The Holy One calls me this morning. There is more than one issue we need to discuss. For a long time, He has been teaching me the power of words in Creation and in my life on earth today. Genesis 1 expresses Creation as, "God said" and it was so.
Jesus said, in John 14:11-14, "Believe Me when I say, I am in the Father (Creator) and the Father is in Me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the Truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring Glory to the Father. You may ask Me for anything in My name and I will do it. "
Point #1. The Holy Spirit has been working Truth deep into my heart and mind about the God-ward use of my words in intercession and the man-ward use of my words in proclamation. Spirit-lead thoughts become words and Spirit-lead words are power.
God-ward words otherwise known as prayer is the call on the life of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Savior of mankind, Creator of the Universe and all that exists, and the One from whom all blessings flow.
Since the Garden of Eden, the Creator has ordained and delegated to His creation AKA man, the privilege and responsibility to co-govern His world. The fall of man broke the relationship but not the Eternal plan of Holiness for His beloved.
Since the Cross, a form of restoration back to the Garden of Eden is possible. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, man has been redeemed for all eternity. The restoration of relationship with the Creator of all that exists is available. In and due to this restoration comes the delightful privilege to once again participate in the government of our earthly life, with the powerful authority (in our words) delegated to and through the Holy Spirit of Christ within us.
The corner of the world that my life represents is my assigned place to manage and co-govern with the Creator. I am not to govern alone or all by myself, but rather I am to co-govern my life and it's complex situations in partnership with the Lord Jesus Christ to whom I am accountable as His servant in this restored co-management relationship. He has given us language and speech and words that He Himself used to create all that we know. There is something very important that the Holy One wants me to realize about the power of our words.
Each and every situation we encounter as a believer has purpose and that purpose is to bring us into the individual and personal conforming image of our Christ. With all our unique personality traits, the Holy Spirit's ruling force will meld our character into the character of our Savior as we make our earthly journey with Him. We don't lose ourselves in the process but rather we gain the better "us" in the exchange. As we give up the garbage of our flesh, the Holy One gives us His Divine fruit.
Point # 2. Today, the Holy One catches me uttering "worthless words" at first light. His command to me has been to utter "worthy not worthless words". I have been taught that worthless words can be any words that do not have Heavenly purpose, but also words that state a reality that Holiness wants to change.
As the conviction sets in and I repent for the careless words that came out and are now blowing in the wind, I hear Him speak grace to me. Once repentance is executed and forgiveness received, there comes a sense of "joy". Joy is not something I have felt in past times of repentance. There has been a sense of relief, but I would not describe it as joy.
The Holy One speaks of a new perspective of repentance: rather than to see myself as a hopeless case of perpetual failure, He tells me to rejoice that I am brought to conviction and that He is cleaning me out.
I see His point that if I refuse to bring all my failures to Him both big and small, they will remain, along with the bondage to them. But if I repent for the failures, one by one, I am being set free. He encourages me to realize that in the process of sanctification, being brought into the conforming image of Christ, the conviction and repentance of any sin or failure is cause for celebration.
It is in this place of the acknowledgement of sin that transformation can take place, sin forsaken and I can see it exchanged for a new measure of Holiness. Rather than be depressed at my failure, I can celebrate the move toward Holiness and be assured of His victory over my flesh weakness.
The bad news is that we were all born in sin and subject to the conditions of the fall. The Great News is that Jesus, The Son, lived, died and rose again providing restoration, not just in theory, but by blood payment for sin, bought powerful, eternal reconciliation between us and our Creator God. And through His Spirit, brings the ability to live and be Holy as He is Holy.
Conviction of sin comes not to defeat us but to free us. Today I realize even more that my worthless words cannot be taken back, but after repentance, I know that more powerful, worthy words can overtake them. Humility and joy. Only in Christ can we have both at the same time.
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
Jesus said, in John 14:11-14, "Believe Me when I say, I am in the Father (Creator) and the Father is in Me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the Truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring Glory to the Father. You may ask Me for anything in My name and I will do it. "
Point #1. The Holy Spirit has been working Truth deep into my heart and mind about the God-ward use of my words in intercession and the man-ward use of my words in proclamation. Spirit-lead thoughts become words and Spirit-lead words are power.
God-ward words otherwise known as prayer is the call on the life of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Savior of mankind, Creator of the Universe and all that exists, and the One from whom all blessings flow.
Since the Garden of Eden, the Creator has ordained and delegated to His creation AKA man, the privilege and responsibility to co-govern His world. The fall of man broke the relationship but not the Eternal plan of Holiness for His beloved.
Since the Cross, a form of restoration back to the Garden of Eden is possible. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, man has been redeemed for all eternity. The restoration of relationship with the Creator of all that exists is available. In and due to this restoration comes the delightful privilege to once again participate in the government of our earthly life, with the powerful authority (in our words) delegated to and through the Holy Spirit of Christ within us.
The corner of the world that my life represents is my assigned place to manage and co-govern with the Creator. I am not to govern alone or all by myself, but rather I am to co-govern my life and it's complex situations in partnership with the Lord Jesus Christ to whom I am accountable as His servant in this restored co-management relationship. He has given us language and speech and words that He Himself used to create all that we know. There is something very important that the Holy One wants me to realize about the power of our words.
Each and every situation we encounter as a believer has purpose and that purpose is to bring us into the individual and personal conforming image of our Christ. With all our unique personality traits, the Holy Spirit's ruling force will meld our character into the character of our Savior as we make our earthly journey with Him. We don't lose ourselves in the process but rather we gain the better "us" in the exchange. As we give up the garbage of our flesh, the Holy One gives us His Divine fruit.
Point # 2. Today, the Holy One catches me uttering "worthless words" at first light. His command to me has been to utter "worthy not worthless words". I have been taught that worthless words can be any words that do not have Heavenly purpose, but also words that state a reality that Holiness wants to change.
As the conviction sets in and I repent for the careless words that came out and are now blowing in the wind, I hear Him speak grace to me. Once repentance is executed and forgiveness received, there comes a sense of "joy". Joy is not something I have felt in past times of repentance. There has been a sense of relief, but I would not describe it as joy.
The Holy One speaks of a new perspective of repentance: rather than to see myself as a hopeless case of perpetual failure, He tells me to rejoice that I am brought to conviction and that He is cleaning me out.
I see His point that if I refuse to bring all my failures to Him both big and small, they will remain, along with the bondage to them. But if I repent for the failures, one by one, I am being set free. He encourages me to realize that in the process of sanctification, being brought into the conforming image of Christ, the conviction and repentance of any sin or failure is cause for celebration.
It is in this place of the acknowledgement of sin that transformation can take place, sin forsaken and I can see it exchanged for a new measure of Holiness. Rather than be depressed at my failure, I can celebrate the move toward Holiness and be assured of His victory over my flesh weakness.
The bad news is that we were all born in sin and subject to the conditions of the fall. The Great News is that Jesus, The Son, lived, died and rose again providing restoration, not just in theory, but by blood payment for sin, bought powerful, eternal reconciliation between us and our Creator God. And through His Spirit, brings the ability to live and be Holy as He is Holy.
Conviction of sin comes not to defeat us but to free us. Today I realize even more that my worthless words cannot be taken back, but after repentance, I know that more powerful, worthy words can overtake them. Humility and joy. Only in Christ can we have both at the same time.
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
No comments:
Post a Comment