“I would like you to join Me in one of My very important projects. I am deeply involved in the elimination of your flesh in all that you do. When you gave your life to Me through Jesus, you promised to do your part in becoming like Jesus, so that the world would see Him in you. That is what Lordship means. Whether you know it or not, you took Him as your Lord over every item of your being. As Lord, Jesus has the right of entire control over all of your thoughts, needs, desires, and actions. He paid the price for that right with His life.
“If you called upon Him for salvation, you have agreed to that price. Your submission is your part of the agreement. The elimination of your old life is part of Our promise to you. You need to join now in the elimination of that old life instead of resisting that work in you. You act as if you have a right to act in the same way you did before you made the covenant agreement. If you go about the business of doing just enough to get by and to feel good about yourself, you miss the wonder, power, and intent of the covenant.
“Instead, you should be a companion in the search for all of your ways that are out of order, seeing them and requesting change as you do. So much time is wasted during the time needed for conviction to have its work in you when you truly do not understand Our covenant together. Our relationship could be much more fulfilling, Our fellowship much more heightened, if you would willingly participate in separating the dead person you once were from the spirit that has been made alive in you.
“Stop resisting the Word at work within you. Stop looking at this relationship as one-sided. We have joined together for the immediate task of seeing Jesus formed in you. A true bride examines her wedding garment for any blemish in order to please her Groom. Join Me in the search. We could be having such fun together in Our quest.”
I Cor. 7:23 AMP
You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for by Christ]; then do not yield yourselves up to become [in your own estimation] slaves to men [but consider yourselves slaves to Christ].
Phil. 2:12-13 AMP
12) Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).
13) [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.
I Thes. 2:13 AMP
And we also [especially] thank God continually for this, that when you received the message of God [which you heard] from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the Word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising its superhuman power in those who adhere to and trust in and rely on it].
When you really think about it, without Lordship or an absolute, full submission of every area of our lives to Jesus, our confession of Christ means little, our commitment to God means less; and our commitment to each other has no true spiritual bond. We would not be much different than any powerless religion.
Uncover any area where I am still in charge, Lord,
Jim Corbett