Okay, so this is a continuation of what I posted previously about approaching God. Talking about how Jesus is our basis and foundation of our approach, and through him we can be confident in what he has done. Through him, we have been given everything, and through him, we are saved and justified. Also said that it’s not about performance or earning Gods favour, and that when we go to works, we are cursed. When we go to the law to be our base, we are cursed. It is foolish to start with Christianity and continue with our works and religion.
So God is a spirit, “God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” John 4:24. As his children adopted into the family of Abraham by faith, we go to God knowing who we are in the spirit. Sometimes when we pray or speak to God, we approach in the flesh and not in the spirit.
We say “I am so unworthy, I don’t deserve anything, blah blah blah” we are approaching in the flesh and not in the spirit or truth. It is true that our flesh is unworthy, but he knows that, hence he sent Jesus to die for us. Now because of what Jesus has done, we can approach how we were supposed to before the fall, in the spirit and in truth, unified in him.
Approaching in the flesh tends to come from our lack of understanding and knowledge about God, his word, and Jesus. It also stems from a perspective of how we see God. I confess that at times I have seen him as a tyrant, an angry God who, whenever I sin I must do all these things to earn his favour and blessings. And he treats me as he feels or his mood sways. It was fear, but the wrong one.
I did not really know or understand him or his word. It wasn’t until I spent more time in his word and in prayer, going through the renewal process mentioned in Romans 12:2 that I began to see and learn the truth. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” Hebrew 4:16. You see in spirit you can approach boldly to him and make your requests known and not when you have done a list of things do you receive but when you are in need.
As I began to approach in the Spirit my prayers were changing. I approached in the truth of Jesus Christ and what the word says about me. I saw more gratuitousness in my prayer, more joy, more of the fruits of the spirit “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” Galatians 5:22 ESV. Honest conversations and deep ones with mutual giving and receiving of the heart. Why? Because rather than looking at my flesh or the world, I took him at his word and accepted and received what our Lord Jesus Christ had done. I approached on the bases of Jesus.
Some of us including me at times, although I am getting better, are soooooo aware of our sin. We are so aware and attentive to our failures, mistakes, flesh and sin. So aware that we condemn ourselves and then say “I am wretched, I am unforgivable, how can God forgive me, I’ve sinned and continued, what’s the point I’m just going to keep sinning”. We condemn and condemn and condemn, crushing our spirit and giving the devil exactly what he wants.
“A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.” Proverbs 15:4, 13 ESV. Being so sin-conscious is not good; see your tongue and what you confess over your life matters, with the tongue man confesses and with his heart he believes. “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.” Matthew 15:18 ESV. To “defile” is to spoil and desecrate. That is what you are doing to yourself, to your spirit when you are sin-conscious.
When you condemn and condemn, attentive to everything but Jesus, you are killing your spirit, breaking it. Your heart, breaking it; the more you do it, the worse it gets, for it is written “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matthew 12:34 ESV. If you continue to speak sin, your failures, and more over yourself, you are sowing the flesh, and of the flesh you shall reap.
I want you to know how deep this goes and understand how you and I cannot approach on our bases. I really need you to chew like a camel what Jesus has done and why it is the good news that it is. He is everything, and he is and must be your base. Understanding him, what he has done, and the word of God truly will make a difference in your life. Again, it starts with that renewal process, with you being in the word of God.
The same way you and I accepted that we were born sinners, you have to accept that when you are born again, you are born RIGHTEOUS! No double standards; stop enjoying your suffering and self-pity. The same way we became sinners through Adam, what HE did, not YOU or I but WHAT HE DID. That same way when we are born again, we inherit and are righteous through JESUS. Not because of WHAT WE DID but because of JESUS, WHAT HE DID for US. You can’t accept one side and deny the other.
I’ll give you a story. There was a boy, he was a slave. His evil master had defiled him, whipped, kept him in darkness, and brutally beaten him. Then one day a good father came and he saw this boy and he was overflowing with compassion, love, and joy for this boy. The good father knew he had a purpose. The good father gave the evil master everything he had and more for the boy and he was bought for an immeasurable price.
When the boy and the good father came home, the good father gave the boy a name and new identity, but whenever the good father would call him by name, the boy would not reply because of those past experiences. The boy was fearful. When the good father would come back from work, the boy would run to the good father, but when he got close, he would cry, whimper, and submit to the floor, begging and saying all the works he did so the good father would have mercy and the boy would earn favour.
The boy kept doing this and doing this. One day the good father snapped and lost his temper and he said “My son please just one time I would love it if you would just run and jump on me like you are my child. My son people think I have bear you, they think I have hurt you. Not once have I treated you wrong, beat you, or done evil against you. One time I would like you to act like I won’t hurt you”
That’s how God feels about us. Is it too much to ask? That’s all God wants, just once come boldly to the throne of grace, like you have been justified and you are the righteousness of Christ. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV. Not coming whimpering screaming how ungodly you are and unworthy, that’s approaching in the flesh and not the spirit.
“And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:24 ESV. This is our new self that we are born again. Look guys, I am not an egg. I know that it’s hard to understand and believe, especially to mentally and emotionally embrace. I’m not here to scream at you or condemn you or point out anything against you. I am also learning, and I have also fallen short of the glory of God, but I have learnt more about God and who he really is. If I confess my sin, he is surely faithful to forgive, and I set my eyes on Jesus, the perfector of our faith.
It is a lifelong learning process, but how good is life for those who believe and obey, for they will glorify God, and because they have given their life for him, they will find life. Each day it’s a choice, and each day his mercies renew. The compassion and love he has for you cannot be measured nor comprehended. Oh my goodness, the love of the Lord is good. For knowing your sin, transgressions, and inequity, Christ died for you.
Gods will isn’t to send anyone to hell; he will have all to be saved. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20 ESV.
To summarize, change the emphasis. When you approach God, amplify him and his goodness. You and your failures must decrease. Marvel at how much he takes time to love you and care for you. Change your approach from talking about you and how ungodly and how you are a sinner who is undeserving to talking about Jesus and how through him you are the righteousness of God. Give thanks to him about how you can put on the new man. Like John the Baptist said, “I must decrease so he may increase.” We are to do the same. God bless you.