One of the things that I'm discovering is that in order to truly get to where God has ordained one to be, you have to be willing to die. This is not a message that is frequently preached, but it's a message that is consistently supported and reinforced in the Word of God. I'm beginning to believe that part of the reason why the church has not witnessed a major move of God within the last half-century or so is due in large part to our lack of acclimation to self-denial and sacrifice. However, as we prepare to enter into this next Move of God, it's going to be imperative that His people understand how to transition from Death to Glory.
The Apostle Paul says something in the third chapter of Colossians that ought to be the mantra of every born-again believer in Christ, "for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God". That is a very powerful, powerful, statement. Do you recognize yourself as Dead? Not dead in Christ, but dead to self. Most of the time many of us are trying to obtain self-affirmation, self-recognition, self-promotion, self-reinforcement. Believe it or not, a lot of this is counter to the declaration that the Word has pronounced upon our being. Why are we trying to get recognition for that which is dead? Why are we trying to get affirmation and reinforcement for that which God has said is not alive? Once again, we think the problem is with sin, but it's not. The problem is with self; and if you haven't taken the time to agree in your spirit with the Word of God, then you're going to find yourself sub-consciously seeking for things and reaching for things that run counter to the identity for which Christ died for you to be. We need to definitively declare today according to the Word of God, I am dead.
However, that's not the end of the scripture. The text also says that we are hid in Christ. When you reach for self and the promotion and fulfillment thereof, you become exposed to all of the wiles of the Devil. Yet, when you're hidden in Christ, you're Covered. Saints, I am persuaded that a lot of the drama and a lot of the heartache that many of us are experiencing is due in large part to us not taking the proper posture of being hidden in Christ. That's why Colossians 3 goes on to say "put on the new man". Put on Christ! Don't wear your own personal attitudes and opinions and dispositions. Let your disposition and approach towards life be hidden in Christ. Let His Spirit cover you. This requires a degree of humility because, quiet as its kept, many of us like our personality and perspective towards life. The only problem with that is, a lot of times our perspective is not congruent with God's (Isaiah 55). We need to be deliberate about being Hidden in Christ.
Lastly, the Good News is that our being dead is not the Final Analysis. There is Hope! The scripture goes on to say, "when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in Glory" (Colossians 3). This is the part that we miss. Your being dead is not the focus. The Focus is the Glory of God, which is in Christ Jesus! (Colossians 1) As we embrace being dead to self, the Promise of the Father is, once Jesus appears, then we will appear with Him in Glory. Notice the scripture doesn't say "when He returns", it says when He appears. Jesus can appear to you at any time! (1Corinthians 15). And when He does, if you've adequately and sufficiently died to self and embraced your spiritual death sentence, then your New You will appear with Christ In Glory! Hallelujah!!! Aren't you excited about that? I am. But we have to be willing to embrace and endure the Transition from Death to Glory.
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