As Christians we need to be open to the moving of God’s spirit in our lives, presenting ourselves to God and trusting Him.
What is God communicating to you at this time? Before Jesus went to heaven after His resurrection, He communicated things directly to the disciples and I want to look at the end of each Gospel, at what Jesus said when He spoke to different people after He had risen from the dead.
Matthew 28:18
All power. So it doesn’t matter how anyone tries to achieve power, “All power is given unto me, Jesus said, in heaven and in earth.”
Matthew 28:19 – 20
‘I am with you always’
Mark 16:15 – 18
Luke 24:45 - 48
All nations: there it is again. Mark, “Go ye into the world.” Luke, “Among all nations.”
Acts 1:7 – 8
The uttermost part of the earth
You are of value to God. What God has done in your life is unique. The faith He has given you is from above and He Himself is working through you by His Spirit. There is no one who cannot and will not be used of God by His Holy Spirit to reach other people. Every single person here, God is going to speak through you. You might say, “I’m not an extrovert.” But I’m talking about the supernatural, as you go about our normal daily life, God will speak through you. There are some people who have written themselves off for whatever reason. I want to pick up on that in Romans 12.
Romans 12:1
It doesn’t matter how old you are in life, you are of value.
Present your bodies as a living sacrifice
A verb is a doing word. Here the verb is ‘present.’ What does that mean? “Present your bodies a living sacrifice.” It means that you’re always open to the moving of God’s Spirit in your life. You’re open for what He wants to do through you. You are just presenting yourself. You haven’t got a closed mind. You know God is guiding you and working out your future. But you are presenting yourself as a living sacrifice. You know that He is the one who saved you and took you out. Now it is a case of being a living sacrifice. “Whatever it is you want me to do, whatever it is you want me to say and be, Lord, I know that I am trusting you in every way in my life.”
Romans 12:2
We’ve got the verb ‘prove’ here. How do you prove out what God is doing in your life. Well, you keep God conscious in your life. You make the effort to keep those lines of communication with God open, via prayer and communicating to other people about what God has done.
I often wonder what Paul thought when he wrote this sentence, “...that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” It’s good, it’s not bad. It’s not something you would shun, it’s perfect.
He has the answer for you sorted out already. You’ve just got to prove it out. So don’t get tied up in the wrong things. Be a Christian that you might prove what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:3
God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith
“Hath dealt to every man.” Not the elite. To every man. And that includes you. So if I’m thinking, “I can’t be right with God; that hasn’t happened in my life,” think soberly, according as God has dealt, not will deal, has dealt to every man the measure of faith.
You are a believer because of the faith God has given you to believe. Each of us has the measure of faith but, obviously, we are all different. We aren’t all the same personality. Each one of us is unique to God. “Think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
Romans 12:4 – 5
Are you more valuable than another person in your church? No. What is the common denominator between you: the measure of faith. God inside you and inside that person.
Where is all this leading? It’s leading to this phrase: “Present your bodies, a living sacrifice.”
We are outward looking, loving each other. If we are inward looking we devour.
It’s God who initiates the faith. He works things to His glory. Everything He has done through the gift of His Son, raising Him from the dead, meeting the disciples who would be witnesses throughout the world. Jesus said to the disciples, “Of one accord,” the mindset being Jesus and what He is doing through you and me. We are going to fulfil what God told the disciples after He had risen from the dead. “Freely you receive, freely you give.” If there’s ever a need for people to find an answer, it’s now.
We want to be open to what God is doing in our midst. I know that you will be able to prove what God is doing in your life. Whatever situation you are in, He is the answer, and He will prove what is good and acceptable and perfect in your life.
He has not been deaf to your prayers: He’s heard. Make a note of what you have shared with God. And then when the answer comes, you can see it links in. God is the answer for you.
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