Today we continue our series, “As Jesus Is”, under the banner of the overall series for the year, “Supernatural Manifestation.” We have been looking at 1 John 4:16,17 for months. Recently I added Colossians 1 to it. Let’s get back to both passages today.
The Apostle John said:
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
(1 John 4:16, 17 KJV)
The Apostle Paul said:
“I am happy in my sufferings for you. There is much that Christ must still suffer. And I gladly accept my part of those sufferings in my body for the good of his body, the church. I became a servant of the church because God gave me a special work to do. This work helps you. My work is to tell the complete message of God. This message is the secret truth that was hidden since the beginning of time. It was hidden from everyone for ages, but now it has been made known to God’s holy people. God decided to let his people know just how rich and glorious that truth is. That secret truth, which is for all people, is that Christ lives in you, his people. He is our hope for glory.”
(Colossians 1:24-27 Easy To Read Version)
Today I will focus in on this statement: “God decided to let his people know just how rich and glorious that truth is.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- The people the Apostle Paul was called to reach were not Jews. They did not know our God. They worshiped many other gods. Not only did they not know about Jesus, but they had no idea that a true and living God would choose to LIVE IN THEM! So Paul tells his followers that the mystery, the secret, the hidden truth, is that Jesus LIVES IN US. This truth was hidden from people for ages, but Paul was excited to reveal it. Paul says that this truth is “rich and glorious”. I can imagine him telling people about it. To Paul, the fact that Jesus would be willing to LIVE INSIDE OF US, was a mindblowing, hard to believe, ‘out of this world’ type idea. But guess what? It was true then and it is true now. If you are Born-Again, Jesus LIVES IN YOU!
- There are many people who ascribe to many religions around the world. Countless people believe in gods they can see and touch (idols). Others believe in gods that are tied to the lives of mere humans. But our religion is different. We believe in a God who chose to come as a man. He was not a mere-man. He was a God-man. He lived for us. He died for us. He rose from the dead for us. No other religion has a risen savior. Not only that, but Jesus ascended into heaven. No other religion has an ascended savior. Not only that, but before He comes back, He has chosen to LIVE INSIDE OF US! This is where the Gospel takes a powerful turn. Our God is not a God who is disconnected from us. Our God is not a God who cannot be touched with the feelings or the pressures of our infirmities. Our God is not a God who simply Lords over us. Our God has chosen to LIVE INSIDE OF US!
- Once you are Born-Again, you are no longer a mere man. You are a God-man, because God LIVES IN YOU!
- No other religion on the planet has a God who, not only died for you, but who has chosen to live INSIDE of you!
- Paul was raised under the strict Laws of Judaism. But one day he came in contact with the God he thought he was serving. Once He did, His life changed for ever. This God let Paul know that beyond any Laws people could follow, written on tablets of stone, He was willing to live INSIDE of Paul, and personally write His perfect Law upon the flesh of his heart. Guess what? What God did for Paul, He does for us. God lives IN you and He personally writes His Law on your heart. He leads you from the inside out. He guides you from within. So you can spend the rest of your life manifesting an outworking of the internal. Your reality is not on the outside. Your true reality is on the inside, because God LIVES IN YOU! This is the truth. This is the message. This is the Gospel. And Paul tells us that it is both rich and glorious!
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me, because I accept Your rich and glorious truth. I embrace the fact that You live IN me. Jesus loved me enough to die for me. He died in my place. My sin was put on Him, and His righteousness is now put on me. I am, because He is. Not only did Jesus die for me, not only did He rise for me, but He has not chosen to live INSIDE OF ME! This truth changes everything! I can now enter every day saying, “As Jesus is, so am I, in this world!” I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
