The Life of Jesus Within Me/Rashea@LLO2 Academy
We are justified through faith in Jesus. We experience the grace and peace of God through Jesus. We are sanctified through the Word of God and the ministry work of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8).
However, after we have been justified and sanctified, we are called to live a life that honors Jesus. What does that mean though? How does that look?
Do I give my life to Jesus and magically I never sin again in my life? How can I measure up to such expectations and requirements? Can I really live my life to honor God and still be human from time to time?
No. Sin doesn't just magically go away? You will sin again in your life, because you are a human saved by grace through faith in Jesus who is prone to fall short from time to time. The goal is not to be sinless but rather through grace and the ministry work of the Holy Spirit within you to sin less.
Grace lifts the weight of sins and condemnation, while the work of the Holy Spirit moves us to repentance and righteousness through Jesus. For all have sinned, do sin and will sin and have, do and will fall short of the expectations and requirements of God from time to time (Romans 3:23). It's called being human, y'all.
Super saints do not exist. The extent of time you have been walking with Jesus doesn't necessarily mean you are spiritually mature or actively devoted to Jesus. Furthermore, the extent of time you have been saved doesn't mean you are a wise saint either. Let that sink in.👀💭
Sometimes, we can become all too familiar with God and utilize our spiritual regimen and the many years we have been saved as an excuse to not grow up and actually pursue a personal relationship with Jesus. Religion and religious sacraments cannot substitute for a personal relationship with Jesus. Everything we are, say, think and do must stem from a life and heart surrendered to Jesus in word, deed and in thought.
We are called to pattern our lives after Jesus (Ephesians 5:1). However, it is difficult to pattern our lives after Jesus if we are not following after Jesus. What does following after Jesus mean and look like? Following after Jesus communicates voluntary
obedience to Jesus, listening to Jesus, aligning my daily actions, thoughts and communication to Jesus and the Word of God, allowing Jesus to correct any and all shortcomings in my life and asking the Holy Spirit for clarity when I do not understand something in the Word of God or what the Holy Spirit is revealing.
Lay your ego and insecurities down. None of us can please God in our own strength, intellect, ingenuity, proclivities or human abilities. It is impossible.
Just face it. You need Jesus. I need Jesus. We need Jesus.
We must be born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible seed (John 3:1-17). Jesus is incorruptible in nature, ingenuity, proclivity, mastery in skill and intellect, in spirit, personality and genetic formation and function. Everything Jesus is is good and eternal. We need the life source of Jesus living within us and working within us everyday, all day. Amen.
Jesus did not just save our spirit, he saved our humanity too. He had to. Your humanity is not the flesh or carnality.
The flesh is the nature and fallen condition of Satan which produces sin. Carnality is the spiritual degenerate proclivity, influence or motivation to sin. The nature and condition of Satan (the flesh) produces the proclivity, influence or motivation to practice sin.
Our humanity which was once subject to sin, is now being regenerated through salvation and the practice of righteousness as we follow after the pattern of Jesus (Romans 12:1; Ephesians 4:21-24). Our humanity is really our soul. Everyday the grace of God and the Word of God is restoring our souls (humanity) back to health and wholeness.
As we surrender to the life of Jesus in our spirit and from our hearts, the life source of Jesus begans to flow to our souls and brings fresh vibrancy, wisdom and strength to all areas of our lives. This eternal and supernatural vibrancy, wisdom and strength empowers us to live our lives to honor God daily, moment by moment, as we move forward in life and in Jesus.
Rashea@LLO2
