WE HAVE FORSAKEN ALL (Matthew 19:16-26)
This thought is echoed in Matthew where Jesus tells His disciples how difficult it is for a “rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” He tells them that in order to enter the kingdom, they must “go and sell all they have, give to the poor and come and follow Him.” In other words, give up everything for Him (v. 21).
The disciples were floored and asked Him, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus responds, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Then Peter says to the Lord, “Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed Thee. What shall we have, therefore?”
Whereupon Jesus answers, “Verily I say unto you that ye who have followed Me, in the regeneration [next life], when the Son of man shall sit on the Throne of His glory, ye shall also sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or fathers or mother, or wife or children, or lands for My sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life [age lasting life].
But then He adds, “Many that are first [here] shall be last [there]; and the last [here] shall be first [there].”
Jesus is just reiterating what He says in verse 21: that in order to receive true abundant life, we must be willing to surrender anything and everything that stands in the way of God’s Spirit working freely through us. Then, and only then, will we inherit the blessings of the future kingdom.
Surely, this is the reason why so many Christians are powerless today. When we loose the ability to surrender ourselves, we also loose our power for they are interrelated. If we try to live Christ’s life for Him rather than relinquish ourselves totally and let Him live His life out through us, then we not only won’t have His power, we also won’t have His life. The reverse is also true. The more we surrender ourselves to Him, the more we'll be conformed into His image and the more we’ll have His power.
Remember, the term “Christianity” is simply the manifestation of divine power in the presence of human weakness.
2 Timothy 3:2 tells us that one of the reasons these “last days” just before Christ returns will be so difficult is because “men will be lovers of themselves….boastful, proud and unholy.” Their heart’s motivation is wrong. They are not serving God and depending upon the power of the Holy Spirit; rather, they are working for their own benefit and their own glory.
Matt 7:22-23
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
KJV
Unless we let the power of God’s Spirit freely point out the ungodly deeds of our soul and body, the truth we possess in our heads will just remain a theory. And we won’t be able to genuinely teach any of these principles to others. We can only give out what we ourselves possess.
The Lord must first break down our outward man, which is often accomplished by discipline or chastisement from the Holy Spirit. Next, He must point out the things in our soul that need to be surrendered which is accomplished by personal revelation. And finally, He transforms our soul and body by filling them with His life and His power. This, again, is what the sanctification process is all about. Seeking for the salvation of our souls and receiving age lasting life in the kingdom.
This thought is echoed in Matthew where Jesus tells His disciples how difficult it is for a “rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” He tells them that in order to enter the kingdom, they must “go and sell all they have, give to the poor and come and follow Him.” In other words, give up everything for Him (v. 21).
The disciples were floored and asked Him, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus responds, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Then Peter says to the Lord, “Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed Thee. What shall we have, therefore?”
Whereupon Jesus answers, “Verily I say unto you that ye who have followed Me, in the regeneration [next life], when the Son of man shall sit on the Throne of His glory, ye shall also sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or fathers or mother, or wife or children, or lands for My sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life [age lasting life].
But then He adds, “Many that are first [here] shall be last [there]; and the last [here] shall be first [there].”
Jesus is just reiterating what He says in verse 21: that in order to receive true abundant life, we must be willing to surrender anything and everything that stands in the way of God’s Spirit working freely through us. Then, and only then, will we inherit the blessings of the future kingdom.
Surely, this is the reason why so many Christians are powerless today. When we loose the ability to surrender ourselves, we also loose our power for they are interrelated. If we try to live Christ’s life for Him rather than relinquish ourselves totally and let Him live His life out through us, then we not only won’t have His power, we also won’t have His life. The reverse is also true. The more we surrender ourselves to Him, the more we'll be conformed into His image and the more we’ll have His power.
Remember, the term “Christianity” is simply the manifestation of divine power in the presence of human weakness.
2 Timothy 3:2 tells us that one of the reasons these “last days” just before Christ returns will be so difficult is because “men will be lovers of themselves….boastful, proud and unholy.” Their heart’s motivation is wrong. They are not serving God and depending upon the power of the Holy Spirit; rather, they are working for their own benefit and their own glory.
Matt 7:22-23
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
KJV
Unless we let the power of God’s Spirit freely point out the ungodly deeds of our soul and body, the truth we possess in our heads will just remain a theory. And we won’t be able to genuinely teach any of these principles to others. We can only give out what we ourselves possess.
The Lord must first break down our outward man, which is often accomplished by discipline or chastisement from the Holy Spirit. Next, He must point out the things in our soul that need to be surrendered which is accomplished by personal revelation. And finally, He transforms our soul and body by filling them with His life and His power. This, again, is what the sanctification process is all about. Seeking for the salvation of our souls and receiving age lasting life in the kingdom.
