Positioning for His Presence

It is beyond my comprehension to think that God has made available for us to have the mind of Christ. Whenever I hear that I always think, “oh, the beautiful mind of Christ” as I think of the expression of truth, humility, righteousness, holiness, meekness, wisdom, understanding, and, of course, the endless list of words describing how He thinks. Yet still, this is truly what is being extended to us – the invitation to be one with Him who is one with the Father, by His Holy Spirit, even to the extent of living life out of the mind of Christ.

FOR WHO HAS KNOWN OR UNDERSTOOD THE MIND (THE COUNSELS AND PURPOSES) OF THE LORD SO AS TO GUIDE AND INSTRUCT HIM AND GIVE HIM KNOWLEDGE? BUT WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST (THE MESSIAH) AND DO HOLD THE THOUGHTS (FEELINGS AND PURPOSES) OF HIS HEART –1 Corinthians 2:16 Amplified Version

Unimaginable and even a bit scary to think about, nevertheless, accomplished by His grace and Holy Spirit. However, there is one catch…..one that most of us conveniently forget. That would be the process of dying daily until it is not I who lives but Christ who lives in me.

(I ASSURE YOU) BY THE PRIDE WHICH I HAVE IN YOU IN (YOUR FELLOWSHIP AND UNION WITH) JESUS CHRIST, THAT I DIE DAILY (I FACE DEATH EVERY DAY AND DIE TO SELF). –1 Corinthians 15:31 Amplified Version

It is ONLY by this process that we are able to obtain the mind of Christ, thank God. Otherwise, we would have a lot of dangerous people running around with the thoughts of God, using them for their own agendas……hmmmm……..sound familiar? God help us all! There but by the grace of God go I! The set pattern is for us to become foolish in the eyes of the world, not with the intent to be goofy but rather to live life according to Kingdom mentality. That would be a Kingdom in which up is down, in which the way to the top is by getting up underneath others to serve them in whatever capacity is needed. Jesus clearly presented this to the disciples as the pattern to live out this life. Why do we always forget this?

It’s interesting in Matthew just as the crowds are getting huge and “His fame went throughout Syria,” Jesus climbs to the top of the mountain, sits, waits for the disciples to come to Him and begins to speak. It’s as if He realizes that fame has now hit and it’s time to talk to the guys about how to posture themselves through all of this. They are probably thinking about their ministries they are about to launch and all the perks that come with that (just putting it in today’s scenario). Jesus just wants to bring a reality check in the guise of some Kingdom perspective as to how this thing should play out……how they should posture themselves — in fact, how we should ALL posture ourselves in these coming days as He releases power and authority never seen before in the earth.

BLESSED (HAPPY, TO BE ENVIED, AND SPIRITUALLY PROSPEROUS – WITH LIFE-JOY AND SATISFACTION IN GOD’S FAVOR AND SALVATION, REGARDLESS OF THEIR OUTWARD CONDITIONS) ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT (THE HUMBLE, WHO RATE THEMSELVES INSIGNIFICANT), FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
BLESSED AND ENVIABLY HAPPY (WITH A HAPPINESS PRODUCED BY THE EXPERIENCE OF GOD’S FAVOR AND ESPECIALLY CONDITIONED BY THE REVELATION OF HIS MATCHLESS GRACE) ARE THOSE WHO MOURN, FOR THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED.
BLESSED ARE THE MEEK (THE MILD, PATIENT, LONGSUFFERING), FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH. – Matthew 5:3-5 Amplified Version

The word meek here means “humble by affliction.” Ouch! I know very few people who aren’t experiencing some kind of affliction these days, or have just been there. It certainly does develop character, though, when walked through rightly. There’s a saying, “what doesn’t kill us will strengthen us,” but I guess we should be saying what DOES kill us will strengthen us, since the point is to die daily! Again, God help us all — to die gracefully, that is!

But the good news is that as a result, THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH !!! We will get back to the original mandate that Adam was given to take dominion of the earth. There is coming a day and an hour when all manner of this physical realm will be subject to our authority. Some will come to a place in oneness with God that when they say, “Mountain be moved,” it will literally be moved. Others will not be subject to the laws or limitations of the physical realm and will step out onto the water and walk across it. Not for some sensational display, but for the work of the Kingdom. Many will be translated from place to place. The list is endless and unimaginable that we will participate in as we die to self, serve others and become one with Him as we submit ourselves to this death process. Count it all joy! This is the destiny of this last generation! This is YOUR destiny in and through God!

CONSIDER IT WHOLLY JOYFUL, MY BRETHREN, WHENEVER YOU ARE ENVELOPED IN OR ENCOUNTER TRIALS OF ANY SORT OR FALL INTO VARIOUS TEMPTATIONS. BE ASSURED AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE TRIAL AND PROVING OF YOUR FAITH BRING OUT ENDURANCE AND STEADFASTNESS AND PATIENCE. –James 1:2-3 Amplified Version

We can’t go around it, can’t go under it, and can’t go over it – we must pass through it and overcome the adversity. Likewise, we must overcome the tendency to want to be recognized and celebrated for what we have done, though it really is only what the Lord enables us to participate in as He moves through us. Even above that, we are told to not only embrace and move through it in love and dying to self, but also to be thankful in it!

SEE THAT NONE OF YOU REPAYS ANOTHER WITH EVIL FOR EVIL, BUT ALWAYS AIM TO SHOW KINDNESS AND SEEK TO DO GOOD TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO EVERYBODY. BE HAPPY (IN YOUR FAITH) AND REJOICE AND BE GLAD-HEARTED CONTINUALLY (ALWAYS); BE UNCEASING IN PRAYER (PRAYING PERSEVERINGLY);THANK (GOD) IN EVERYTHING (NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES MAY BE, BE THANKFUL AND GIVE THANKS), FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD FOR YOU (WHO ARE) IN CHRIST (THE REVEALER AND MEDIATOR OF THAT WILL). –1Thessalonians 5:15-18

I know we all have heard this and we know this in our minds but walking it out is a whole other thing. We must encourage each other in this that as many as possible will overcome and become the friends of God in the earth! Most precious in all of this is to become the friend of God. This is the pathway that leads us to becoming His friend. He tells his friends His secrets, those who will pick up His cross and follow Him even into the sufferings of Christ Jesus. We must become ones who He can trust with these secrets, who will not put it out over the internet every time He tells us something or gives us an experience in Him. If you tell a friend a secret and they share it with others, you learn that you can’t trust them so you stop telling them intimate things.

HE WHO GOES ABOUT AS A TALEBEARER REVEALS SECRETS, BUT HE WHO IS TRUSTWORTHY AND FAITHFUL IN SPIRIT KEEPS THE MATTER HIDDEN –Proverbs 11:13

HE WHO GOES ABOUT AS A TALEBEARER REVEALS SECRETS; THEREFORE ASSOCIATE NOT WITH HIM WHO TALKS TOO FREELY. –Proverbs 20:19

The point is that God is looking for people He can entrust some astounding things to in the days ahead, over and above any other time in history. We get excited about this, but tend to not talk about the fact that there is a price. We must be ones who have truly died to self, are seeking Him in prayer and relationship, and can be counted on to not tell everything we know. Jesus said He did only what He saw the Father do. He only said what the Father told Him to say. That does not mean that is all that He knew or all that He could have done, only that He was obedient and could be trusted to engage only when told to by His Father. Can we get by with anything less than the very Son of God, Himself?

Oh, to be the friend of God! That is the cry of cries in this hour! Everything else will flow out of that place with Him. Posturing ourselves for His presence is costly but the rewards are beyond our comprehension. Oh for the day when it will be cried out in the streets, ‘The tabernacle of God is with men! These are the ones called the friends of God! ‘