I am not what I think I am;
I am what I think I am not.
This is not a reality of a normal mankind – but the one who is backed up by that Kingdom and King who can neither be replaced nor has anyone to overpower him. Yes, the world has not recognized him yet, or has refused to believe his reality. It’s all because of the veil that has covered the hearts of people.
Sometimes, I visualize this – what would a person do if he found himself helpless to help his own child who is so beloved to him, and is sick of some deadly curable disease but demands plenty of money for the surgery or treatment. The answer is clear, even if he has to be ashamed, he will do those hard works(descent) or beg in public or knock the doors of those people where it is sure for him to be embarrassed or kicked out. He will work day and night to raise the fund with his 100% effort. It’s because of the love, and understanding that there is life after treatment, and money and medicine can do that for his son. If the doctor says: don’t eat any kind of food, then you will live. People obey that blindly.
If someone has AIDS – which in medical science, is a not curable disease, people who know about it won’t come closer. But, these same people, even if they have heard about Jesus and sin forgiveness – would not accept Jesus as savior, Lord. Why is that? It’s all because he doesn’t know SIN is more dangerous than AIDS or cancer. Even most of the believers are ignorant of it, or haven’t been taught about it.
Do you know why mankind is scared of AIDS or Cancer? The profound truth is – they know who they are in body, not because of how dangerous AIDS or Cancer is. We know we are carnal – vulnerable to AIDS or Cancer – so we are scared of it, and become very conscious not to get infected by them.
In the Message Bible, Romans 7:24 I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? 25 The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
After years of enormous trials – Paul was convinced that nothing can help him. Then he suddenly saw him hanging at the end of his rope – falling from there is death but no help. When human efforts finish, we ask, “Is there no one who can do anything for me?” – That is the real question we should ask. Then Jesus stands in front of us with an answer – I am. That means – Paul before Romans 7:24 believed himself to be someone else. As soon as he identified his reality – he sought for Jesus Christ unknowingly and heard and believed that Christ alone is the savior.
If someone believes himself as a male he seeks for the opposite sex – female, and vice versa – it’s natural and the way God has created us. A person understands his needs based on who he or she is. The same thing applies for spirit beings. As soon as we believe that we are spirit beings – our ultimate seeking will automatically be the Spirit of God, without whom neither our thirst nor our completeness nor our purpose nor our service of calling will be fulfilled. That is the reason – the bible says “Christ is the head and church is his body”(Colossians 1:18), “Christ is bridegroom and church is his bride”(Ephesians 5:25-27).
Truth is – Christ dwells in the believers heart, Holy Spirit is given to a believer – new born believer. But that doesn’t mean – we don’t have to crave for him, be sensitive to him. It doesn’t mean, now we have been self sufficient, powerful. It’s not something like – hey my son is now grown up – 25 years old – he no longer needs his father now, and the son is carrying the father’s DNA. He has been taught from childhood – all good things – practiced enough – now he is self sufficient. The relationship with God is not like that. He is the only person who can keep burning our identity – our spirit and heart. That is why Matthew 5:3 says:
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.” [MSG]
When someone finds himself at the end of the hanging rope, and straight down that huge deep pit – leading him to death without any clue, there he remembers God and his rule. And when that happens – that is the utmost blessing in a believer’s life. Do you see that? Hanging at the end of the rope is the reality – our identity – and the need is Jesus Christ who is the very present help in trouble[Psalm 46:1]. And this is not one day belief – or once in a blue moon thing, but daily seeking and craving.
We are not a wretched man in front of the Devil, but temptation is powerful than that which if given little more space with little more time, can lead us to death – sin. That is why James 4:7 says – “So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him make himself scarce.” [MSG] It’s not only about the Devil – because further down we read about the wretched behaviours. The end of rope(with knot) doesn’t always mean the bad situation, rather the filthy things that we are not able to give up yet. When we just open our fist to let go – like we let go rope from our grip – there comes Jesus Christ to hold us, keep us safe, and land in peace in his lap. When we are in his lap, in his total control – that is divine life – being in our identity in Christ (Emphasis) – that is the blessing of God. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? – delivering from death is landing in life – the blessing of God.