"This is how we know what love is, that Christ laid down His life for us, so we too should lay down our lives for others." 1 John 3:16

Monday, November 1, 2010

Dead Dead Dead Dead

We are so blessed!

Within the last month:

-our car has sold, providing us with money to live for the next month or so!
-money has come in the mail and through visitors and friends at exactly when it's needed (for rent, food, etc.)
-we are seeing life changing miracles on a daily basis and experiencing them through our hands on a weekly basis.
-I (Jason) now have a part-time job.
-we are seeing huge breakthrough in our growing relationships with our room mates.

I will recount a highlight from just a few days ago.

Brad, Ton and myself were about to sit down for a game of farkle at our dinning room table when the Holy Spirit had other plans and from Stephanie's prompting we launched into the mother-of-all conversations.  We hit topics such as eschatology (end times, book of Revelation), security of salvation, baptism in the Holy Spirit and identity in Christ.  It was heavy...in the best possible sense!

At one point we were talking about how, as believers our old sinful nature is dead.  How, when we accept Jesus into our lives, our old self and original desire to sin are dead, leaving us righteous and in right standing with God.  We are no longer "sinners, saved by grace" but "paid for, righteous and pursuing holiness".

This means we are dead.

dead dead dead dead.

When we sin and think,"it's just my flesh" we are necromancing.  We are bringing back to life something that is already dead and should be left dead.

Romans 6:1-4 "What then shall we say? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means!  How can we who died to sin still live in it?  Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 4) and when we sin its not our original intent.  We are in a battle against a mouse with a megaphone.  The enemy has no power except what we give him.

So, as we are all sitting around our table, letting this revelation sink in, Stephanie suddenly says,"I feel this poking pain in my side, like I am being stabbed."

We all just sit there, knowing that the Holy Spirit is doing something but at that point, not sure what.  Then, the Lord shows me a picture of him on the cross and all 7 places that he was afflicted with pain before succumbing to death.  Jesus was pierced in his side.  Why?  This is what the soldiers did to verify that Jesus was dead.  Indeed, he was dead.

In the same way, the Holy Spirit was reminding Stephanie that she is dead.  How cool is that!!!??

The night went on and what had started at about 10:30pm was not done until about 2:30am.  The Holy Spirit is looking to touch people and He loves to move through those who are willing.

Are you bringing back to life something that is really dead??  Be dead, stay dead and be alive in Christ.

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