Shalom,

I had thought of doing something else, but today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers actually goes right along with what I shared yesterday. We really MUST have the two together to fully understand what the Lord is saying! Yesterday's devotional looked at the death side of sanctification. Dying to self and our own selfish desires to become more like JESUS! Today we look at the LIFE side! Living FOR Him! 

Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us…sanctification. 1 Corinthians 1:30

The Life Side.
The mystery of sanctification is that the perfections of Jesus Christ are imparted to me, not gradually, but instantly when by faith I enter into the realisation that Jesus Christ is made unto me sanctification. Sanctification does not mean anything less than the holiness of Jesus being made mine manifestly.

The one marvellous secret of a holy life lies not in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfections of Jesus manifest themselves in my mortal flesh. Sanctification is “Christ in you.” It is His wonderful life that is imparted to me in sanctification, and imparted by faith as a sovereign gift of God’s grace. Am I willing for God to make sanctification as real in me as it is in His word?

Sanctification means the impartation of the Holy qualities of Jesus Christ. It is His patience, His love, His holiness, His faith, His purity, His godliness, that is manifested in and through every sanctified soul. Sanctification is not drawing from Jesus the power to be holy; it is drawing from Jesus the holiness that was manifested in Him, and He manifests it in me. Sanctification is an impartation, not an imitation. Imitation is on a different line. In Jesus Christ is the perfection of everything, and the mystery of sanctification is that all the perfections of Jesus are at my disposal, and slowly and surely I begin to live a life of ineffable order and sanity and holiness “Kept by the power of God.”

At the moment of our New Birth, our previously dead human spirit was recreated in the image of God! Our spirit man was instantly changed and is now perfect! We no longer have a sin nature and when we DO sin, it affects our soul (mind, emotions and will) and our body! When we realize that we have the very nature of God inside of us, along with our own flesh nature, we will be able to learn how to put the one under so that the BEST can shine forth! Galatians 5:22-23 tells us all about the nature of God that is in us by the fruit of the Spirit!

22 But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, 23 Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].

THIS is the very nature of God! When we spend time in fellowship with Holy Spirit, He will cause us to be sensitive to and understanding of, His Word. AS we become DOERS of that Living Word, we will no longer have to try to 'imitate' Jesus! We will BE like Him! AMEN! Check out Philippians 3:10 in the Amplified Bible and make THAT your goal! When we know HIM like that, we will also operate in HIS power and people will be drawn to HIM, through us! HALLELUJAH! THAT is the LIFE we are meant to live! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "To Be Like You":

Shalom in Him!