In sports they say keep your eyes on the ball. Be one with the ball. I'm discovering that in my spiritual journey I find no victory by focusing on my self and critiquing my performance to guage progress. I'm finding I have to keep my eyes on Jesus. Be one with Jesus.
I've discovered that my individual sins aren't the problem, they are only symptoms. A symptom of failing to abide in Christ. A symptom of breaking oneness with Him. When I abide on the vine and allow His life and presence to flow through me, I bear fruit. It's when the flow of... His life is hindered that I find myself fruitless. The sin isn't the evil deed, it's failure to remain one with Him, and thereby failing to partake in the indwelling divine nature of His Spirit. Jesus doesn't desire that I live for Him, but rather that I live in Him, and He in me. When Jesus is living His life through you there can be no failure, because Christ can't sin. Oneness isn't just a doctrine, it's a manner of living.
"In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world? Jesus answered him, If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." ~ John 14:20-23 (ESV)
The secret to Christian living isn't following a code of standards or finding identity in a religious heritage. It's experiencing oneness with Jesus, being a partaker in His divine nature.
We wonder where the power has gone, where the miracles are, etc. Part of the problem is that we want to do these mighty things for Jesus... instead of IN Jesus. Jesus desires to do these things THROUGH us. We need the same heartbeat that the man Jesus Christ had with the Father, speaking and doing only what we see and hear from the Father.
On Calvary Satan thought He'd finished the Lord of Glory. Yet by crucifying Christ, Satan set Christ's Spirit free to replicate Christ's power and presence into countless believers world wide. Now, we stand in the righteousness of Christ, operating by the power of Christ in us. Before the crucifixion Satan only had to contend with one Lord Jesus.... now there's an army of those who are one with Christ Jesus.
Oneness.... it's more than a doctrine.... it's an expression of OUR relationship with Christ.
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