EMPTY, ENTHRONED, EMPOWERED

The Christian life is not the improvement of the old man but the manifestation of the new Man, Jesus Christ. God is not committed to polishing the flesh. He is committed to revealing His Son. The measure of spiritual maturity is not how much of us remains, but how much of Christ is seen.

Empty of Self. Before Christ fills a life, self must lose its claim to the throne. Our pride, self confidence, ambitions, and dependence upon natural strength must be brought to the cross. The Lord does not merely ask us to improve ourselves. He calls us to deny ourselves. When our hands are emptied of confidence in the flesh, they are finally able to receive the sufficiency of Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

Enthrone the Savior. An empty heart is not God’s final purpose. Christ must occupy the place that self once claimed. He must not simply be welcomed as a guest but honored as Lord. His thoughts become our thoughts. His desires become our desires. His will becomes our delight. As He is enthroned within, the peace and authority of His kingdom begin to govern every area of life. “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:17).

Empowered by the Spirit. The victorious Christian life is never the result of human determination. It is the outflow of the indwelling Christ working through the Holy Spirit. Every act of obedience, every triumph over temptation, every expression of love is His life flowing through yielded vessels. We do not strive to produce His life. We surrender so that His life may be expressed through us. “It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

BDD