Meditations of the supernatural man
Matt. 28:18-20;
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Jesus makes it clear that the goal of discipleship is to put the disciple’s focus on all that he commanded. He says you’ll teach them to ‘observe’ – that is, to put their attention on something. This means that spiritual growth is actually of the mind. You’re putting their mind on all that Jesus commanded. Furthermore, this implies that the Christian faith is one of focus.
Read Eph. 1:16-23;
Paul prays for the church, and the content of his prayer focuses on his desire for them to have their eyes enlightened. Thus, he shows us what should be the default perception of God’s children: to stay in the know of the calling. It is therefore vital to ask: “Do my eyes see these things?” “Are they my everyday meditation?” Spiritual wisdom puts our attention on the hope of his calling.
Eph. 2:6;
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
The believer’s life is a raised life. ‘Seated with him’ is actually used for company. This brings to the fore the truth that we are where Christ is. We have company with Christ. Part of our knowledge and meditations will be the believer’s state. Hence, one of the things we pay attention to is the fact that we are alive in Christ. The Christian has hope – he has a supernaturally-orchestrated life. He is not reaching for help, he has been helped. Spiritual wisdom demands that this becomes our daily meditation.
Read Col. 2
Paul puts our attention to the state of the believer and lets us know that we aren’t just quickened, we are also dead to the rudiments of this world.
See Ch. 3:1;
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Paul says we ought to seek those things that are above. Your greatest meditation ought to be on things above. The things above refer to the supernatural – what Christ has done. Paul lets us know that our company with Christ will produce in us a certain kind of conduct. He notes things the believer ought to put off: anger, filthy communication, malice, backbiting, blasphemy and so on…
When you see a believer given to meditating on things above, you’ll see a believer free from wrath. Thus, Paul takes their attention off the wrong things and puts it in the right place (vs. 12) – bowels of mercy (Gal. 5:22; Eph. 4:2). The believer must learn to do that a lot – to forbear because he companies with mercy. He ought to reflect the same.
The Christian has something to think about, setting his affections on the things that cannot fade.
Col. 3:12:14;
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
This is the supernatural life. Thus, putting your attention on things above will be to put your attention on love, kindness, forgiveness, humility, and thanksgiving. Put off the old man and his deeds and put on affections produced as a result of our company with Christ.
Our new-found life has given us a new way of thinking. Think on the above and do it. Act the ascended life that you have. Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you. Let your affections be fixed on what Christ has done, is doing, and will do in you.
Daily Bible Reading Plan:
Bible Reading – Song of Solomon 1-8
TEACHING OF THE DAY
Spiritual Growth (What, Where, When and How) – 4