“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

In this devotion, we begin to examine the last question to be answered in the Process of Identification as a converted Child of God.

Thus far in our devotional study on “Faithful in the Back Seat” we have noted The Process of Identification as to:

1)    Who God is – as Creator, Controller, and Consummator.

2)    Who we are as converted Children of God – sons of God, indwelt by the Spirit.

3)    What we as converted Children of God are to do – Be holy; Love God; Love the Brethren, Be witnesses.

4)    Where we as converted Children of God are to serve – spiritually, in the Church; physically, where we are called.

The Fifth Question is, “How” we are to serve. Or in what manner are we to perform our duties, our dedication, and our determination to endure unto the end?

We have already listed the duties; but now, How, or in what mindset, or in what attitude do we serve?

Christ is our Savior; we are the sons of God who form His Temple, or dwelling place on earth, the Church. We are to be a Holy People; doers of God’s Word. We are to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. We are to be His Witnesses in the uttermost parts of the earth. We are to serve Him in His Body, the Church, His Bride.

But How are we to serve Him? How are we to keep the Commandment of Love of Matthew 22:37-40?

First, we are to serve in His Power:

“And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,” (Ephesians 1:19)

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;” (2 Corinthians 3:5)

(Also see Romans 1:4; 5:10, 17; 8:2-16; Galatians 2:20; 4:5-6.)

The sooner the new convert learns that in his own strength he cannot perform the Commandment of Love, unless Christ lives in him – the sooner he will perceive that Christ is the Power, not himself (2 Corinthians 3:5). It is Christ’s Life which is being lived in the new convert’s daily life (Romans 5:10).

The new convert comes to perceive it is his duty to yield himself daily to Righteousness, or to Christ, who is The Righteousness (Romans 6:4-22). When he yields himself to Christ; then he is relying upon the Promises of Christ; and upon the Power of Christ to perform His Promises based upon the Victory in Christ (Hebrews 13:20; 1 John 5:4). And he will enjoy the fruit of Christ’s Victory in his own daily life.

He will find:

1)    He is indeed free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).

2)    He is a Temple of the Holy Spirit; sharing in the Power of God to be a daily overcomer of sin (Romans 8:11-13).

3)    Indeed it is Christ working in him to will and to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

4)    It is Christ that is making him wellpleasing in His sight (Hebrews 13:20-21).

5)    He does not have the will to sin any longer (1 John 3:9); he is a new man (Ephesians 4:24); he is now a new creature in Christ:

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Therefore, he will walk by the Spirit, be led of the Spirit, and live in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 18, 25). Then the fruit borne in the believer will be of the Spirit, and no longer of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-23). Therefore, he will serve God in love to God and to his neighbor, as he moves in the Love and Power of Christ.

The fact is we can do nothing in our own strength. But Paul said:

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

(Also see Ecclesiastes 9:11; Jeremiah 9:23-24; 2 Samuel 22:33; Matthew 28:18; John 17:2; 1 Corinthians 1:24; Philippians 3:10.)

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Therefore we, the converted Children of God, have The Power (Christ Himself, The Power of God) living in us. Use this Power daily and the result will be daily Victory.

 

Second, we are to walk, or serve, according to, or in, His Will:

Part 1. It is His Will for us to walk in Love:

1)    1 John 2:4-6:

“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (1 John 2:4)

“But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.” (1 John 2:5)

“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” (1 John 2:6)

2)    Matthew 22:37-38:

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

“This is the first and great commandment.” (Matthew 22:38)

3)    John 13:34-35:

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:34)

“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35)

4)    1 Corinthians 13:13:

“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

5)    1 John 3:10-24; 4:7-21:

“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” (1 John 3:14)

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.” (1 John 4:7)

“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:8)

“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1 John 4:20)

“And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” (1 John 4:21)

It is the will of God for us to walk in Love (Charity). Those that walk in His Love are those who display the characteristics of His Love, or Charity:

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,” (1 Corinthians 13:4)

“Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;” (1 Corinthians 13:5)

“Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;” (1 Corinthians 13:6)

“Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:7)

“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” (1 Corinthians 13:8)

These, and these only, have Love perfected in them.

 

Part 2. It is His Will for us to walk in Sanctification:

That is, to be set apart in body and in spirit for Christ and to Christ, being His Children:

“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?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:20)

1)    First in the body:

a)    “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:” (1 Thessalonians 4:3)

b)    “That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” (1 Peter 4:2)

c)    “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:17)

d)    1 Peter 2:15; 3:17; 4:19;

e)    Romans 12:1-2;

f)     1 Corinthians 9:24-27;

g)    2 Corinthians 6:14-18;

h)    1 Thessalonians 5:18.

2)    Second in spirit:

a)    Romans 12:2;

b)    2 Corinthians 3:18; 10:3-5;

Why are we to walk in Sanctification?

1)    Because He is “our Sanctification”:

“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

2)    Because it is our position in Him (John 17:17, 19);

3)    Because He purposed it in the Chain of Grace; called glorification (Romans 8:29-30; 2 Corinthians 3:18);

4)    Because He commanded it; He is holy and we are to be holy people:

“As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:” (1 Peter 1:14)

“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;” (1 Peter 1:15)

“Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16)

5)    Because we are His Temple; a Holy Temple (1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Peter 2:9);

6)    Because we are New Creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 2:15-17);

7)    Because it is the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:19-23);

8)    Because it is the Pathway of Blessings from God (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).