May 3, 2022 TEST YOURSELVES
2 Corinthians 13:5 “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-unless indeed you fail the test?
Paul asked a question that may be the most important question ever asked; and it is a question addressed to us as well as to those early believers. Do you and I recognize this fact about ourselves-that Christ Jesus is in us? Sure, we may have a head-knowledge and a mental agreement that Jesus is in us; but has it penetrated the deepest part of our being that Jesus, the Son of God is in us? Paul is asking what impact the presence of Jesus is having in our lives. There are several scriptures that tell us that Jesus lives in us; one is John 14:23 “Jesus answered and said to 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 abode with him.” Also, we read in 1 Corinthians 3:16 “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” Truly recognizing and believing that Jesus lives in us has to have a great impact on our lives. The presence of Jesus in in us takes us out of ordinary life where one is left to simply do the best he can; because He is in us, we now have the wisdom, the knowledge, the truth, and the power of God at work in us. We must understand that God does not force Himself upon us; God draws us to Himself; thus it is our part to seek Him and to yield to the work of the Holy Spirit who is always drawing us to God. Paul instructs us to examine and to test ourselves to see if our life is reflecting the presence of Jesus in us; His presence impacts everything about us-our thoughts, our words, our attitude, our action, and the very heart of who we are. Unless we are resisting Jesus being our life-the work and the promptings of the Holy Spirit-the presence of Jesus in us will be evident to all.
Galatians 6:15, 2:20 “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” “I am crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.”
2 Timothy 1:14 “Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.”
Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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