Have You Come to Fullness In Christ?
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10
Life to the full implies that Christ fills our lives and nothing is missing. Christ can replace all the power Satan has over us with his divine, loving power. If we are living in the fullness of Christ, then we are free in Christ. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1). How do we attain fullness in Christ and what does it mean to be free in Christ?
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6) Being filled with Christ and being free in Christ comes from the faith that pleases God. A faith that fully trusts God is a faith that eagerly puts our lives in his hands. We pray and leave the answers and the timing in his hands, as we continue being his servants. We now have the faith that pleases God, a faith that compels us to step off of our own thrones and stop being our own gods.
The question is how do we get the faith that pleases the Lord and how do we get motivated to seek and minister to lost souls? These Christ-like characteristics will increase in our hearts as we live in the circle of spiritual growth. Through Bible study, prayer, and Christian fellowship, we learn about God’s love and his promises. We also learn of the forgiveness we have through Christ’s sacrifice. We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands (John 2:3). Through Bible study, prayer and fellowship we learn to be disciples of Christ, and we step out into the world to minister to lost souls. When we step out in faith we have entered the circle of spiritual growth.
Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did (1 John 2:6). As the Spirit leads us to live as Jesus lived, we experience the thoughts and emotions of Jesus which opens our hearts and draws us closer to him through the Word, prayer and fellowship. As we minister to the world we are driven into the Word, prayer, and fellowship, which motivates us back into the world to continue ministering. We are now motivated to be a light in this world as the Spirit guides us in our ministry. Without a heart motivated to minister to lost souls we cannot adequately do so. The Spirit often waits until we are ready.
This loop continues as we are consumed by God to minister to lost souls, finding a faith that pleases God, becoming highly motivated, and seeking to be fully dependent on God. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5)
The circle of growth consists of giving and receiving, and the more we minister to the world, the more we receive from the Lord. We are becoming more Christ-like, controlled by the Spirit and less controlled by the world. We are now free in Christ and living in the fullness of Christ. We believe every promise from the Lord; we pray for it, we strive for it, and we live it.
Today live in the circle of spiritual growth and live in the fullness of Christ. The more we live in this circle, the more fullness in Christ we receive. We will never reach 100% fullness in Christ this side of Heaven because of our flesh which lives in this sinful world, but we can always live more and more in the fullness of Christ.
Let’s Pray: Thank you Lord for providing fullness through Christ, freeing me from seeking fulfillment in this world. Thank you for guiding my soul to live in the Kingdom and to minister to the world from the Kingdom. Continue to draw me closer to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.