Chariot September  2005 - Norm Wakefield

Investing through the Elijah Ministries' Support Team for ‘06
      In November and December, the Board of Directors of The Spirit of Elijah Ministries International would like to invite you to consider becoming a monthly financial supporter in 2006. Since we are a non-profit ministry, your gifts are tax-deductible. Like the apostle Paul wrote to the Philippian church, "not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account" (Phil. 3:17). As you give to Elijah Ministries, you are investing in the building up of the local church and impacting generations. As men turn their hearts toward God, their wives, and children and are equipped to lead their families, they become better equipped to participate and lead in their local fellowships. The fruit of saved marriages, restored relationships, and transformed lives of men who are impacting thousands of lives accrues to your account as the Lord works through Elijah Ministries' retreats, conventions, the The Chariot of Fire, and the distribution of resources. You'll receive email prayer invitations and praise reports as Norm ministers so you can keep in touch with what God is doing. You may give by sending a check in the mail or by credit card online. Your donation goes to the production of resources (many of which are given away, especially our Spanish resources) and the daily costs of the ministry. Thank you for linking hands with us as we seek to turn the hearts of men to God, their wives, and their children for the glory of God!

Identity Principles - Part 5  

    The last four months, we've been considering four identity principles. Their importance lies in the fact that our conduct is determined by who we belong to or connect with, who we look to as our source of power, and by what our fathers did or didn't do. This truth is emphasized in Romans 12:1-2 where the Apostle Paul calls his readers (and believers) to renew their minds as to who they are as a result of God's great mercies bestowed on them. Perhaps you've discovered as I have that when I fail to keep my mind renewed about my identity in Christ, I am much more susceptible to the tug of sin and the allurements of the world.

    In the next four articles, I wish to continue on the theme of identity, but focus on how these principles are applied to our relationship with Jesus Christ. At the end of each article, suggestions will be given for family devotion times, which will help you lead your family to a deeper experience with the Lord Jesus. Let's first let the "Word of God richly dwell within" our hearts. It's an amazing truth - worthy of concentrated meditation time – that…

We belong to Jesus Christ.

1 Cor. 3:23 And you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.

Gal. 3:29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.

Gal. 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

1 Cor. 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

    The verses above state explicitly that everyone who is truly a child of God belongs to Jesus Christ. We've been given to Jesus by God, the Father. The transaction occurred when we were baptized by the Holy Spirit into Jesus. The descriptive rather than the prescriptive aspect of these verses encourages me. They don't teach us that we are to try to belong to Jesus. Believers in Christ do belong to Jesus. Their faith and its fruit are evidences of the fact. Not only do our souls belong to Jesus, but our bodies do also. He bought us with His blood so that He might redeem us and express His life in us for the glory of His and our Father.

Rom. 8:9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

    The presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and His fruit in our lives indicate to whom we belong. Without the Spirit of Christ, no one belongs to Jesus. We can know therefore that we are identified with Jesus if we can identify the Holy Spirit within!

Believers are connected with Jesus Christ.

Rom. 6:5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,

Rom. 7:4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.

1 Cor. 1:30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.

    Just as a teenager wishes to connect with a friend in order to be accepted in a circle of friends, so believers wish to connect with Jesus in order to be accepted in heaven for eternity as well as with the beloved here on earth. How can two people walk in harmony together if they are not both connected with Jesus Christ? "What fellowship has light with darkness?", Paul asked the Corinthians. The basis of our fellowship with others is our union to, connection with, and belonging to Jesus Christ.

    This connection can only be seen by our conduct, the fruit of the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives. If we are connected to the Holy Spirit, then we are connected with Jesus. If we are connected with Jesus, then we are connected with the eternal God and Father of creation.

    Therefore, our identity with Jesus Christ is the basis of our faith and conduct and our fellowship. To what or whom are you anchored? Paul challenged the Corinthians on this point in his second letter to them. The purpose of the letter was to work out reconciliation between himself, Timothy and some of the Corinthians. Repeatedly, he mentioned their common identity in Christ as the basis for their fellowship and reconciliation. In the last chapter we read this call for examination.

2 Cor. 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?

You should be able to see Jesus Christ in you.

    Paul's point: If Jesus Christ is in you, then we can fellowship together and overcome any differences or obstacles in the flesh. How is this so? Belonging and connection to Jesus Christ is the common cornerstone of everyone's identity. Since identity determines conduct, then there is a basis for an eternal relationship with God as well as with one another. A marriage cannot glorify God without both man and woman being identified with Christ. A church cannot glorify God without being cognizant of their common identity in Christ.

    If you can't see Jesus in yourself and other believers observe no Spirit-filled fruit from your life, then you have no reason to think you belong to or are connected to Jesus Christ. You may be a "good church-goer" or a giving and helpful person for the sake of a good reputation; however, you may still be in need of the internal, eternal work of the Holy Spirit, a regeneration or new birth. If you struggle with relationships with other believers, there may be reason to take Paul's test given to the Corinthians. If you fail the test, consider how blessed you are to know where you stand while you are still breathing! There's time to turn from identifying with the world and its values and to turn to Jesus Christ. Just as Paul expressed his goal to the Galatians, you should not be satisfied until Jesus Christ is formed in you (4:19)–until you see the evidence that you belong to and are connected with Jesus Christ. 

    If you have seen Jesus Christ living in you on a regular basis, then you have great cause to rejoice and build relationships with others who are in Christ! When relationships get difficult, set your mind on the fact of whom you are and who they are in Christ. Then conduct yourself and speak according to the truth, and you will bring glory to God and walk in peace with God and man.

Family Identity Exercise

    Perhaps you and your family might pick a few of the verses in this month's Chariot of Fire to memorize and on which to meditate. In order to stimulate some discussion on this idea of identification with Christ, you might ask some of the following questions:

1.      How could we tell if someone was identified with the Republican or Democratic political parties?

2.      How could we tell if an apple tree was a golden apple tree?

3.      What would we expect to happen if we put a mouse into a cage with three hungry cats? Why?

4.      What would we expect to happen if we put a baby mouse into a cage with its mother and father and siblings? Why?

5.      What would we expect to happen if a non-believer married a believer in Jesus Christ? Why?

6.      What would we expect to happen in a church if there were unbelieving church-members? Why?

    Have each member of the family who is old enough to take some books of the New Testament and compile a list of qualities (fruit) of those who belong to Jesus or are connected to Him. They might record the verses and then the quality by which one could test to see if Jesus Christ is within. After sufficient days to finish the assignment, gather them all into one list and discuss and apply.

    May the Lord work in our lives as we renew our minds as to our identification with Jesus Christ.

New Resources for Your Family 

    On Fire for the Gospel:  

*   What Sets a Man on Fire? 

*   How Does a Man Burn for God?

*   What Has the Gospel Changed, Part 1 and 2

*   The Gospel Applied to Relationships  

*   The Doxology of the Gospel  

*   What Do You Do in Troubled Times?  

*   The Gospel in a Sentence  

*   Thirsting for Jesus  

Would you like to be on the Elijah Ministries Prayer Team?

    The backbone of Elijah Ministries is the prayer team who pray diligently for God to turn the hearts of men to Himself, their wives, and their children. Before I leave to speak, I send out a prayer team invitation to those who will intercede for God to work for His glory in us as a team for the Kingdom. Not only is it a blessing to those whom I speak and myself; but it is also a reminder to the team about the direction of their own hearts. If you would like to enter into the labor together with me, you may go to my website and click on "Prayer Team".

    If you haven't visited our website, www.spiritofelijah.com, please stop by sometime. You'll find:

*   Resources to equip you and your family

*   Previous Chariot articles

*   Norm's speaking schedule

*   Free MP3 downloads  

*   Various pages translated and available in Spanish  

*   An online store to purchase resources and make tax-free contributions by credit card