New Creation - Conclusion

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. Galatians 6:15

Greetings to you all in the matchless name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the one who loved us, washed us through His precious blood, cleansing all our sins, made us Kings and Priests before God the Father. To Him, all praise, majesty and glory ascribe. By the grace of God, I am completing the New Creation series. As per the title verse, every true disciple of Christ is a New Creation and that's what matters the most. A person who is born again through the Word and Spirit of God. He walks in His ways. Psalm 119:3

God sees the inside and not the outside. It means how we project ourselves in front of others never matters to God. He sees the beauty of the soul and rewards each one accordingly. Jesus spoke about entering the narrow gate in Matthew 7:14 and then He also spoke about the false prophets who are after money and said to identify them through their fruits not by their outward actions and then He also mentioned that there are many people who say that they prophesied, cast out devils and worked miracles in His name but Jesus would tell do them depart from me, you worked iniquity. So, those who are not showing Jesus to people instead project themselves in the name of Jesus for name, fame and money making would be cast out. So, it is all about being real for God. Same way, there will be preachers who are blinded by the law and whose eyes were not opened on what Jesus has accomplished on cross. Hearing their preaching is useless as it only brings condemnation to the believers and will not bring transformation that God expects from the inside.

Dear reader, God first expect you to grow as a new creation in Christ. Then, He will use you and touch many people through you. Get yourself trained in the Word of God. Make your foundation on the Word as Jesus mentioned in the same chapter Matthew 7:24-27. If the Word of God indwells inside you, then it means that the Spirit of God dwells inside you and the Lord will work through you. You will inherit all the blessings that God has in store for you in eternity. Not only that, you will get all your needs met in this life as well. Matthew 6:33. If there is something short for you, if you have some ongoing trouble for you, remember Jesus know it all. He is watching over you and God will meet all your needs according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19. Remember how Jesus asked His disciples with care and concern "did you lack anything?" before His departure in Luke 22:35.

If you are a new creation and walking in the spirit, you will have the power of the Holy Spirit manifesting in your lives to overcome all the temptations and tribulations. It will be very difficult to go through the temptations and tribulations that you may even think it would be better to die instead of living through the moment. But, remember that as per James 1:12, let's resist temptation and get the promised crown of life. Blessed  is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

So, be cheerful. Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7. I am telling you again you will be richly rewarded in heaven and you will share the eternal joy with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Now as a new creation, you have a goal towards which you have to run with patience and the goal is Christ Himself who is the author and finisher of faith. Just refer to those who have already finished the race as faithful witnesses. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset  us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of  our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1,2

There is one more thing which we are called to look unto the price of the eternal life. Nothing in this world should really took your attention from that goal such that we should push forth to that. Paul says this is the blessed hope in Titus 2:13 as Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. When He returns all the sufferings that we endured here will vanish in a moment and we will be taken to live with Him in eternal joy for ever and ever. Let's look forward to the resurrection of dead and the transfiguration of living saints when our Lord returns for the Church. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive  and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:16.17 and same is referred to in 1 Corinthians 15:51-55.

Let's look forward for the blessed hope and it is not very far and it is going to happen in our life time as we are nearing the 2000th year mark of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. I bless every one who reads this and all the new creation series in the name of the Lord and may God glorify you through His glory. I will definitely write many more short articles that the Spirit reveals to me and motivates me to write from time to time.  All glory, honor, praise to the Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

New Creation - Overcoming the opposition

To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. Rev 3:21

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It has been a long time since I wrote the last article and I am really glad to resume with the articles. I didn't find the right time and mindset and focus to continue on articles. By the grace of God, again I found the motivation to continue. I am writing this on September 8, 2019. We are about to close the new creation series and this is the penultimate chapter and with the next chapter we will get into conclusion.

If you have gone through the new creation series, you could have identified that Christianity is not religious based movement instead it is all about the relationship with the true triune God through His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The real goal of the Christian life is to lead a life like Christ, walking in the spirit, giving fruits, reflecting the nature of Christ and that won't happen without a continuous connection with the Holy Spirit. The connection with the Holy Spirit cannot go proper without a clean conscience so we need to walk pure with the clean heart in order to live a life like Christ.

Having said that, we have seen that there is an opposition in our lives here and the opposition comes from the world, our flesh and the devil. There are three types of problem that are in the world that impacts us lust of eye, lust of flesh and pride of life as per 1 John 2:16. So, there are temptations and troubles coming our way when we try to lead a Godly life as per 2 Timothy 3:12. In the past couple of articles, I have wrote about protecting ourselves from the temptations and withstanding troubles. In this chapter will try to focus on how to overcome the opposition.

First to overcome the temptations, we need to have the clear motive set in our mind and the motive is to attain the same glory of Christ in the eternal life. Our motive shouldn't be just getting into the heavens but we need to fix our eyes on what are all promised to us in the life which is to come. Even Jesus fixed His eyes on the eternal joy on the right hand of the Father which is set forth in front of Him and endured the cross. Hebrews 12:2 So, if we follow the role model of Jesus, we will overcome for sure. Please check the blessings of the overcomers in the messages to the Churches of Revelation and we have to fix our eyes on those eternal blessings. This must be our motive.

Secondly, we must know about how to fight the battle. Paul equates Christian life to three different types, warfare, wrestling and race. The first is the spiritual battle in Ephesians 6 where the new born Christian should be aware of the spiritual armor. The belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet with preparation of gospel of peace, helmet of salvation, shield of faith and sword of spirit, which is the Word of God. But, we should be aware of the opposition as well which is principalities, powers, rulers of darkness of this world and spiritual wickednesses of high place. Secondly, Paul sees a Christian life as wrestling and he instructs Timothy to wrestle in a right way 2 Timothy 2:5. So, we need to wrestle not with flesh and blood but against all the temptations and troubles that are brought against us by the opposition. Thirdly, Paul sees the Christian life as a race as he writes in 1 Corinthians 9:24, Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. and Why because to obtain an incorruptible crown. So, Paul says "But I keep under my body, and bring  it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." I Corinthians 9:27.

There are two kinds of people in every sport or game, One is players and another is Spectators. Only the winning player or team will get the prize but the spectators won't get anything. Today, most of the Christians are just spectators but only those who enter the race and overcome will get the eternal rewards. So, if you are troubled and tempted a lot because of your Godly life, then remember that greater prize awaits. Whenever you decline a temptation down for the sake of the Lord, His name is glorified and you will be eternally glorified. Remember even Christ said the same thing that there will be troubles for you in this world, but remember that I overcame the world. So, if you run your race, walking by spirit, bearing fruits and reflecting Christ in your life, you will surely be equivalent of Him as John says "but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." I John 3:2. Remember we are called to be overcomers and not settle for just average Christian life and the goal of Christian life is to be Christ like in this world so that we will be like Him in the coming life as well.

If you have this mindset and if you are in communion with the Holy Spirit, then you will surely reach there. There is only one thing which could stop you from reaching the eternal glory and that one deceiving this is the desire of money. There are two examples, one in Old Testament and one in New Testament who were greatly regarded but had fallen from their positions. Most of you would have guessed the New Testament example who is the famous example of Judas Iscariot who lost his position because of the desire for just 30 silver pieces. But, it is difficult to guess the OT example. The perfect example is Balaam, the prophet who had a great vision and revelation. In Numbers 24, he prophecied about Jesus and he also mentioned that his spiritual eyes were opened Numbers 24:3. This was a great gift that not even many great ministers of God had. But, even if his spiritual eyes were opened, his heart was on money so that he gave an evil counsel to Balak, the moabite king to make the daughters of moab to commit adultery with Israelites and made Israelites to eat and worship things that were offered to idols. Rev 2:14. His eyes were darkened as per Exodus 23:8, Deut 16:19. Finally, Balaam was killed in the battle by Israelites and he didn't die a death of righteous as he desired once. Numbers 23:10, 31:8. Peter and Jude quoted Balaam on a wrong note and Jude says that only blackness and darkness was kept for such people for ever. Why ? All because of love of money. Samson and David committed adultery but still they were recorded in faith giants in Hebrew 11. But, it is the love of money which is a slow but definite killer.

Keep yourself girded and walk in love, truth and after the Spirit. You will lead a true Christian life which is a born again life, having your soul regenerated every day with the Word of God. May you reap rich blessings in heaven. Let's give all glory, honor and praise to God the Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and forever. Amen.