What is already in us...

So, I've been expanding my teaching input by listening to several different podcasts from respected pastors from all over the U.S. and it has really been a great time of learning and stretching for me. I just want to take a moment and convey a little bit of what I've learned...

John 1 tells us that before time began, Jesus was, is, and will be. He is God almighty. But he shucked off the glory of God in order to take on human flesh and come down to earth. We've heard about this every year we've been in church in a cute little Christmas program called "The Nativity Story." But there is way more to the story than just Jesus coming to earth.

You see the whole time that Jesus was here on earth he was operating as a human, just like us, only full of the Holy Spirit. One time during his ministry here on earth we get a glimpse of his true person. In Matthew 17:1-9 Jesus was "transfigured" or glorified, showing Peter, James and John the true nature of who is was and what was to come.

After Jesus was crucified, becoming a sin offering for us and breaking the chains of sin, he was buried for three days. On the third day he was resurrected by the power of God and brought back to life in his glorified, powerful, holy state.

This is the Jesus that we serve. The Jesus who now stands at the right hand of God. The Jesus who spoke the universe into being with just words. The Jesus through whom the Word became flesh. The Light of the World. The Almighty God.

And the thing is that this Jesus now dwells within us. Galatians 2:20 says that my old nature has been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I that lives, but Christ who lives in me. Not the Jesus who was man. Not a Jesus that was able to be killed on the cross. But the immortal, all-powerful, resurrected, glorified Jesus.

And that is why we need to stop asking God for more of his power so that we can go out and preach the Kingdom of God and heal the sick. That power is already within us.

Jesus prayed for all believers in the Garden of Gethsemane just before he was arrested and crucified. In John 17:22 Jesus said that he has given us the same glory that God had given him. That means that we have everything that we need already within us to do what God has called us to do...live a life just like Jesus.

All that we have to do is activate it. We are to live just like Jesus, who was our prime example of how our lives should be lived. But that doesn't just stop and not sinning, and treating people right. No, it means that we are supposed to continue the commission that Jesus gave all his followers in Luke 9:1-6 to go into the world, preach the Kingdom of God, heal all the sick and cast out all demons.

You cannot use what you don't know you have. If I was in the army and over in Iraq. And someone slips a grenade in my backpack. I'll never use it, if I don't know it is there. For many Christians, it is the same thing. Many don't know of the great power that lies within all believers. As soon as we came to Jesus and said, "Jesus I accept what you did on the cross and how you made things right between me and God", we were filled with the glory of God. And then we were mandated to fulfill the command of preaching the Kingdom and healing the sick.

Remember as you go through your day that you have everything that you need within you. Your old nature has been totally decimated by God and you are now a new creation, with the glory of Christ residing on the inside of you. You have all you need to do what God has called all His people to do...preach the Kingdom and heal the sick.