God Wants To Live Through You – Have You Cleared A Path?
God has High expectations for you – He wants to live through you – Have you done the work necessary to clear a path for Him? It is transformational!
The bible language can be a bit confusing but it is pretty amazing once you wrap your head around it. The bible uses the term “image” to convey how we are wired internally – how our will, conscience and emotions connect to God’s intention for us. Follow along the biblical narrative and see how it works.
God created mankind in God’s image, in perfect harmony with God, and they experienced paradise on earth. The image was currupted when Adam became self-centered and chose to sin against God by eating of the forbidden tree. This caused seporation from God, struggles, suffering and death. We inherit the currupted nature from Adam, and experienc ethe same seporation and suffering. Jesus came to restore what was lost, to restore the image of God in us, and to reconnect us with the Father. Jesus was the image of God in flesh. When we acknowledge our shortcomings and accept Him as Lord of our life, He can flow into us and begin to transfomr us into His image. We need to clear the path for Him to do that. We need to put aside our self-centered agendas and our self-conscious emotions so that He is able to do His work. As we make room for Him, He can come into us and take up reesidence. The more we learn from Him, the more we can see things from His perspective. The more we focus on scripture the more we understand Him and his will. The more we reflect and listen to the Holy spirit, the more we transform our mind and adjust our actions to align with His will. As His image is formed in us, we become more and more like Him; We act in truth and become love in action. His love is perfected when it flows through us to others. We become a bright light in this dark world. As we shine, we become a beacon for the kingdom. It is remarkable how much we can change in a short time if we engage Him and give Him room to work.
Supporting Scriptures:
God created mankind in His image:
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:26–27
Adam corrupted the image by becoming self-centered and rebelling against God’s rules:
“but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.” Genesis 3:3-7
We inherit Adams image – the image corrupted by sin:
“And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.” Genesis 5:3
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.” Psalm 51:5
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned” Romans 5:12
Jesus came to restore the image – to save that which was lost:
“For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.” Matthew 18:11
Jesus is the expressed image of God:
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person,” Hebrews 1:1-3
Jesus wants to come and live inside us – and put His life back in us:
“But when it pleased God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called by His grace, to reveal His Son in me.” Galatians 1:15-16
“Because the God who said, Out of darkness light shall shine, is the One who shined in our hearts to illuminate the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us.” 2 Corinthians 4:6-7
“But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness.” Romans 8:10
The Holy Spirit is the change agent to help us make room:
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17
We are predestined to be conformed to the Image of the Son:
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29
We are to be renewed according to the image God:
“and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,” Colossians 3:10
Be renewed by transformation of our mind – as Christ is formed in you
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2
You will need to pick up your cross and actively follow Jesus model – crucify the flesh, resist temptation, do not let sin against you become sin inside you.
“I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20
“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps” 1 Peter 2:21
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”Revelation 12:11
As you transform you are to become like Christ, act in love from a pure heart
“My children, with whom I travail again in birth until Christ is formed in you.” Galatians 4:19
“That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love.” Ephesians 3:17
“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.”1 John 4:17
You are to become His glory in action, a beacon for the kingdom
“To whom God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27
“When He comes to be glorified in His saints and to be marveled at in all those who have believed.” 2 Thessalonians 1:10
It is all about transformation so that Jesus manifests in you and His Love flows through you. Deny yourself, Accept Him, Invite Him, Get to know Him, Listen to Him, Follow where He leads you, Become like Him. This approach will change your life. God wants you to be a beacon for His kingdom here and now. He does not want you just hanging out hoping to get into heaven someday.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I thank you for creating me with a purpose, and for sending your son here to enable that purpose. I hereby deny my-self serving agendas and Invite Him in to be my lord of my life. I yield my eyes to see things from your perspective. I yield my ears to hears and understand your words. I yeald my heart to love you and to love my neighbors as myself. I yield my mouth to sing praises to you. I yield my hands to do your work. I yield my feet to go where you tell me. Lord, Help me to transform into the person you intended when you put me here. Help me form Jesus in me. Help me push my old self behind me and let the new self emerge. Help me flow your love out to others in all I do. I ask this in Jesus Holy name so that I can be a beacon for your kingdom..
Hope this helps.
My two cents.