Better and Better Forever!

In college my dorm was about a mile from the local airport which, especially in difficult moments, inspired me to delight in the freedom and grace of the planes as they took-off and landed.  One night in a dream, I was next to the airport runway overwhelmed by the magnificence of these giant fortresses gently lifting off and settling in.  And the Lord spoke to me that this was a picture of life in Him, and what's even more, it would just get better and better forever!  

How does God in His Word describe the Christian life?  Consider some of the phrases such as "have life and life abundantly," "exceedingly abundantly above all we could think or imagine," "every spiritual blessing," "has given you everything you need for life and godliness," and  "filled with the fullness of God."  The Word declares amazing superlatives about God's gifts to us, such as in Ephesians 1:17-19, that God "may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead...

The Kingdom of God has come.  Obviously, His gift of salvation, which is defined as "being delivered from," sets us free from all the limitations and consequences of sin and welcomes us into His kingdom where we are able to "partake of divine life." (As 2 Peter 1:4 declares).  When we come to the Lord Jesus Christ, we become a new creation, "a new man which was  created according to God in true righteousness and holiness."  (Ephesians 4:24).  Even though our natural feelings and thinking may not grasp this truth, we have passed from death to life and our spirit man now shares the very nature and goodness of God,  Jesus told the devil that man lives not by bread alone, but by the Word of God, so we live now by His truth which sets us free, and enables us to be built up to receive the inheritance God prepared for us.  The ultimate gift of God is Himself, therefore, He desires and continually reveals His goodness to us so that He may become "All in all."  

God is so good.  That is more than an expression.  His nature and His gifts to us are a million times more than our fallen natural minds can perceive.  Whenever the disciples experienced "divine moments" in the life of Jesus, they were completely humbled and overwhelmed. Note Peter's reaction when they caught the two boat loads of fish, or when Jesus calmed the stormy sea, or when He was transfigured on the mount before their eyes.  Jesus walked in the flesh because He left His "divine-ness" in heaven (Philippians  2:6-7), but the Father confirmed He was His beloved Son.  And clearly now He enjoys "all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." (Colossians 2:9).  And the next verse says we are "complete in Him."  

Why then, do so many believers not seem to know or experience all the good God has given to us?

  

Focus with me on 2 Peter 1:2-4, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him.  who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."  Let me break this down: 

1) This grace and peace comes through knowing God, having a relationship with Him.  2)  It is finished.  All things that pertain to life and godliness are already given (past tense). 3) The second time the word "knowledge" is used, it is a different Greek word than in verse 2, this word means "acknowledge" which suggests you ascribe and declare what God has revealed that He is.  4) The provision of God is in the promises, His exceedingly great and precious promises.  When the Israelites were given the promised land, Joshua was instructed "every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon, I have given to you."  In other words, what God has promised is already given, but we need to acknowledge it belongs to us, and stand firm on it, and hold on to the promise even when the world and the enemy tries to tell us differently.  We stand by believing in our heart and declaring with our lips until it comes to pass.  Faith and patience inherit the promises.

Continue hearing  His promises, open your heart to receive what the Word declares about your situation, declare this promise with confidence until you "see the salvation of God."  He always leads us in triumph and things are going to just get better and better forever!  In the name of Jesus, I agree with you.  (Let me know if there is anything specific that I can agree with you. Write in comments below or directly to ceaderwoodchristn@aol.com)