Oneness with the Lord

by Susan Sampson

I was so thankful when Laurie reminded us of the goal of our study.  What are we doing?  The goal is for our hearts to be one with God.  We want our hearts to be changed from sinful to Spirit-filled!

How is this possible?  Is it even possible?  Yes!  “But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).  Lord, I do believe, help my unbelief!

To have this communion and oneness with the Lord we must put our flesh to death.  “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all” (John 6:63).  We have been given all we need, Christ Himself.  The Spirit of the Almighty God lives in every believer.  We must choose by FAITH to believe this truth and not give in to the lies of the Deceiver.  The enemy is doing everything he can to distract us and keep us from believing in Christ and to get us to remain in the prison cell from which Jesus has set us free.

This is why we absolutely must be in God’s Word every day and be in prayer continually.  Because of our great need.  Because of our abject poverty.  We are living in the dry and weary land where there is no water (Psalm 63).  Apart from Jesus, the Living Water, our souls become dry and crusty.  We must come to the Wellspring of Life and drink deeply every day.  The world cannot meet this need.  Our flesh cannot meet this need.  Our husbands and children cannot meet this need.  Our neat and tidy homes cannot meet this need.  Our to-do lists cannot meet this need.  Only Christ alone.

“Our duty is to put to death our flesh by grace.  Our faith is to be in the blood of the lamb and the power of the Holy Spirit to give life and to overcome!”  Listen to what Paul tells us about grace: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14).

May the Lord grant us much grace to be able to put our flesh to death, and come to Him in His Word and in prayer and have sweet communion walking in the cool of the day (or heat of the summer) with Him.