Good morning…
Teaching my favorite book on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I ponder the title, The Hidden Life Awakened. Beneath our many layers, I wonder, “God, what is this ‘hidden life’ secreted in our depths?” The Word of God illuminates our answer.
God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness… (Genesis 1:26a, AMPC). God created human beings; he created them godlike, reflecting God’s nature. He created them male and female. God blessed them: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth” (Genesis 1:27, MSG).
…the Lord God formed [that is, created the body of] man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being [an individual complete in body and spirit] (Genesis 2:7, AMP). Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, the days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day (Psalm 139:13-16, MSG).
The Lord had said… “I will bless you… and you will be a blessing… and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:1-3, NIV). “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you [and approved of you as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I consecrated you [to Myself as My own]…” (Jeremiah 1:5a, AMP). You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting… (John 15:16a, AMP).
The “hidden life” of Christ now comes alive in us.
On that day [when that time comes] you will know for yourselves that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you (John 14:20, AMP). I was made right with God by faith in Christ. I want to know Him. I want to have the same power in my life that raised Jesus from the dead (Philippians 3:9b-10, NLV). For you died [to this world], and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3, AMP). But we have the mind of Christ [to be guided by His thoughts and purposes] (1 Corinthians 2:16b, AMP).
Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing (John 15:4-5, AMP). I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love (John 15:9a, MSG).
You are Christ’s body—that’s who you are! You must never forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your “part” mean anything (1 Corinthians 12:27, MSG). I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God’s great mystery. All the richest treasures of wisdom and knowledge are embedded in that mystery and nowhere else. And we’ve been shown the mystery! (Colossians 2:2-3, MSG). This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it’s out in the open… The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple (Colossians 1:26-27, MSG).
Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world (Matthew 28:19-20, CEV). For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them (Matthew 18:20, AMP). I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father (John 14:12, AMP). And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever — the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you (John 14:16-17, AMP).
The same Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead empowers the “hidden life” rising up in us.
(Jesus) said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses… even to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:7-9, AMP). Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22, MSG).
He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning (Titus 3:5, CEV). So then, believers, we [who are born again—reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] are not children of a slave woman [the natural], but of the free woman [the supernatural] (Galatians 4:31, AMP). Each of us is now a part of his resurrection body, refreshed and sustained at one fountain—his Spirit—where we all come to drink (1 Corinthians 12:13a, MSG). So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ… Guard this precious thing placed in your custody by the Holy Spirit who works in us (2 Timothy 1:13-14, MSG).
…I remind you to fan into flame the gracious gift of God, [that inner fire—the special endowment]… For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control] (2 Timothy 1:6-7, AMP). Do not put out the Spirit’s fire (1 Thessalonians 5:19, NIV).
My friends, how do we awaken our God-given true self, our own unique fractal of this multifaceted “hidden life”?
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you (Romans 12:1-2, MSG).
And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you] (Romans 12:2, AMP). …regarding your previous way of life, you put off your old self [completely discard your former nature]… and be continually renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh, untarnished mental and spiritual attitude], and put on the new self [the regenerated and renewed nature], created in God’s image, [godlike] in the righteousness and holiness of the truth [living in a way that expresses to God your gratitude for your salvation] (Ephesians 4:22-24, AMP).
But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely (Galatians 5:22-23, MSG).
Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given… keep that dusted off and in use (1 Timothy 4:11b-14, MSG). Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, [that special endowment] which was intentionally bestowed on you [by the Holy Spirit]… Practice and work hard on these things; be absorbed in them [completely occupied in your ministry], so that your progress will be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself [concentrate on your personal development] and to your teaching; persevere in these things [hold to them], for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you (1 Timothy 4:14-16, AMP).
Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night… (Philippians 2:15, MSG). Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16, MSG).
So here is my deepest prayer for each one of us.
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen (Ephesians 3:16-21, NLT).
May the “hidden life” of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit awaken in us to transform our world.
…Sue…
