Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers goes right along with yesterday's blog post! Look at a portion of it here:
For God so loved the world that He gave . . . —John 3:16
…But salvation is so much more! It means that the Spirit of God has brought me into intimate contact with the true Person of God Himself. And as I am caught up into total surrender to God, I become thrilled with something infinitely greater than myself.
…If we are truly surrendered, we will never be aware of our own efforts to remain surrendered. Our entire life will be consumed with the One to whom we surrender. Beware of talking about surrender if you know nothing about it. In fact, you will never know anything about it until you understand that John 3:16 means that God completely and absolutely gave Himself to us. In our surrender, we must give ourselves to God in the same way He gave Himself for us— totally, unconditionally, and without reservation. The consequences and circumstances resulting from our surrender will never even enter our mind, because our life will be totally consumed with Him.
16 The Spirit Himself [thus] testifies together with our own spirit, [assuring us] that we are children of God. AMP
So we will KNOW that we are saved by the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God Himself! In Luke 24:46-49 we see these instructions from Jesus to His disciples:
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things.49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. KJV
They, and WE, are to be "endued with power form on high"! This is the "infilling" of the Holy Spirit! In Mark 16 for today, we read these further instructions from Jesus in verses 15-20:
15 And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature [of the whole human race]. 16 He who believes [who adheres to and trusts in and relies on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] and is baptized will be saved [from the penalty of eternal death]; but he who does not believe [who does not adhere to and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] will be condemned. 17 And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; 18 They will pick up serpents; and [even] if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well. 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and He sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied [it]. Amen (so be it).
Our entire reason for being on the earth once we are born again is to do what Jesus did: seek and save those who are lost! We are to be living testimonies to the love, glory and grace of HIM! We are blessed to BE a blessing! Find out what belongs to YOU as a child of the Most High God and begin to walk in all the fullness of HIS life! We are carriers of HIS power to set people free and when HE is lifted up, He WILL draw people to Himself! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "No Reason To Hide":
Shalom in Him!
