Jesus Has to Rise Within You

 

In one of his short, but very deep teachings, Prophet TB Joshua of SCOAN, Lagos Nigeria said, "What you give may attract people but the manner you give it may attract God". In other words, if our giving only attracts people, making the world our friends then we are enemies of God (James 4:4) but if it attracts God we are children of God. So our daily ordinary giving is a test of being dead or alive in Christ, a test of whether Jesus is still dead in us or has risen. Jesus is about all the possibilities within us, all the peace and godly living, and all the eternal life. We also read in Daniel chapter 1 how the King of Babylon tried to change everything about Daniel and his friends, including their names, their food, their devotion to their God. But Daniel knew how to follow his guide Jesus whose Spirit was living in him. Jesus has to rise in each of us before we can stop going astray and live right.

Apostle Paul in Romans Chapter 8 emphasizes being alive in Christ Jesus. He says, "Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit", (kindly read verses 5-6). The mind of the flesh is death but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace. We are controlled by the Spirit if we have the Spirit of Christ living in us. Furthermore, the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead, that is living in us, will also give life to our mortal bodies. The whole essence is that Jesus, existing in every mortal soul, has to rise in each soul to give life, otherwise that body is dead. It's not about being a good man or a good woman. Have you risen with Christ?

The existing world situation is evil, corrupt, unjust, uneven, fearful, but Jesus in you should rise and join His army to fight this evil. It's not about being a good person. Jesus has not been considered a good man but He is the Righteousness and the Integrity of God. He comes to oppose the existing darkness, to eradicate the establishment of injustice and evil world. He comes to show the Way, the Truth, the Life. He is the Way, the Life and the Truth. One of Pilate's many insights questions posed to Jesus is, "What is Truth?", (John 18:38). Yet He was still crucified. We need to know the Truth to be set free from sin power over us. Therefore Jesus has to rise within you so that whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it", (Isaiah 30:21).  Emmanuel

Prof. R. A. Ipinyomi, University of Ilorin, Nigeria