ARE YOU REALLY LIVING?
“In Him (Jesus) was Life, and the
Life was the Light of men.”
Do we live in the light or in darkness? Are our eyes enlightened to see the
Gospel clearly and to understand the ways of God and the Word of God? Jesus
came to this earth as the very expression of God because He was and is God. He
showed us what God is like. And He made a way for us to live in the kingdom of
God. His Light clearly shows us the ways of God so we can avoid stumbling over
the obstacles of this world that may be in our path. His Light opens our minds
and hearts to what is true. It causes us to understand and be wise, not only in
the wisdom of this world, but in the spiritual wisdom of God.
Jesus, the Light, pulls back the curtain and allows us
a glimpse into His kingdom, a higher dimension than we can see with our earthly
eyes. Then He invites us to enter into that kingdom by being born again
spiritually. This new birth changes our nature from a sin nature to a godly
nature, making us righteous in God’s eyes and worthy to enter in. This Light
comes to those who choose to surrender their lives to Jesus and follow Him.
When we are wrapped up in the things
of this world, we are blind to the kingdom of God. When our minds are centered
on this world, we shut out the Light of God. Only His light can give us insight
into spiritual knowledge. Have we been tripping over the things of this world
at the expense of missing out on what God has for us because we are walking in
darkness? Where is our focus? What holds our attention and consumes the
majority of our time? Is it our zeal and determination to accomplish our own
will or a determination to follow God’s will? What kingdom are we living in? If
we are thinking, “There must be more to life than this,”, then we are probably
residents of the wrong kingdom. This world will leave us empty, but the light
of God will fill us with the presence of His Holy Spirit.
The kingdom of darkness is Satan’s
kingdom where he keeps us from the light. His kingdom has no eternal purpose
except to doom us to the same fate of eternal darkness to which he will be
condemned. He blinds our eyes to the Truth, causing us to seek our own purpose
in this world. There is no satisfaction there. There is no light there. There
is no way to understand the truth there. The truth is kept from all those who
live in the kingdom of darkness, Satan’s kingdom. Only in the kingdom of God
will we find truth, light and life. We can constantly be growing and learning
the deeper things of the Spirit of God, but that is a choice each of us must
make for ourselves. Once we are enlightened to the things of God’s kingdom, we
see that it is teeming with life and is constantly in motion, not just
physically but spiritually. It isn’t motion that drains us of strength. Rather,
it infuses us with His power and strength. It’s not a futile busyness that
wearies us, but life that is powerful and increasing our strength. That’s what
I remember so vividly from the night I was born again into the kingdom of God.
There was a surge of new life. Ephesians 2:1-3 says, “And you He made alive,
who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the
course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the
spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once
conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the
flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the
others.”
John 1 explains to us how we can receive and live in
this overcoming Life; How we can have His life operative in us every day.
He says, “In the beginning [before all time] was the
Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was
[continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. All things
were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one
thing was made that has come into being. In Him was life [and the power to
bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines on in the
darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate
it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it]. But to as many as received Him,
to as many as believed on His name, He gave the power to become the sons of
God.” [Amplified Bible]
The Word is Jesus Christ, the expression of God. He
came in human flesh to show us God and to invite us to enter into His Light. He
opened the way for us to be able to live in God’s kingdom. But we have a part
to play. It is our choice whether or not we will put it into action and enter
into His Light, receiving His Light and Life in us. We can’t just say we want
to walk in the light; we must appropriate it into our lives…make room for it,
take possession of it for ourselves. Then we can live in a state of action and
power in the kingdom of God, full of His Spirit. To as many as receive Him, He
gives them the power to become the sons of God. It belongs to those who are
born again of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Jesus has made it possible for us to
have this life now. He offers us this hope, but we have to choose it for
ourselves. Hope is “the feeling that what is wanted can be had. It is to look
forward to with desire and reasonable confidence;” to believe, desire, or
trust. We can believe and be confident that we can enter the kingdom of God. “We
can trust what He tells us. The Light is there. Jesus has made it available to
all, but it is up to us to make the personal choice to receive it.
“But to as many as received Him, to as many as
believed on His name, He gave the power to become the sons of God.”
Believe and receive Him today.
