June 29, what is Revealed in You?
So that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
2 Corinthians 4:10
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A Needed Question for Our Lives
If Christ is truly in me, and He most assuredly is if my faith is genuinely in Him, then how can I come to that place of Jesus being my complete identity? How can I so livethat Christ becomes all things in me and through me for the glory of God?
A Powerful Answer from the life of Paul
The Apostle Paul was exposed to much danger in his relentless efforts to live in Christ and to be on mission for Christ. The following verses offer a glimpse of the resistance the apostle commonly faced:
For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. (2 Corinthians 7:5)
I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
(2 Corinthians 11:26-27)
Therefore Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 4:10,
We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
The term “death” literally expresses, “being made a corpse”, and this explained Paul’s view of his own physical body. Yet, he knew full well that in his dying body there was the presence of the life-giving power of the resurrected Christ. And Paul exclaimed his identity with the suffering Savior - “that I may know Him in the power of His resurrection and in the fellowship of His sufferings (Philippians 3:10). Paul’s testimony of Christ revealed an amazing reality: the more his natural man became annihilated, the more evident was the power that was not of man. In other words, as a servant of the Lord, Paul realized in his heart the death of all that was human life in order that the power might be purely of God through Jesus Christ abiding in him through the Holy Spirit. Living in this world, he was always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, in order that the life of Jesus might be manifested in his mortal flesh. This represents not merely a trial of the human life, but a glorious calling. For a man to be thus conformed to Christ’s own sufferings and resurrection power, and to become a vessel of the power of Christ’s life by means of self-renunciation becomes such an amazing position of grace! What a conformity to Christ indeed!
A Timely Application
Far beyond any suffering we will ever likely endure stands the example of Paul’s suffering in His call to proclaim the gospel of Christ. Nonetheless, we learn from his story the blessings of endurance even in our struggles.
Hardships have a miraculous way of revealing the Christ-life in you. Christ is in you indeed, as the hope of glory (see the devotion for June 28). And, when this present moment causes your faith to be challenged, when your diligent service seems to be met with little spiritual fruit, when your physical body continues to wear down and becomes unreliable, when relationships become challenges, or when you simply feel beaten down by discouragements, realize in such a moment the opportunity for the power of Christ to be revealed. He is in you. As you walk the path of self-renunciation (meaning that you hold your tongue, you avoid grumbling, you deny any desire for fleshy relief to your present struggles, etc.), Christ becomes alive in you. The struggles (in fellowship with His sufferings) bring about the power (in fellowship with His resurrection). And this demonstrates to the world around you that Christ Jesus is indeed within you – the hope of glory.
So, the very next moment you feel the need to spout off because of a bit of discomfort, disappointment, or disparagement, realize that Christ is in you. And others close to you need to see Him for Who He is - the hope of glory. So, do not give in to the pressures of the problem. Deny self. Endure. And watch as Christ lives through you.
The “Hope of glory” is a blessing to those around you. One who acts as if the Savior is forgotten does this broken world no good. Live for Him, even in your struggles. The outcome is nothing short of miraculous. You will see.
Blessings.
READ
Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 and remember that Christ is in you, a treasure in vessels of clay.
