Living the christ-life
DAVID WILKERSON DEVOTIONS
LIVING THE CHRIST-LIFE
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father)” (John 1:1, 14).
How much of the Word became flesh? All of it! “For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). So, how do we live by every word that proceeds out of His mouth? Do we get pad and pencil, mark down every commandment of Jesus, then discipline ourselves to tackle each one until we master them all? Beloved, even after all these years of preaching, I still don’t know all the Lord’s many precious commandments!
As I see it, there is only one way to please the Lord: Present your body to Him—get self out of the way—and let Jesus live His life in you. Paul said, “Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Galatians 2:20). This was not a mystical spirit-life, lived within the confines of the mind. No! Paul continues in the same verse, “The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God.”
God is leading us to that great, good land full of milk, honey, oil and wine—the spiritual blessings in Christ for which God has been preparing us. When we have a body so dead, crucified, humiliated and dependent, Christ possesses it and lives His life in and through us. God does not work through flesh, not even “good” flesh! He works only through His Son Jesus!
Paul was a “good” man—holy, spotless, keeping God’s commandments. But that “good” Paul had to die daily so Christ could do His work and live His life in him. For Paul, the key was: “Yet not I, but Christ”—a daily putting off of Paul and putting on of Christ. Yet so many of us don’t want to live Jesus, we only want to wear Him when it’s convenient, to put Him off and on like a suit of clothes!
Living Christ is not complicated. First, you must want His life with all that is within you. Then you must get out of the way and turn everything over to Him, trusting Him to possess you completely. Finally, you must believe that as much of yourself as you will empty, He will fill with Himself!
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I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4
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