The Enjoyment in Christ Jesus!

“However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” – Luke 10:20 NIV

Some of us are determined to follow the Lord only when they have moments of inspiration, or their spirit submit to the Holy Spirit. However, God gave us those times to determine to follow Jesus Christ for the rest of our lives. This means that He did not give those times as meditation. To be specific, if we only meditate on those times, then the Holy Spirit would not come to us. God does not force us to come and follow Him so it is our free will to follow the Lord until the end of the age, or not. For this reason, we have to make decision to surrender our lives and follow Him until the end of the age, whether we have the moments of inspiration or not.

The reason why we need to surrender our lives and follow Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:24-27) is because we are sinners due to the evil power of this world. (Romans 5:12) Thus, the word of God declares, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) Because of this, God has poured His Spirit into us to advocate us in the walk with God, our heavenly Father. (Ephesians 4:6) This means that we ought to forget and overcome the world (1 John 5:1-5), if we are going to follow Jesus Christ. The reward for this is eternal life that we are going to receive at the end of the age. (John 3:16)

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. (1 John 2:15-17)

This is why Jesus Christ was sent into this world by our heavenly Father as His image (John 1:14); to crucify Himself on the cross as atonement of our sins. (Colossians 2:13-15; Hebrews 2:14-15) Thus, we can become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21) by abiding the Holy Spirit and obeying Him (John 14:15-17,26-27; Ezekiel 36:26-27)

He [Jesus Christ] was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:5-6)

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:24-25)

Therefore, we would rather rejoice that our names are written in heaven than the Spirit is submitting to us. (Luke 10:20) This is because our citizenship is already in there if we believe Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. (Philippians 3:18-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1) For this reason, we ought to stand firm in the faith and do the will of God until the end of the age. (Matthew 7:21)

Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen. (1 Peter 5:8-11)

All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:15-18)

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. (Matthew 16:24-27)

Although I became real Christian by the moment of inspiration, I decided that I would not give up in following Jesus Christ until the end of the age, even though it is hard. This means I am willing to do the will of God whatever it takes, since He is the way of the life and the truth. (John 14:6)

One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)