Have you ever experienced the problem of your mind wandering as you have sought to spend time in prayer? I think we all have. As you pray for your family, you think of your home. As you think of your home, you think of your living room. As you think of your living room, you think of your T.V. As you think of your T.V., you remember that program you want to be sure and not miss tonight!
Well, take heart! Even Paul’s mind wandered at times (note Ephesians 3:1 & 14). He began to share a prayer for the Ephesian believers in verse 1, only to let his mind wander in verses 2 through 13. Admittedly, Paul’s wanderings were far more spiritually in tune than what I have described as being typical for so many Christians. But, nevertheless, Paul’s mind did wander a bit, and now, he finally gets back to his prayer for the Ephesians.
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The key word in Paul’s prayer is “power” (vs. 16; 18). The power he prays for pertains to power to become more like Christ (v. 19).
“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.” - Colossians 2:9-10 (NASB)
Note how Paul says we have been made complete in Christ.
Christ-likeness is ours, already, it’s simply a matter of our learning how to walk in the reality of what is already ours. When it comes to walking in Christ-likeness, it’s more a matter of receiving than achieving. Paul prays that by God’s power, we would be enabled to learn how to walk in Christ-likeness. Let’s notice how the power of God can bring about Christ-likeness in us.
1. Power to walk in individual Christ-likeness - vs. 16-17
First, Paul speaks of the power of God working in the individual Christian’s life to produce Christ-likeness. Note two things he tells us.
A. The manner of it - v. 16
Through the person of the Holy spirit, God’s power works to strengthen us spiritually and change us from the inside out. In Christ, we have been made new.
As we noted before, we have been made complete in Christ. That completeness is within us. Now, God works on changing us from the “inside out” - He has changed our “want to” so we will do as we “ought to.” One of the evidences that one has been truly saved is that their attitude toward sin has changed. God has changed their “want to.”
“No one who [habitually] sins has either seen or known Him [recognized, perceived, or understood Him, or has had an experiential acquaintance with Him].” - 1 John 3:6 (Amplified)
Adrian Rogers used to say that the big difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is their attitude toward sin: “The non-Christian leaps into sin and loves it, while the Christian lapses into sin and loathes it.”
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” - Philippians 2:12-13
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As we live from the inside out, we allow the new life we have received through Christ to be lived out through us. In fact, we allow Christ Himself, who dwells within us through the person of the Holy Spirit, to live his life through us.
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” - Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)
Paul’s admonition to be transformed can be better understood through the use of a thermometer and a thermostat. We are being conformed to the world when we live as a thermometer and simply reveal the climate around us. Transformation means living like a thermostat so that God works through you to set the climate of the environment in which you live.
Notice, how there must be a willingness to change from the inside out!
We must present our bodies as vessels through which Christ can live his life through us! That’s why Paul urged the Philippians as he did in Philippians 2:12-13. the power to make us walk in Christ-likeness resides within us through the presence of the Holy Spirit, but the permission to allow those changes must come from us. What is your choice? It is one you make daily.
“Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat - I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? If any of you is embarrassed with me and the way I’m leading you, know that the Son of Man will be far more embarrassed with you when he arrives in all his splendor in company with the Father and the holy angels. This isn’t, you realize, pie in the sky by and by. Some who have taken their stand right here are going to see it happen, see with their own eyes the kingdom of God.” - Luke 9:23-27 (The Message)
Notice that the way to discover your true self in to find out who your are in Christ. In Him, you have been made complete. You are Christ-like in your inner man, because Christ dwells within you by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Now, get self out of the way and learn according to the newness that is yours in Christ. When you do this, not only will you live a life that our Lord will approve of and commend when He returns, but you will be able to experience the blessings of the kingdom here and now.
“Salvation isn’t just about God taking us to be with Him in heaven one day; it’s about God coming to us to bring heaven to us today.”
That’s why Paul told the Philippians to allow their salvation to be worked out into every area of their lives. As they learned to do this, they would allow Christ to live His life through them and they would be blessed by knowing the joys of heaven on earth. You and I need to simply get out of God’s way and let Him live His life through us.
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
Do you want to experience a Christ-like difference in your daily life? Choose to cooperate with God and do some things differently.
A farmer once went to the county fair with a pumpkin that was the exact size and shape of a two-gallon jug. His pumpkin won the blue ribbon.
When someone asked how he got a pumpkin to look like that, he said, “It was easy. As soon as it started to grow, I stuck it inside a two-gallon jug.” Paul exhorts us to not be conformed to this world. If we don’t heed his advice, we will soon find ourselves pressed into the mold of this world.
(Show Video - The Truth)
Don’t let your life be shaped by the opinions of the world, but by the truth of God’s Word! As you yield to the Holy Spirit’s application of the Word to your life, you can be transformed from the inside out to walk in Christ-likeness.
B. The blessing of it - v. 17a
I like the paraphrase of the Living Bible here, “And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts.”
The blessing that results from my choosing to cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s work in my life to make me more like Jesus is that there will be no conflict between me and the Master!
Every Christian possesses the God of peace, but not every Christian has peace with God. Why? Because they refuse to change from the inside out in cooperation with the Holy Spirit.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” - Romans 8:1 (NKJV)
“This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God.” - 1 John 3:19-21 (NIV)
Either the Holy Spirit is working in me or He is working on me!
In the story, “My Heart, Christ’s Home,” Robert Boyd Munger tells of a man who invites Christ into his heart (his home). Through-out the story, Christ helps the man learn how he needs to rearrange his life as they go from room to room. They rearrange the study (thought life). They the dining room (desires). They
rearrange the living room (personal devotions). They rearrange the work room (service). They rearrange the recreation room (social life). They rearrange the bed room (sex life). Finally, they clean out the hall closet (hidden sins, hurts and failures). Finally, the man comes to a wonderful conclusion:
Then a thought came to me. I said to myself, “I have been trying to keep this heart of mine clean and available for Christ but it is hard work. I start on one room and no sooner have I cleaned it than I discover another room is dirty. I begin on the second room and the first one is already dusty again. I’m getting tired try¬ing to maintain a clean heart and an obedient life. I just am not up to it!”
Suddenly I asked, “Lord, is there a possibility you would be willing to manage the whole house and oper¬ate it for me just as you did that closet? Could I give to you the responsibility of keeping my heart what it ought to be and myself doing what I ought to be doing?”
I could see his face light up as he replied, “I’d love to! This is exactly what I came to do. You can’t live out the Christian life in your own strength. That is impossible. Let me do it for you and through you. That’s the only way it will really work! But,” he added slowly, “I am not the owner of this house. Remember, I’m here as your guest. I have no authority to take charge since the property is not mine.”
In a flash it all became clear. Excitedly I exclaimed, “Lord, you have been my guest, and I have been trying to play the host. From now on you are going to be the owner and master of the house. I’m going to be the servant!”
Running as fast as I could to the strongbox, I took out the title deed to the house describing its assets and liabil¬ities, its condition, location and situation. Then rushing back to him, I eagerly signed it over giving title to him alone for time and eternity. Dropping to my knees, I pre¬sented it to him, “Here it is, all that I am and have forever. Now you run the house. Just let me stay with you as houseboy and friend.”
He took my life that day and I can give you my word, there is no better way to live the Christian life. He knows how to keep it and use it. A deep peace settled down on my soul that has remained. I am his and he is mine forever!
May Christ settle down and be at home as Lord of your heart also.
Conclusion: Christian, are you lacking peace? Yield to the Spirit’s work in your life. I heard about a hound dog that laid down on a nail. He howled in pain but was too lazy to move. He preferred to complain than to make a move to solve the problem. Don’t be like that.
Don’t let unwillingness to change keep you in misery. Once you make the choice, God will make the change.
A plant nursery had the following sign displayed, "The best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago. The next best time is today." 10 years of consistent devotion to spiritual disciplines would be ideal. If you haven’t done that over the past decade, then the next best ideal is a commitment to start your spiritual development today.
“You can’t go back to into the past & make a brand new start, but you can go from where you are right now & make a brand new end.”
