◄ ►

Our Indwelling Authority

I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them. (John 17:26 NIV)

Perhaps you have been amazed sometimes, and perplexed and bewildered, why God should use that, and that and that; and such and such persons. You have been inclined to say: "It is all contrary to what I believe to be necessary to God for His work. I see that the Bible says that instruments have got to be according to God's mind in order to be used." But history does not bear that out. As I say, He has used the devil, and the devil is not according to God's mind. There is a sovereignty of God spread over in relation to His end. But when you have said that, it is a frightening fact when you come to the work of God. I mean this that we may be working for God, and doing many mighty things as employees of the Kingdom of God, the rule of God, and then, in the end, be cast away! In the end, we ourselves might just go to pieces. Here it is this strange thing, that these men went out, twelve and seventy, with this 'delegated authority' this delegated authority and exercised it, and mighty things resulted; and then these same people are found, after the Cross, with their faith shattered; nothing to rest upon. What does it say?

Thank God, the book of the Acts transforms the whole situation! Because the book of the Acts brings in this mighty new factor: that Christ, Who had delegated the authority, is now indwelling as the authority Himself. And the works now are mighty works, but they are not just works FOR the Lord they are the works OF the Lord. It all goes to prove this tremendous fact: that it is "Christ IN you" that is the indispensable necessity for Life and for work.... What a marvelous thing it is that we are in the dispensation when the one thing, above all others, that God will make true, is "Christ in you" Christ IN you!

When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. § God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. § For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. § When He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. § It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.

If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Col. 3:4;  John 11:25;  1 John 5:11,12;  1 Thess. 4:16;  1 Thess. 4:17;  1 Thess. 4:18;  1 John 3:2;  1 Cor. 15:43;  John 14:3

Lead me in Your truth and teach me.

When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth. § You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. § All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. § The Holy Scriptures … are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. § The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. § If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God. § Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray.

Ps. 25:5;  John 16:13;  1 John 2:20;  Isa. 8:20;  2 Tim. 3:16,17;   2 Tim. 3:15;  Ps. 32:8;  Matt. 6:22;  John 7:17;  Isa. 35:8

Legally Dead

Seeing that we have died to that which once held us in bondage, the Law has now no hold over us" (Rom. 7:6a, Wey.).

For the believer, the dominion of Law is just as devastating as the dominion of Sin. At Calvary, death freed us from both.

"Theological teaching since the Reformation has not set forth clearly our utter end in death with the Lord Jesus on the Cross. The fatal result of this error is to leave the law claimant over those in the Lord Jesus, for the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth' (Rom. 7:1). Unless you are able to believe in your very heart that you died with Him, and that you were buried, and that your history before the Father in Adam the first came to an utter end at Calvary you will never get free from the claims of the law upon your conscience." -W.R.N.

"The principle of the new life is faith. Faith, hope, and love are its characteristics. All these require, not self-occupation, but occupation with the Lord Jesus Christ. If you take up the law to help you, it tells you just what you must be and do, but it gives no power for it. Power is in the Spirit; thus grace, not law, is the way of growth. That the law cannot justify is comparatively simple; but that it hinders fruit-bearing is hard to realize. Sin shall not have dominion over you, because ye are not under law, but under grace.'" -F.W.G.

"Those who put the believer under law destroy the authority of the law, or put the Christian under the curse, for in many things we offend all. They fancy they establish the law, but they destroy its authority. They only establish the full, immutable authority of the law, who declare that the believer is under grace, and therefore cannot be cursed by its just and holy curse." -J.N.D.

"So that we render a service which, instead of being old and formal, is new and spiritual" (Rom. 7:6b, Wey.).

Positional Identification

The Eyes of the Lord