IF THAT SAME SPIRIT (PART TWO)

Living together as Christians has always been the desire of God, that is why Jesus prayed a prayer taht all believers may be one. When He was physically present on earth, He was always in one accord with His disciples and so, he left a legacy for them to follow. That is why as soon as he ascended into heaven, the first thing the disciple did was to stay and pray in one accord.  

“That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it” 1 Corinthians 12:25-26.

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;  One Lord, one faith, one baptism,  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” Ephesians 4:1-7.

 Keywords in Ephesians 4:1-7  

·         The calling

·         Bearing one another in love

·         Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace

·         One body

·         One Spirit

·         One hope of calling

·         One Lord

·         One faith

·         One baptism

·         One God and father of all

One Calling: All believers are called to be sons of god and partake in his eternal purpose. We are called to be sons of God. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not” 1 John 3:1.       

All holy brethren are partakers, partners and fellows in the heavenly calling. The calling is heavenly I that they will not be limited to an earthly program as all men would have been if man had not sinned; Genesis 1:27-31; Matthew 22:30; Luke 20:34-36; Hebrew 12:22-24.

As Holy Brethren, we are called to liberty – Galatians 5:13; Romans 8:2, Holiness – 2 Timothy 1:9, Ministry of reconciliation – 2 Corinthians 5;18 – 20

Bearing One Another in Love; ! Corinthians 12:25-26

Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit: Endevour comes from a greek word – Spoudazo meaning to be forward, due diligence, give diligence and labour. We are to labour for unity in the body of Christ and just as the Godhead is one, the church or the body of Christ is meant to be one.

One Body: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ” 1 Corinthians 12:12. The Holy Spirit is the agent that brings us into the body of Christ at the new birth. As part of this one body, no one is greater than the other, but we are expected to think soberly according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith. Romans 12:1-8

One Spirit: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” 1 Corinthians 12:13.

As members of the body of Christ, we drink of the same Spirit.    

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God” Ephesians 5:18-21.

Drinking of the Spirit is the same as partaking of His power.

One Hope of Calling: The Hope of Christian calling is the hope of resurrection;

“Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.  But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept” 1 Corinthians 15:12-20.

The resurrection of Christ Jesus from the dead is a proof that believers who follow His teachings will rise on the day of resurrection. But equal opportunity is given to all to experience this one hope of resurrection.     

No matter where we function in the body of Christ, there is one hope we all look forward to and it is the experience of the resurrection of the body and be with God in eternity.

One Lord: Every believer bears the name of the Lord. One of the Hebrew names for Lord is Adon and it means Lord, Sovereign, Master and Owner.

“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him” 1 Corithians 8:6.  

All believers belong to one Lord Jesus Christ, so there is no place for discrimination in the body of Christ.

One Faith: It is the same word of faith that brings us into the body of Christ. It is one word, same word of God. This same word keeps us standing in the salvation which has been given to us by the precious blood of Jesus. “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” Romans 10:8-9.    

By the same word of faith, we are made equal before God in Christ and no one is greater than the other.

“For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him” Romans 10:12.

“And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all” Colossians 3:10-11

Those that give their lives to Jesus and are born again put on the new man and is the same in all that surrender to Him. So there is not distinction made in rights and privileges because of race, sex, colour or position in life.

One Baptism: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise” Galatians 3:26-29.

The element every believer is baptized into is Jesus Christ and its baptism into His body (the church). By one and same Spirit are we baptized with the same baptism into the body of Christ; 1 Corinthians 12:13. We are co-partakers. Baptism makes us put on Christ together. To put on Christ is to be clothes with Him.

All that are baptized into Christ are one in Him; whether races, classes, sexes and positions. We have equal rights and privileges regarding gospel benefits.

By baptism into Christ, the gulf between Jews and Gentiles, Slaves and Masters, Male and Female has been bridged by Jesus and His gospel.

“For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” Ephesians 2:18-22.

So, by baptism, all believers;

1.       Are children of the same God

2.       Are baptized into the same Christ

3.       Have put on the same Christ

4.       Are equal and one in Christ

5.       Belong to the same Christ

6.       Are Abraham’s spiritual seed

7.       Are heirs of promise

One God and Father of all: “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him” 1 Corinthians 8:6.

All believers, no matter how gifted they may be, have workings and operations under the same control of the same God who is the head of all. No matter how gifted some of us may be, we must remember that it came from the same God and we all answer to the same God.

In the body of Christ, no one is bigger than the other; “And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all” 1 Corinthians 12:6. See also, 1Timothy 2:5-6     

Prayer:

Lord help the body of Christ in my community, region and country to be in one accord in the NAME OF JESUS. Amen.         

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IF THAT SAME SPIRIT (PART ONE)

Having the same Spirit with Christ is to have (Zoe) the life of God. Jesus came to give us the God kind of life;

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” John 10:10.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” John 3:16.

 The life of God is eternal life and it’s the nature of God.

“For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself” John 5:26

To receive Zoe is to receive the new nature; “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” 2 Corinthians 5:17 - 18.

Receiving the new nature is the most important and miraculous incident in life. This is when God imparts us with His own nature, substance and being. Zoe brings about changes and correction of conducts, habits and appetite. Zoe translates one from an ordinary human to a Godman.

Having the same spirit with Christ is the object of Christian calling and we are called into glory and virtue. So, by having the same spirit with Christ, we are partakers of his divine nature.

“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” 2 Peter 1:3 - 4.

As believers,  we are partakers, partners and fellows in the heavenly calling. The calling is heavenly in that we are not limited to an earthly program as all men would have been if man had not sinned. Genesis 1:27–31; Hebrews 12:22-24.

As partakers of the divine nature, we are;

a.       Called into liberty; Galatians 5:13; Romans 8:12

b.      Called  into Holiness 2 Timothy 1:9

c.       Called into the ministry of reconciliation; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20

d.      Called to carry God and His presence

e.      Called to dwell in the secret place of fellowship with God

f.        Called to express God

g.       Called to show forth His praise.

To have the same spirit with Christ means drinking of the same spirit with Him. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” Ephesians 5:18-19.    

Drinking of God’s spirit is the same as partaking of His power.

First, we are made to partake of God’s spirit and nature and the nature of God is love; “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” Romans 5:5

“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” Romans 8:9.

Second, we are empowered through the baptism of the Holy Spirit to do the same works that Christ did; John 3:34; 14:12. The Spirit baptism without measure is the unlimited supply of God’s power to do the works of Christ;

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” John 7:37-39.

See also Acts 1:8; 2:1-4                                                         

To have the same spirit with Jesus is to he clothed with Him; that is;

a.       To assume his person and character; “I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” Galatians 2:20.

b.      To live and sustain the character of Christ in our daily lives; “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” Galatians 5:24.

c.       To take on the life and works of Christ following His footsteps. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” 1 Peter 2:21.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father” John 14:12. 

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DEEPENING YOUR SPIRITUALITY

"But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. Ephesians 4:15

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God" Colossians 1:10

To deepen is to increase the intensity of something, to increase in degree and to be more affecting, to be more serious.

Spirituality is the degree of someone’s relationship with God and how impartful he or she is to the body of Christ and humanity.

To deepen your spirituality is to increase the increase the intensity your relationship with God and to be more impartful to the body of Christ and humanity.

To deepen your spirituality is to grow into Christ and be more like Him. Ephesians 4:15.

To grow into Christ is to grow into his life, ministry/purpose and into him as the source and fountain of life.

To experience spiritual depth, one must first realize that salvation is not only a light bulb, that it is not an insurance policy against hell only, but that it is a gateway into God and that God is all that we can have and can desire.

Christianity is a gateway into God and that when you are into God, with Christ Jesus, then you are on a journey into infinity, into infinitude because there is no limit to the knowing of God. There is no limit and no place to stop.

There is nothing boundless but God, nothing infinite but God. God does not extend into space but contains space.

EIGHT ASPECTS TO DEEPEN SPIRITUALITY

11       Deepening your spirituality in deep joy; 1John 1:1-4.

Spiritual depth in Joy comes by truly knowing Christ and joyfully sharing in his passion.

“That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, being made conformable unto His death”. Phil 3:10.

Three things that happens by knowing Him;

a.       Experiencing the power of His resurrection brings joy.

b.      Partaking in the fellowship of His suffering brings deep joy

c.       Being made conformable unto His death brings joy.; Gal 2:20.

The fellowship of his suffering is the offence of the cross and the martyrdom for truth; 2Corinthians 1:5-7; Colossians 1:24.

“But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy”. 1Peter 4:13

Spiritual depth in joy also comes by having a deep fellowship with (a) God the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit; Romans 14:17; 1Corithians 1:9, 1Corinthians 3:16 and (b) fellowship with believers; Matthew 18:20; Philippians 2:1-3; Ephesians 5:19.

22       Deepening your Spirituality in Deep Walk with God

“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin”.  1 John 1:5-7.

Spiritual Depth in Deep Walk comes when we dedicate ourselves to living our lives daily in Christ. It is to walk in light and never in darkness because God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. We walk with God by having a fellowship with Him and remaining in truth. Fellowship is done in adoration and worship; this is done with the whole soul, mind, feelings, emotions and desires, not bodily fatigue. 

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth”.  John 4:23-24

To walk with God is to be Spirit led; “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God”.   Romans 8:14; “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh”. Galatians 5:16.  

To walk in God is to live the substantive life of Christ; “I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”. Galatians 2:20.  To live the substantive life of Christ is to be crucified in Him and live in Him. It is to grow pass one’s life, to be partaker of the life of Christ who is love and the author of faith.

33       Deepening your Spirituality in Deep Cleansing

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:   And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world”. 1 John 1:9 – 2:2    

Deep Cleansing is a life of purity and to approach God for constant cleansing. We remain in purity by living the life of integrity in Christ Jesus; John 13:11. It takes purity to see the hand of God in the affairs of men; “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God”. Matthew 5:8. It takes purity to have depth in God and know more of Him; Psalm 24:3 – 5; Purity of heart, purity of hands, living free of vanity (love of money), truthfulness, emptiness and uprightness. It takes purity and uprightness to abide and dwell continuously in depth. We are not born again to be guests to purity but inhabitants of purity.

44       Deepening you Spirituality in Deep Desire.

Deep Desire of God is how much one hungers for spirituality and depth in the Lord. Spiritual hunger is powered by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Desire or hunger is the ardent, eager, famishing, keen and all-consuming craving and passion of the soul for complete union with God and the fullness of the Spirit. It is to desire to be completely submerged in God.

THINGS TO DESIRE OR HUNGER FOR

a.       Spiritual Baptism and the Overflow; John 7:37-38

b.      Spiritual Gifts; 1 Corinthians 14:1

c.       The sincere milk of the word of God; 1 Peter 2:2

d.      A better country (heaven); Hebrew 11:10

e.      The Living God; Psalm 42:2; 63:1; 143:6

f.        Righteousness; Matthew 5:6

g.       Spiritual water of Salvation; John 4:14; Isaiah 55:1-3

h.      Wisdom and Knowledge; Proverb 2:1-11

i.         Soul Winning.

55       Deepening your Spirituality in deep truth

Truth that;

·         Jesus is the Christ

·         God is the father of Jesus

·         Jesus is the son of God

·         Jesus is the word of God, incarnate of the virgin Mary

·         Jesus was crucified, died, buried, resurrected, and ascended into heaven

·         He redeemed the human race by His precious blood

·         He sent the Holy Spirit to be the Believer’s comforter, teacher and advocate

·         He is coming back in glory to judge both living and the dead; 1 John 2:22; 4:1 -3, 9 – 10

He that has spiritual depth in truth does not resist or struggle with the truth when it is been proclaimed; 1 John 4:6. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth; allowing Him to guide us to truth is a journey to spiritual depth; John 14: 16-17; 15:26; 16:13. At spiritual depth in truth, false teachers and doctrines are identified and rejected as they are from the spirit of error (Satan); 2 Corinthians 11:13 – 15; Matthew 13:19; 1 Timothy g4:1 – 4.

66       Deepening your Spirituality in Deep Formation

Deep formation is to be formed into the likeness of Christ. It is called the stages of growth in the Lord, ministry and calling. It is a process of influencing or guiding someone into a deeper understanding of God and His kingdom. Someone undergoes spiritual depth in formation for Christ to be formed in him or her; Galatians 4:19.

WAYS OF SPIRITUAL DEPTH IN FORMATION

a.       Formation by leading and teaching by the Holy Spirit; John 14:26; 16:13; John 6:63; Jude 20

b.      Formation by the word and prayer; 1 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 3:18; 1 Timothy 4:5; Jude 20

c.       Formation by discipleship

d.      Formation by partnership, association and kingdom team work

e.      Formation by love; 1 Corithians 13:8 – 12

STATGES OF SPIRITUAL FORMATION

·         Infancy – newborn ( from a Greek word called Tekina); 1 John 2:12

·         Little Children- from a Greek word (Paidia) meaning those who have started walking and talking; 1 John 2:13

·         Young men- those who have grown to the prime of life and no linger tossed about like children by fallacies; 1 John 2:13 – 14; Ephesians 4:14

·         Fathers; those who are matures in the Lord and in faith; 1 John 2:13 – 14

77       Deepening you Spirituality in Deep Love

Deep Spirituality is founded on love. Love is the foundation and bedrock of spirituality and spiritual depth. God is the love upon which spiritual depth is established. Spiritual dryness and shallowness is found where there is no love. Show me a person of love and I will show you who is in spiritual depth. Love is a proof of Christian experience and spiritual depth; 1 John 2:10. Sacrificial love is the digger for spiritual depth and the springboard for spiritual growth; 1 John 3:18; 4:21.

Spiritual depth in love comes by deep love for God, mankind, kingdom service and soul winning, worship and truth.

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