How to become like Jesus:
As Believers in Christ, we are always “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)
Through Christ, we understand we have the victory. But why then are we so often failing at living as Jesus lived: fully free, fully surrendered, fully empowered by Father God? How do we become like Jesus?
As the New Man, we have the authority and power of God in and through the humility and service of Jesus Christ. What does this mean? It means we live in the purity of Christ: pure power and pure humility.
First, the thoughts and responses that are negative within us are dead, not a part of who we are in Christ. Only the pure, only the life-giving emotions and thoughts are alive. When we surrendered our old selves to Jesus, we were reborn and became ‘the new man’. It is therefore possible to ignore the tug from negativity and simply allow it – and those dead thoughts – to stop, no longer to have influence in our lives or relationships. The New Man is well and can inhabit every fibre of our being, if we will allow him to. We must turn our back on the old man; he’s dead and his influence is only as strong as we allow him to be resurrected.*
Through this new life, demonstrated by this new man, we have prosperity, power and the presence of God in our lives. Joy fills us and we live in grace and purity toward others. As we grow in perfection, ‘being perfect as your father in heaven is perfect’ (Matthew 5:48), we live a balance between the two aspects of God’s character in us: authority and humility. There is no condemnation in Jesus as we learn to walk as the New Man, sometimes failing, sometimes overcoming, always persevering in our faith.
It is overdue for the body of Believers to live in the fullness of the new man, to thrive, rather than only to survive, to live in all the joy and fulfilment God has for us. Can we allow ourselves to live in the same freedom that Jesus had? Free from fear, free from worry, free from shame? We can. Let us do so, together. Let our lights shine brightly to the glory of our God.
Jesus gave up his will for the sake of the father. He waited on God’s will and for His timing. He followed God’s guidance in where he would go, what he would do, to whom he would speak. Can we be motivated to do likewise? As we surrender our agenda and our fears, we will recognize in us the freedom and the servanthood of Christ in us.
Let’s be grateful for all we have and all we are becoming.
My prayer is that, just as Jesus poured out himself for the sake of the father and for mankind, so too will we serve others with gladness and a pure heart, discovering the joy in absolute surrender and the power in absolute faith.
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11)
Ready: Look at Jesus.
Set: Study him.
Go: Lose your grip by letting go.
Surrender to receive more of Jesus, with more energy, more joy, more purpose and more fulfilment. Ultimately, our lives are dedicated to God and He knows the way we take. When He has tried us, oh! How we will shine like gold.
*Thanks to Graham Cooke, for his insights on the New Man.
