thoughts, to make plans and eventually cause you to fall into temptation.
Examine yourself in light of these Ten Commandments and seek God’s help to set things right in your life. Apostle Paul praised ‘God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ’ (Ephesians 1:3). God has made every provision for us to be victorious in life and this victory is not given in our hands but placed within reach. Once we set the course of our life right, His Spirit within us starts guiding us to snatch what is ours.
Ensuring God’s plan for our life -nProphet Isaiah received a prophecy about king Cyrus, who was to rule Persia, about 100 years before his kingdom came to be. Cyrus was to let the Jewish exiles return to Jerusalem as free people. God declared, ‘I will go before you and level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron’ (Isaiah 45:2). This word assures all believers moving forward in obedience to His commands, to remove all obstacles from your paths that were holding you back from exploiting the opportunities given by God. The bronze doors represent strong opposition and the bars are restraints, either devil controlled or self imposed due to fear, unbelief and laziness /caution. Lord Jesus Christ is identified as God and One with God before anything was (John 1:1-2). He revealed Himself as ‘the First and the Last’, the beginning and the end (Revelation 1:17). He was and is ahead of all creation but man tries to move ahead of Him, thus desiring God to follow him as per his own plans.
Joshua was met by the Commander of the LORD’s army near Jericho to tell him that he was not there to be on his side or the enemies but that He was there as Commander to take charge and guide him and the Israelite army (Joshua 5:13-15). As proof of His Divinity, Joshua was commanded, ‘Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy’ because of the Lord’s presence. Joshua was then given instructions for capture of Jericho. As per the command of the LORD God, Moses told the Israelites about their battles ahead saying, ‘When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God is with you who brought you up from the land of Egypt’ (Deuteronomy 20:1).
Lord Jesus has taught about the process of our selection as believers, ‘you did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you’ (John 15:16). He has redeemed us from the bondage of slavery of sin and the devil to do the works that He has ordained us to do the works that He did on earth (John 14:12). When we step out to obey and do His works, He joins us to lead us into victory for it is His battle and we are His soldiers. No Commander would ever send His forces into a battle that is beyond their capabilities (1 Corinthians 10:13) but will ensure a way for victory. All the resources that we need have already been provided in the heavenly places in Lord Jesus (Ephesians 1:3) and our Teacher, the Holy Spirit, is in us to guide us to use these blessings, provided we seek His help.
How do we seek this help? The Risen Lord told the disciples before His ascension into heaven, ‘you are witnesses of these things’ (Luke 24:48). The kingdom of God is voice operated, for Lord Jesus declaration about His being the Anointed One and His role is, ‘to preach the Gospel to the poor…. To proclaim liberty to the captives.. to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD’ (Luke 4:18-19). Therefore we must first believe God wants to bless us and His blessings are released through our declaration. Apostle Paul further clarifies this for ‘He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32). Anyone who disbelieves this is against himself and also against God.
Second, know what the blessings are, for we are anointed to win, empowered to overcome all opposition and impossible to curse (Romans 8:29-0). In the heavenly places ‘all spiritual blessings’ have already been given as grace and peace; wisdom and understanding, forgiveness and freedom, but we look for physical blessings. When we receive spiritual blessings the physical blessings also show up. We are taught to seek first the kingdom of God and the other blessings ‘shall be added to you’ (Matthew 6:33). It is not either or but the first one and then the other follows as per His timings for He knows us better than we do.
It is those who ‘hope in the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles’ (Isaiah 40:31). God wants to bless us with renewed strength in every sphere of life, the spiritual, physical, financial and social, while opening new doors for us to serve Him. Invariably most people are happy to receive one part but ignore the second while both are interlinked and the growth in one is leading to growth in the other. Also our expectations from the Creator of the universe are far too little and before He can prepare us to receive and enjoy that without going astray, we give up and shift our focus on something else. The trials that we face produce ‘perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope and hope does not disappoint’ (Romans 5:4-5). During this entire process we are to declare the blessings that God has promised in His written Word for the same to materialize from spiritual to the material realm. This repeated declaration strengthens our faith which comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).
The LORD God has promised to make His children, ‘the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not beneath’ (Deuteronomy 28:13). The essential process of self examination is to purge evil from within us and remain committed to the Lord as His children. Instead of mercenary prayers, where we command others to pray for us, we need to develop a close relationship with Him through prayer, Scripture study, meditation on His Word and getting to know Him. A child who does not want to be close to his Father by regular contact with Him, expresses deep disregard for Him.
The last five Psalms are known as ‘Final Hallel’ of the Book of Psalms, for they start and end with ‘Hallelujah’ and these are to remember His blessings and praise Him. The psalmist declares, ‘For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds’ (Psalm 149:4 -5). In return our Lord who is ‘the Light of the world’ desires, ‘let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven’ (Matthew 5:16). Such followers of His, God in His pleasure makes ‘a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God’. It is not that our good works will bring us these blessings but our faith in His salvation and expressed in our good works that pleases God. It is an exchange, for our surrender and submission, He lifts us up to great and unexpected heights as He did to Joseph to make him the Prime Minister of Egypt from a prisoner. He wants to do such great things for all of His children who seek Him diligently.
God is love and He keeps an eye on all His children to find ways to help and raise them to great heights in every sphere of their lives. He has opened every path to success for us but we have to step out as per His Word and commands. We do face many challenges on these paths but when He is with us who can be against us? Success is in our reach but covered by the fog of evil of this world and we must grasp it in faith!
