Great expectations

5th November 2012

Dear All

I wish to share with you one of my favourite scripture that has impacted my life since 2009.

2 Corinthian 3:18 " But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord."

I had great expectations from this scripture. Why do I say that?

I thought when I confessed His Word upon my life everyday with faith, something spiritual will happen to me and I will be transformed in His likeness and walk in His glory and all my pressing issues of my life will finally be resolved.

For 2 years I pressed on with faith confessing this scripture. What happened?

Something did happen, but to my surprise, not in the way I had expected.

The problems I had, only got worst. Many nights were spent pouring my heart to the Lord, with tears as my companion.

The only consolation I had was the assurance that the Lord will never forsake me and He will deliver me.

As I persevered, with faith and hope, I realised something was happening, not in my circumstances, but within me.

God in His most gentle way, revealed to me my weaknesses. He revealed to me my sins that was hindering me from walking " in His likeness, from glory to glory"

He revealed to me that if I want to walk in His likeness, I needed to bury my old sinful nature in His death and by faith rise as Christ was raised from the dead, and live in the spirit of God.

Rom 6 : 4-5 " Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life"

I realised that He needed me to cooperate with Him to "walk from glory to glory"

What kind of cooperation was God expecting from me?

To surrender myself completely to Him. Surrender my will. Surrender my dreams. Surrender my hopes.

To put to death my expectations on people to make me happy.

To put to death my expectations on material things to make me happy.

To put to death my expectations on myself ( achievements) to make me happy.

To put to death my ideas of how God is going to use me for his glory.

To put to death all my past vain glories as mine and putting off the mindset that I deserved better, a successful life that was achieved through strive (flesh) that, which was the fruit of fear of failure.

Thus this scripture, Rom 6:6 " knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin (flesh) might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin " started to take root into my heart.

Hence by the grace of God, I received his peace that surpassed all human understanding.

The Lord impressed into my heart that He wants me to expect Him to be the One who can give me the life that is rich in His Love, His Peace, His Joy.

That my security is in Him.

That He is my God who will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:19

Thus the Holy spirit started to teach me everything. Everytime I faced a difficult situation, I ran to Him for his wisdom.

Most of the time He would tell me to zeb my mouth from confessing the wrong thing and instead to praise him for what I was going through.

Though it was the hardest thing for me to do, as everything in my oldself in the flesh was screaming out to me, to react, especially when I was  hurt or gripped with fear, instead, I conformed to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in my heart by praising Him with tears rolling down my eyes.

It is then I realised the truth of this scripture in Isaiah 40:31 " But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles; They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."

What a revelation this scripture is in my life. Praise God! What strength He has bestowed in my life. If not for His strength I would have been perished into a world of darkness, clothed with fear, anxiety,  sadness and despair.

It was His strength that helped me to become energised to withstand any trial I had to face.

The awareness of His presence gave me the confidence that I am never alone.

 He assures once again in Isaiah 30:15 " In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength."

It was then I realised what, 2 Corth 3:18 meant. What is that?

When I confess in faith, I live in the spirit of Christ, I begin to walk with unveiled face, I am  actually free from the bondage of sin.

Therefore the Word in 2 Corth 3:17 " Now the lord is the spirit; and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." comes alive in me and sets me free from bondage of negative strongholds of sin caused from fruits of fear.

Every kind of strive of the flesh is put to death.

My futile attempt of using my own human effort( strive) to become like Jesus is put to death.
He becomes my righteousness. I am already made right in Him.

Infact every victory is derived from saying " No" to the flesh, and inturn " are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the spirit of God" comes alive.

 I saw in my spirit that each time I died in the flesh and overcame my weakness in His strength, I was being transformed into the same image ( in Christ) and every step of victory over the flesh,  was going from glory to glory.

Eventhough, I have disappointed the Holy Spirit, and at times I have fallen short of His glory, by giving in to the flesh and subject myself to strive, I am encouraged by the Holy Spirit to trust in His Word that nothing can seperate me from His Love (no sin) .  Everytime I repent I have the assurance of His forgiveness.

His Word that Mercy (Jesus on the cross) triumphs judgement gives me the understanding that He has paid the prize for my sin and has already washed me as white as snow with His Blood.

That this life He has given me, is to live in expectation that He wants to do something wonderful for me.

That is the good news of salvation for me. Read Isaiah 61:1-8 .
I am encouraged in this scripture that when I conform to His ways by living as His witness He will recompense me with double honor.(verse 7-8).

I thank God for His exceeding grace He has showered upon me as it is written in  Ephesians 3:20, without which it would have been virtually impossible for me to share with you such profound truths of His glory in my life. God be praised.

It is my prayer that whoever reads this testimony will be blessed through His living Word which He has revealed to me through His Love and Mercy.


God Bless