Clean!

Reading Time: 9 Minutes

Peter’s Vision

The apostle Peter was very hungry one day while he was praying on his roof and he saw a vision. A sheet came down from heaven filled with all kinds of animals considered to be spiritually unclean. When the vision was over God spoke to Peter and told him to get up, kill and eat those kinds of animals.

“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” Acts 10:14-15 NIV

That same day some men showed up to visit Peter. They had been sent by a Roman centurion named Cornelius to ask Peter to come visit him. Cornelius was a “God-fearing man” even though he wasn’t Jewish. He had not yet heard about Jesus. The next day when Peter arrived at Cornelius’ house there were a lot of people inside waiting with Cornelius.

Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. So I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. Now tell me why you sent for me.” Acts 10:28-29 NLT

Cornelius’ Encounter

Cornelius told Peter that three days earlier a man appeared to him in clothing that shined like light. The angelic-like being told Cornelius to send for Peter, so that’s what he did. Peter was so amazed!

Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. Acts 10:34-35 NIV

Peter shared the Gospel of Jesus with all the people there and they received the message! The Holy Spirit fell on them all and they began speaking in new languages and praising God. Then they were baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ!

Baptism in water represents that we have died to our old self and have been made clean by the blood of Jesus. We are resurrected into new life by the power of the Holy Spirit– the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead!

Peter’s Encounter

This is a short version of the story. But the point is that God was showing 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) Peter was able to sit and fellowship with Cornelius’ family and friends at God’s Family Table in the heavenly realms. He was also free to eat and fellowship with them at Cornelius’ family table in the natural realm!

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! It is a simple phrase that can help us purify our thoughts and actions about ourselves and the Body of Christ.

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

God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, Jesus, so that whoever believes in Him can have eternal life! Nobody is cleaner than another because of their own works, influence, intelligence, spiritual knowledge, appearance, size, style, health, affluence, age or anything else. Our sins are washed away because of the blood of Jesus alone! If we do not see ourselves as cleansed by the Blood of Jesus we will begin trying to earn our salvation through good works This way of thinking is spiritually unhealthy and hinders our faith in God’s grace.

The Foundation of Our Faith

By his blood we are now put right with God; how much more, then, will we be saved by him from God’s anger! We were God’s enemies, but he made us his friends through the death of his Son. Now that we are God’s friends, how much more will we be saved by Christ’s life!  Romans 5:9-10 GNT

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!

The Happy Girl

I remember having a conversation about this after school with a classmate in the 9th grade. 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. We don’t sin.” 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. 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 cleansed by the Blood and 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 and 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 of us are not experiencing the joy of the Lord because we have been ignoring the Holy Spirit. Our focus has been on the earthly realm instead of the realm of the Spirit. We must rest in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that our sin has been atoned for. There is no reason to live in shame and disgrace. Jesus washed our sins away and He changed our identity. We are now clean!

Your Brothers & Sisters are Clean

Focusing upon “what others must think about you” can invite a spirit of shame to work in your life. After a while that spirit will convince you that you are unloved, unworthy, unwanted or in other words “unclean.”

The offense will cause you to doubt that you are who Jesus says you are– holy and dearly loved by God. In that offense, you cannot see others through the cleansing Blood of the cross. You can only see them through a spirit of shame. It will cause you to try to please others in your own power instead of trusting in the grace of God through Jesus Christ.

Live in the Light

The heavenly realms where we are seated with God is a light filled zone because it is full of God’s presence and free of sin and shame. Allow the joy of your salvation into every area of your life and you will begin to see a change in your desires and your behavior. You used to live in darkness. Now you live in the Light!

 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:6-7 NKJV

Please do not misunderstand me. We should never become prideful by believing that we have attained any righteousness by our own efforts. Humility causes us to live in the Spirit of God, grow up in the Spirit of God and always give Him all the glory for the light we are blessed to live in.

Living in the light of God is also being honest with God about your weaknesses and sin. He cannot help us if we are apathetic about sin or if we hide our sin. But God delights when we repent and bring our failures to His light. The light of His presence delivers, heals and empowers us to love Him and others well! It is in the light of His Truth that He can set us free!

Grow in the Spirit

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 God wants us free. Our souls need an overhaul and it takes time so don’t give up on the process. God is so patient with us as we grow up in Him! One day our tree will bear really good fruit!

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 is a simple scripture that helps us to remember that we are clean!

If you are tempted to slander a brother or sister in Christ, declare to your soul:

“Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” Acts 10:15 NLT

Maybe you trusted in the grace of Jesus and have turned away from sin but you still feel accused by the devil. Declare to your soul:

“What God has cleansed and pronounced clean, no longer consider common (unholy).” Acts 10:15 AMP

When someone that lived a worldly lifestyle comes into your church seeking God, pray for their salvation and declare to your soul:

“What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” Acts 10:15 NASB

If someone slanders you, falsely accuses you or gossips about you and you begin feeling condemned, go to God, renounce the lies, forgive them and declare the truth to your own soul:

“Do not consider anything unclean that God has declared clean.” Acts 10:15 GNT

Cornelius Was Declared Clean

Consider the story of Cornelius. (Acts 10) He was a God-fearing man even before he heard the Good News about Jesus. But Cornelius knew there had to be more. He somehow realized that his own good works would never be able to wash away his sins. God saw the desire of his heart and Cornelius found God’s forgiveness and cleansing power through faith in Jesus Christ.

Rejoice With Jesus!

Jesus endured the suffering of the cross because of the joy set before Him. (Hebrews 12:2) He looked forward to the day that His blood would cleanse each and every one of us who become one with Him. Now that He has washed our sins away He wants us to be seated in that truth and rejoice with Him! (Revelation 19:7-8) He has declared us clean! (Ephesians 1:1) Hallelujah!