Desires Within

20“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galations 2: 20 NKJV

As he so often does, Dennis dropped a question on me yesterday.  The discussion, as usual, was based on the truth of Christ Jesus in us.  This, of course, is a common topic for us.  But this was different.  My last post reflected on the John Elderedge book Wild At Heart and how I thought that Eldredge had been in error in his revelation of the nature of a man.  While I still believe that Eldredge dropped the ball as far as the truth of Jesus in us, I feel that he was definately on to something.  Allow me to expand on this thought.  If we, as christians, accept the truth that we now live as Christ Jesus who is within us, do we also accept what comes with that realization?  For if Jesus indeed dwells within us, then that which we feel, sense and think will definately be connected to Him.  So, what of the thought and desire for adventure, danger and the rescuing of the maiden which Elderedge refers to in his book?  Are these thoughts and desires from Jesus?  I believe that one thing we need to ask ourselves first is what is our true identity?  Is our identity based on the spirit or on the flesh?  Well, if indeed Christ is in us, then I submit that our true identity in Him is based on the spirit of Christ.  Now, that does not mean that those fleshly desires which we often come across will not continue to come around now and then.  For our flesh is very easily influenced by outside factors such as the world around us.  So, how is it that we determine if those inner desires we so often feel are of Jesus or our easily influenced flesh?  Well, I believe that we ourselves have that ability to determine just what Jesus wishes for us.  For we now share our lives with Him, we have that intimate connection.

2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies dthrough His Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8: 2 - 11 NKJV

The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 8 that we are not of the flesh but of the spirit...if the spirit of God dwells in you.  If indeed Christ Jesus is in us, then we have the spirit of God within us.  Therefore, we are of the spirit.  So, what of those desires which John Eldredge mentioned in his novel?  Does Jesus indeed desire an adventure?  Does He desire a beauty to rescue?  Does Jesus have a battle to win?  More than one of these desires of a man which Eldredge mentioned we may very well share with Christ Jesus who is in us.  We can ask that ages old question, do my desires cling to His will for us?  For once we affirm in our hearts what the will of Christ is for us, then we come closer to seeing just what the desires of Jesus are.  We know, obviously, that one of the desires of Christ Jesus was to bring glory to the Father.  Do our desires ultimately bring glory to God?  That desire for a battle to win, for adventure or for a beauty to rescue, are we to say that these are indeed Gods will for our lives?  One thing I am quite certain of, is that our heavenly Father gave us these desires when He created us.  Where will they ultimately lead we who follow these desires?  Perhaps Eldredge was not as far off the mark as I thought he was.

~Scott~