The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Yield Yourselves"
Part 2 - Our Gaze; Our Glance
"We yield to God not merely ourselves, but rather ourselves as united to the Spirit of the Lord Jesus."
"Yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead" (Romans 6:13).
Yielding ourselves to God as "alive from the dead" by viewing ourselves in spiritual proximity to the Lord Jesus Christ does not place focus upon ourselves. Born again believers ever serve as the dependent party in our relationship with God. We exist to serve as vessels needy of His presence, leading, and enabling. As the Lord revealed to the Apostle Paul, "My strength is made perfect in weakness" (II Corinthians 12:9).
No exaltation of the human self results from believers affirming themselves as alive through Christ, and yielding ourselves to God accordingly. Consider a lightbulb. It must be constructed properly and installed into a lamp correctly. However, when the lightbulb serves its function, we do not exalt its role as if it were the essence of the light it shines. We rarely even think of the bulb when switching on the lamp. However, without our proper understanding and application of the bulb's role, the lamp would not shine. In similar manner, we must know the truth of our born again selves as "alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:11). Paul commands that we "reckon" (consider) the truth to be true. We view ourselves as spiritually united to Christ and enlivened by His presence, yielding ourselves accordingly. This acknowledgment of truth and reality prepares us to "walk in the Spirit" even as we "live in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25).
It is one thing to yield ourselves to God apart from Christ. It is quite another to precisely obey Scripture by yielding ourselves to God "as alive from the dead." What constitutes such a presentation? The risen Christ provides the answer. The only reason believers can account ourselves as alive from the dead involves the fact that Christ dwells in us, and we dwell in Him - "Christ is our life" (Colossians 1:27; I Corinthians 1:30; Colossians 3:4). We yield a self spiritually united to the Spirit of the risen Lord Jesus. Such consecration places our hearts and minds in a far greater position to live in a manner reflective of our Savior's dynamic presence within us. "Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:20; emphasis added). Our gaze is indeed upon Christ. Our glance, however, does not fail to realize and affirm the "new creature" we are in the light of His grace-given presence (II Corinthians 5:17). This perspective involves a promised received by faith and a command obeyed by faith. "Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Much may seem to counter the fact of ourselves being alive unto God through the Lord Jesus. However, we do not live by "seem." We live by "It is written" and "Thus saith the Lord" (Matthew 4:4; Isaiah 66:12). If God declares ourselves as alive unto Him through Christ, and if He commands that we yield ourselves to Him not merely as ourselves, but as ourselves united to the Lord Jesus, we must trust and obey. A far more consistent walk in faith and faithfulness will ensue, and most importantly, a life far more lived for the glory of the Lord Jesus. He lives in us, we live through Him, and our confidence in such truth empowers our capability to "walk even as He walked" based on His promise, "I will dwell in them and walk in them" (II Corinthians 6:16).
"We also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God."
(II Corinthians 13:4)
Weekly Memory Verse
Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.
(Jude 1:2)
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