December 16, 2005 – TRANSFORMED FROM THE SHADOWS TO THE LIGHT

When we give Christ only part of ourselves, we are walking in the shadows. There is much wisdom, knowledge, and direction for our lives that the Holy Spirit imparts, but when we have our minds on the ways and things of the world we block out His full counsel.  When I was young, I tried to keep God’s laws, but anything that interfered with the desires of my heart always took second place.  I was a part-time Christian because I was not totally yielded to God and kept back the ownership of my own life.

Don’t ever think you can out-smart or out-run God.  He reads our hearts and knows our every secret intent.  He knows where we are headed spiritually and He guards His children against self-destruction. I was not aware that there was anything wrong in my life and God intervened at a crucial time.  He let me do things my own way for two years before drawing a proverbial line in the sand. Mark 8:35  for whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.

God gave me a very important choice: I could either rule my life myself or give my life to Him. He told me that if I did not keep my vow to totally dedicate my life to Him, He would remove the guidance I had been receiving from the Holy Spirit. That was an unthinkable choice!  I had received invaluable blessings and guidance from God during that interim. I knew I could never run my life and arrive at God’s perfect will at the same time.  I am so glad that He loved me enough to stop me and turn me completely around.  The best thing that ever happened to me was God’s intervention.  Matthew 6:24   “no one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.”  The total blessing of God is in relinquishing all rights to our life and yielding our lives to Christ so He can live through us. The only way to reach God’s ordained will for our life, is to be totally surrendered to Him. John 4:14   but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

True fulfillment and satisfaction in living is:  Galatians 2:20  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.    John 6:63   the spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

After God told me about my sin, I repented and He promised me great things. He said that my marriage would never be broken and He would divide with me the good of the land. Ephesians 3:20  now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. I have committed my “all” to the Lord for sixty-seven years and all of His promises are true.  Those promises are currency to be spent by us, backed by God Himself.  We can apply them to any situation and by faith we receive what we have asked of Him.  I have walked in great blessing and in great trials, but He is always there and brings about His perfect will.  The Holy Spirit is our teacher, our comforter, and our guide.  Think of the power, knowledge, wisdom, truth, and direction that someone misses if he/she is not walking with the Holy Spirit as their guide! ~Role of the spirit  John 14:16   and I will ask the father, and he will give you another counselor to be with you forever –  17   the spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. In addition to all of His works in us, the Holy Spirit gifts us for God’s service.

When you are totally given to God, there is a peace and security that abides in you.  You know you are under the protection of God.  Satan will try to deter our walk and peace of mind, but God turns it together for good.  Psalms 91:1 he who dwells in the shelter of the most high will rest in the shadow of the almighty. Proverbs 3:5  trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  6  in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

If you have not totally yielded your life to Jesus Christ, you are walking in the shadows and you are missing temporal and eternal blessings.  Frankly, you are missing God’s purpose in creating you. You will never know what God has ordained for you if you are not being led by God and His Holy Spirit. Luke 12:15  then he said to them, “watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”  Luke 12:20   “but God said to him, ‘you fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’  21   “this is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”  John 8:12 when Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Pray with me:

Dear Lord, I want to experience all the things you have prepared for me.  I ask you to come into my life and be my Lord.  Send your Holy Spirit to guide me and teach me your ways.  I surrender my all to you.  From now on, Jesus Christ will be Lord of my life and you will be my Father and my God for eternity. PRAISE BE TO THE LORD, JESUS CHRIST!

In Christ’s love,

Anita