One of the constant struggle for most Christians is that although we know we are called to live holy and set-apart lives, we are still find the ourselves enamored by the things of this world. Every day, our hearts and minds are on the things that God commands us NOT to think about: what we will eat, what we will wear, what will happen tomorrow, and on and on. One root cause is not really understanding our true purpose as believers. We know that we’ll go to heaven one day and that maybe if we follow God He will bless us, but beyond that we have no idea what we’re here for. Without knowing our purpose, we will have very little motivation to sustain any kind of real commitment to God.
The first thing is that He wants you to know is that He called you so that you can be an overcomer. Romans 5:17 says “much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” Let’s think about what “reign in life” means. This isn’t talking about the afterlife, this is talking about the here and now. When you are in Christ, you longer do you have to be a victim, tossed here and there by circumstances, living in defeat, blaming other, and making excuses. By trusting Jesus, you put your faith in the one who is an overcomer. And you become an overcomer. By His power that works in you, you begin to walk over situation, triumph over circumstances, and put every work of Satan under your feet. This isn’t just for the super Christians, but the will of God for every believer in Christ.
The second thing God wants you to know is that you will no longer just triumph over situations in your own life, but you will help others be an overcomer as well. When Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, He called Peter to follow Him and said from now he would be a “fisher of men.” This is such an incredible promise that God has given us. When we were lost and without God, our lives were really not much use for anyone. We were dead in sin, and basically living to fulfill our own selfish desires. But 1 Peter 1:17 reminds us that “you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors.” God has redeemed you from sin so that you can be free from that old self-centered life, and have something to give this dying and hurting world. He gives us the power to not just be blessed but to be a blessing.
If this is true, why are we still so easily enticed by sin and trading in our inheritance for the crumbs of this world? I believe one of the answer is found in this:
To see the things of God we need to be continually seeking, thinking, and yearning after it. Unless we make that decision to set our minds on the things above, it will automatically focus on the natural world- what we can see, feel, hear, etc. We will fall away from faith, forget the promises of God, and go back to the old patterns. But when we begin to realize who we are in Christ, we will come to our senses like the prodigal son in Luke 11, shake off the bondage of the world and return to take our place as true sons and daughters of God again.
