White Flag part 2
In the Kindgom, things are not always what they seem. The way things would "make sense" to the natural mind are rarely (if ever) the way things work in the Kingdom. Because the Kingdom is not of this world. The Kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and the Kingdom is within you. It doesn't work by the world's standards. And it's so important to understand this concept because if you try to experience the Kingdom--the realm where the King rules and reigns--through "normal" ways you'll totally and completely miss it. You have to understand what Jesus meant when He said things like, "So the last shall be first, and the first last..." (Matthew 20:16). Or, "...It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). Or even, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" (Matthew 16:25). Seems counter-intuitive. But notice the most important part of Matthew 16:25: Either way you lose your life. If you try to save it... you lose it. Fighting for your life is senseless when you understand that it's HIS life that matters. And that's what makes "losing" your life for HIS sake even thinkable. Romans 5:7 in the NLT tells us, "Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good." And I understand that this is talking about Jesus dying for us. Talking about the sacrifice He made in that while we were still sinners He died for us. But flip it around. Because if we're supposed to lose our lives for His sake... that takes a lot of trust. A lot of faith. We would basically have to believe that He has our best interests at heart before we'd be willing to give up our lives for Him, right? In order to present our bodies as a living sacrifice we'd have to be pretty certain He'd take care of that sacrifice. Just like the Son trusted the Father when He sacrificed His own life. He trusted the Father to judge Him righteously and bring Him back to life. That's the "lose his life for my sake in order to FIND IT" part. We don't fight the good fight of faith in order to be like God. We are already like Him. Always have been, always will be. We fight the good fight of faith in order to lay hold of the gift of eternal life that we've been given. In order to believe what is already true. And I'm telling you, the only way to win that good fight of faith... is by surrendering. By being still and knowing that HE is God. By letting the Holy Spirit lead and guide us into all truth. Because those who are led by the Spirit are the Son(s) of God. Those who lose THEIR lives... receive HIS life. And, as always, I'm not talking about trying to be someone you're not. I'm talking about letting Jesus be who He is in, and through, and as you. Being yourself. Your TRUE self. Surrendering to who Christ is in you, and who you are in Christ. Waving the white flag and letting Jesus' victory on the cross flow into, and through, and out of you!