“…as those who have been chosen of God…bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just AS the Lord FORGAVE YOU, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. LET THE PEACE OF CHRIST RULE IN YOUR HEARTS…let the WORD OF CHRIST RICHLY DWELL WITHIN YOU…” (Colossians 3:12-16)
NOTICE TWO POWERFUL POINTS:
- LET THE PEACE OF CHRIST RULE IN YOUR HEARTS: Peace, (eiréné: calm, quietness, rest, serenity) Rule, (brabeuō: to direct or determine) Because of Christ ruling in our lives we have calmness and quietness in our spirit that determines or defines our state of mind. Father, “You will keep in PERFECT PEACE all who TRUST IN YOU…whose thoughts are FIXED (saw-mak’: to lean or rest) ON YOU.” (Isa. 26:3)
- LET THE WORD OF CHRIST RICHLY DWELL WITHIN YOU: Richly, (plousiōs: abundantly, in great quantity) Dwell, (enoikeō: to inhabit and influence) This is of great interest because Jesus is The Word of God, “In the beginning was the WORD and the WORD was with God and the WORD was God…the WORD BECAME FLESH and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) SO, Jesus, The Word of God, inhabits us! “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…that Christ may DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS through faith…” (Eph. 3:14-17) Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM.” (John 14:23) Then Paul tells us, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that JESUS CHRIST IS IN YOU?” (2 Corin. 13:5) Now Paul shares with us how we experience Christ, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but CHRIST LIVES IN ME; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live BY FAITH in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20) Just one more for our encouragement, Paul tells us of, “…THE MYSTERY which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now HAS BEEN REVEALED to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: WHICH IS CHRIST IN YOU, the HOPE of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man IN ALL WISDOM, that we may PRESENT every man PERFECT IN CHRIST JESUS.” (Col. 1:26-28)
BECAUSE OF THE POWERFUL PRESENCE OF CHRIST AND THE PERFECT PEACE OF GOD, IN US, WE ARE VICTORIOUS OVERCOMERS!!!!
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham