Clean!

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Unless we can see the reality of what has transpired in the spiritual realm through the death and resurrection of Jesus, it will be very difficult for us to live it out in the natural realm. The reality I want you to embrace through this post today is that through the cross and empty grave of Jesus you are clean! And because you are cleansed by Jesus, you have the power through Holy Spirit to live like it!

Peter’s Encounter

In Acts 10 God sent Peter to share the Good News to a Gentile named Cornelius. But Peter hesitated. He knew they were not Jewish and had been taught all his life that they were spiritually unclean– to stay away from them. The Lord showed Peter that a person didn’t have to become a Jew and keep Jewish laws in order to become a Christian. God was also saying that because of Jesus the Jewish forbidden foods were now okay to eat. (Mark 7:18-19)

Cornelius and all his family, employees and friends at his house received the Gospel of Jesus. God cleansed them from their sin and they were all baptized in water! Peter was amazed that he was able to sit and fellowship with them! They were born-again by the Spirit and seated with God in the heavenly realms, just like Peter (Ephesians 2:6). Peter was also free to eat and fellowship with them at Cornelius’ family table in the natural realm! They were declared clean– just like Peter was!

Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus!

For any Christian who still feels condemned, accused, dirty or unclean, there is a scripture phrase in this story that has stood out to me lately as a powerful mind-renewing Word from God.

“Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” Acts 10:15 NIV

No person is better than another based on their works, influence, intelligence, spiritual knowledge, appearance, size, style, health, affluence, nationality, age or anything else. A person is good only by accepting the blood sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah! He died on the cross for everyone in the world– even you– and wants to commune with you now and for eternity. When you believe in Jesus as God’s Son, you are spiritually cleansed and born-again by God’s Holy Spirit. He gives us power against the devil’s temptations to sin. (1 Corinthians 10:13) This spiritual realm reality empowers us in the natural realm!

The Foundation of Our Faith

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.  For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.  Romans 5:8-10 NLT

At one time we were sinners separated from The Most High God, but now we have been justified– cleansed by the blood of Jesus. God sees His children who follow Jesus through the eyes of the cross– clean! And that is how He wants us to see ourselves.

The Happy Girl

In the 9th grace I had a conversation after school with a classmate. We were from different church groups but considered each other fellow believers. Somehow we got on this subject and I said to her, “We’re saved but we are still sinners…” She joyfully replied, ” No, we’re not sinners anymore…” We shared our differences in opinion a couple of times before walking to the school bus.

It was the first time I had been confronted with a different viewpoint. I knew very little, if anything, about the spiritual realm and the Holy Spirit, but she did. What I remember about this girl was that she was always happy and sweet. And now, many years later, I have begun to understand the huge importance of our identity in Christ as redeemed children of God. We are thoroughly cleansed by the Blood. God wants us to focus on the reality of who we are in Christ– seated with God in the heavenly realms.

In The Beautiful Dream God gave me, Jesus touched me. Instantly, all sin, sickness, hopelessness, pain and fear left me as He filled me with perfect love. But also in the dream Jesus led me to the heavenly realms. In the dream I loved Jesus so much and still felt the atmosphere of heaven so richly around me and in me until… I realized that everyone else was seated except me. Shame overtook me and the beautiful joy of my salvation left me. The Holy Spirit stood up for me, and my Brothers and Sisters in the heavenly realms did as well. Then the Holy Spirit said, “Be seated.”

Be Seated in God’s Grace

Many Christians are not experiencing the joy of the Lord because we have not treasured the truth that Jesus has totally cleansed us from sin. Though we loved Jesus, we ignored the Holy Spirit and denied the power of the Good News. Many Christians, including me, were not confident in our identity in Christ. We lived from a position of defeat, allowing our bruised mind, will, emotions and health to rule instead of “putting on the truth” and living in the victory Jesus purchased for us on the cross.

Jesus is our identity! He has cleansed us from sin and brought us into Himself! We are one with Him and live in His righteousness. Even if you do everything you know to do to love Jesus and serve Him, if you believe the many lies of the accuser about yourself, you will see yourself as unclean, unworthy and never able to measure up. If you don’t focus on the truth that you have already been accepted by God and perfectly loved, you will also see your brothers and sisters through the same lens. This leads to disunity in the Body of Christ.

The Truth Sets Us Free

A constant barrage of belittling words and actions from others can lead you to a depressing place if you don’t know how to wear God’s armor (Ephesians 6:10-20) and renew your mind (Romans 12:2). But there’s hope! The Holy Spirit helps us resist temptations so we are not constantly living in defeat (Galatians 5:16-17)! Living in the light of God’s presence and His Word requires being honest with God about our weaknesses and sin. He cannot help us if we make excuses for our sin. But God delights when we repent, bring our failures to His light and allow Him to perform His transformational work in our lives.

The light of His presence delivers us from demons, heals our whole being and empowers us to love Him and others beyond our own ability! It is in the light of His Truth that Jesus sets us free! Believing that our name is written in the Book of Life, not because of our works but because our faith is in Jesus, is the foundation of our faith. It is the starting place we build our lives upon. The Good News of Jesus and the joy of our salvation can be ours every day! We are seated with our Father in the heavenly realms! We couldn’t be there if we weren’t thoroughly cleansed by the blood of Jesus.

All of us will have struggles in our spiritual growth. God knows the problems we have. He knows the sin that still remains that we are too blind to recognize. But Jesus wants us free! He doesn’t want us to settle for a sinful life. He wants us to experience His righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Our souls need an overhaul and it takes time, so don’t give up on the process. God is so patient as we grow up in Him! One day our tree will produce lots of really good fruit (Psalm 1)!

Renew Your Mind with Acts 10:15

Acts 10:15 is a powerful weapon of God’s light to help take our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 The Word is part of God’s armor. So, put on this truth:

• If you asked God to forgive you and have turned away from sin but you still feel accused by the devil. Declare to your soul: “I am clean!”

“What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean.” Acts 10:15 WEB

• If you are tempted to slander a brother or sister in Christ, declare to your soul: “They are clean!”

“What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean.” Acts 10:15 WEB

• When someone that lived a sinful lifestyle comes into your church seeking God, pray for their salvation and declare to your soul: “They are clean!”

“What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean.” Acts 10:15 WEB

• If someone falsely accuses you or gossips about you and you begin feeling condemned, go to God. Renounce the lies, forgive them from your heart and declare the truth to your own soul: “I am clean!”

“What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean.” Acts 10:15 WEB

Rejoice With Jesus

Jesus endured the suffering of the cross because of the joy set before Him. (Hebrews 12:2) He loved us and wanted us to be clean! The sin of the whole world was placed upon Jesus so we could be restored to God and set apart for God’s purposes. Let us focus on that spiritual reality and rejoice along with Him! (Revelation 19:7-8) He has declared us clean! (Ephesians 1:1) We can build our lives on that truth!