Now What?
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! When I found out and learned that my salvation is firm and complete, I celebrated in my heart with great thankfulness. What a blessing to know, that I know, that through the finished work of Jesus Christ my salvation is a done deal.
There is nothing more for me to do in light of receiving the new birth realities. It truly is a finished and completed work. I have been bought lock, stock and barrel, totally belonging to my Father God Almighty. What a reality!
I Corinthians 6:19 & 20:
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Now what?
Now that I fully recognize this truth what do I do now? It is already paid for – no debts to pay off. It is already secured – Christ in me the hope of glory. I know I have it, because I can speak in tongues. The only thing left to do because of all these fabulous realities is TO PARTY!!
That is what happened in the so called "prodigal son" story in the Bible. The younger one took his inheritance and wasted it and came home in deep humiliation. The Father rejoiced when he arrived home and gave him the best family robe and ring on his finger and called for a special party because his son was lost but now is found (Luke 15:11-32).
What do you think happened after the party. All the celebration was completed and now they are to go on living their lives before the Father. After the party was over they had to go back to work as usual. Wouldn't the devil supply many temptations for the younger son as well as the older one too. "Do you really want to do this farm work and take care of those helpless sheep? Why not go out to the local pub and really enjoy your life?"
You and I are challenged with the same kind of temptation as the prodigal son after the celebration is over. We realize that our salvation is a done deal, and maybe when that first becomes evident to us we partied and celebrated its reality, but when the party dust had settled and everything was over, what are we to do?
How do you deal with a done deal? What do you do after you know you are fully complete in Christ? Here are some keys to help you deal with this dilemma.
How to Enjoy the Done Deal Life
1. Continue to Celebrate.
Keep on rejoicing and praising God for His goodness. Develop your relationship with the Father through prayer and thankfulness.
Philippians 4:4-7:
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
By having this mind set you will keep things in their right perspective.
2. Stand against the wiles of the devil.
We know the devil will try to tempt us to go against the true things of God and get us living a flesh filled life. Take a stand against his attacks. Put on the whole armor of God.
Ephesians 6:10-13:
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Read the rest of this chapter to find out what armor you have to keep the evil one at bay.
3. Renew your mind to who you really are in Christ day by day.
You are a new creation in Christ (Galatians 6:15). We fully identify with Christ (See Out Identification with Christ). Now, we want to remember this reality and renew our mind, "not being conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12:2).
Ephesians 4:22-24:
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Colossians 3:1-4:
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
4. Live God's calling in your new life in Christ.
We can live our new life in Christ by forgetting the past and reaching forward with our calling in the Body of Christ.
Philippians 3:13 & 14:
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
No greater reality exists than you being complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10). Jesus Christ paid the price so that we could partake in this reality. It truly is a done deal. Now, we want to recognize its value in our lives and live it.
Remember these keys on how to enjoy this reality. Continue to celebrate; stand against the methods of the devil; renew you mind to who you really are each day of your life; and finally live it. Forget the past life style and push toward your high calling in Christ. We all have a calling in the Body of Christ. Let's get busy living it with rejoicing in our hearts.
Bob Lindfelt
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
