In the world but not of it.

Slowly I'm starting to have an experiential understanding of what it means to be in the world but not of it.

I've heard it said a lot of times before, "You are in the world but not of the world..." It often receives a resounding response of amens and nods when it is said.

We are in the world, in the natural but we are not bound by the natural ways of this world. As Christians we are not of this world but we live under the ways of the kingdom of God. And His kingdom is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

It is when we are so spirit-filled that we begin to experience the righteousness, peace and joy that are the elements of the kingdom of God. Not only that but there is healing and prosperity in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 10:7-8 "And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."

Matthew 6:25-30 is the famous passage where Jesus speaks of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field and the preceding verses, 31-34 speak of how God takes care of our needs: “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

No wonder there must be repentance, a radical change in the way we think, when the spirit begins to move and the kingdom of Heaven manifests. How will we respond when we see righteousness, peace, joy, healing and prosperity? How long will we continue in our natural mindset that is of this world and continue to worry? How long will we continue living like orphans without a Heavenly father watching over us?

After an awesome service about being spirit-filled its easy to believe that nothing can go wrong, that everything will work out together for my good. A few minutes later, the natural takes over again. A small mishap and doubts begin to rise. Its very easy to live in the world and be of it. It is a labour to enter into the rest.

But God is faithful. If a promise is in the Word and Jesus has fulfilled the requirements for that promise for me by His death on the cross then it is my right to receive it. I want to come to a place where I am so filled by the spirit that the kingdom of God manifests so strongly, readily, easily.

Perseverance, patience, it will not happen over night. It begins by speaking and praying in the spirit daily, continually, unceasingly until it becomes a river of flowing water. I love how God makes it so simple for us. His ways are simple yet powerful. It is also something that the natural, logical mind cannot comprehend.

And as we believe in the finished work of Christ on the cross, as we believe that the Holy Spirit now indwells us and teaches us and guides us in all things; therefore we speak.

Its about time to radically change the way we think. We may be in this world but we are not of it.