If there is even a trace of individual self-satisfaction left in us, it always says, “I can’t surrender,” or “I can’t be free.” But the spiritual part of our being never says “I can’t”; it simply soaks up everything around it. Our spirit hungers for more and more. It is the way we are built. We are designed with a great capacity for God, but sin, our own individuality, and wrong thinking keep us from getting to Him. God delivers us from sin— we have to deliver ourselves from our individuality. This means offering our natural life to God and sacrificing it to Him, so He may transform it into spiritual life through our obedience.

God pays no attention to our natural individuality in the development of our spiritual life. His plan runs right through our natural life. We must see to it that we aid and assist God, and not stand against Him by saying, “I can’t do that.” God will not discipline us; we must discipline ourselves. God will not bring our “arguments . . . and every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5)— we have to do it. Don’t say, “Oh, Lord, I suffer from wandering thoughts.” Don’t suffer from wandering thoughts. Stop listening to the tyranny of your individual natural life and win freedom into the spiritual life.

“If the Son makes you free . . . .” Do not substitute Savior for Son in this passage. The Savior has set us free from sin, but this is the freedom that comes from being set free from myself by the Son. It is what Paul meant in Galatians 2:20  when he said, “I have been crucified with Christ . . . .” His individuality had been broken and his spirit had been united with his Lord; not just merged into Him, but made one with Him. “. . . you shall be free indeed”— free to the very core of your being; free from the inside to the outside. We tend to rely on our own energy, instead of being energized by the power that comes from identification with Jesus.

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November 18, 2010

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Whenever I read Oswald Chambers or another writer that tells me God has saved me from sin, but I am to provide my own day to day discipline after my salvation and “pull myself up from my spiritual bootstraps” I feel isolated and alone. Am I the only one that needs saving day to day to day? Can everyone else discipline themselves into growth and maturity after their salvation?

And God says…”My power is made perfect in your weakness. Where did you get the notion that salvation was an event and not a lifetime process? Your guarantee of an everlasting life occurred at the point  of your decision to surrender your life to Me, but your complete salvation and life more abundantly comes in being continuously rescued from your disconnection from me (and as my friend Brian McLaren says) and My adventures for your life. Your abundant life is a race you run, not a finish line you cross. And as you stumble and fall, and stumble and fall you will, remember Jesus came to save you every day and in every way. Drown in His ocean of grace and look back and notice how the discipline He provided produces changes in you.”