Whispers of Expressing

His Life ⁽¹⁾

by Ray and Doris Prinzing

Chapter 2

 POSSESSED BY CHRIST

"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? -And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." [1 Corinthians 3:16,23]. 

             That we are His inheritance, His possession, is true. Paul prayed, in Ephesians 1:18, "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints."
             People are quite prone to talk about that which is "me, and mine." Of what  God promises to do for us, to bless us. But it is good to consider that God also has an inheritance ― that we are HIS POSSESSION, in a very personal way, beyond the more general, yet glorious fact that "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof,. the world, and they that dwell therein." [Psalm 24:1]. In its totality, and in that particular area of which I am a part, it is ALL THE LORD'S. He is "The Most High, possessor of heaven and earth." [Genesis 14:19].
             But, some will ask, what about the verse that reads, "the gods of this world hath blinded the minds..." [2 Corinthians 4:4], or, "the prince of the power of the air..." [Ephesians 2:2].
            So let me answer: Jesus spoke of a people, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." [John 17:14]. Then what world is satan a prince and a power over? We say, he is over moral intelligences who submit to his lying reign, and those who are "taken captive by him at his will." [2 Timothy 2:26].
            But we are not of those who would yield to Satan's influence. WE ARE IN A WORLD THAT BELONGS TO GOD. Satan is not my god, nor is he my prince. We dwell on the earth that is the Lord's. We recognize only ONE GOD over this present kosmos, world arrangement. "For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained ( ordered) of God." [Romans 13:1]. His control is absolute, including the control over the interplay of good and evil. HE alone is the possessor of heaven and earth. Bless His name!
            But our thought in this chapter is not just that God controls all, that He possesses all― it is His domain ―but we would zero in on the fact that we, ourselves, are to become fully POSSESSED BY HIM, indwelt by Him, so that He exercises internal control, living out His life through us, as we, in our covenant relationship with Him, live and breathe as one.
            That the Spirit of God DWELLETH in you." The Greek word for "dwell" is "oikeo," meaning: to occupy. Often times it is prefixed by "en" (IN) to signify a FIXED POSITION. Or it might be prefixed by "kata" meaning: DOWN, thus giving the thought TO RESIDE PERMANENTLY. The Spirit of God is to dwell in us, fixed as to location, not transitory, but ACTIVELY AT HOME IN US in a permanent condition.
            Thus He becomes that indwelling LIFE, operative, to influence, pervade, prompt, govern, directing the entire course of our life.
            When this is in the negative realm, there are two points we would note. There are those instances of demon possession, with demons residing in a man. And there is also that demonic oppression from without, as the spirit of the world presses against men, to the point it could be said by some people, "the devil made me do it." Sin-controlled, with all its lust, rage, compulsive behaviour. "To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness." [Romans 6:16].
            When the pressures come against you from without, to the point that you yield yourself to them, then you react in accordance with that behaviour control. "The spirit that now worketh (energizeth) in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation (Greek, manner of behaviour) in times past in the lusts of the flesh and of the mind." [Ephesians 2:2-3]. But when the Spirit of Christ dwells within us, then HE enables us to overcome this outward pressure, and we can express HIS LIFE, not the world's behaviour. What a challenge to be INDWELT BY CHRIST!
            Romans 7:15, 17, 23-24, from the Phillips translation, gives some of this conflict. "My own behaviour baffles me. For I find myself not doing what I really want to do but doing what I really loathe. ― But it cannot be said that "I" am doing them at all ― it must be sin that has made its home in my nature. ― My conscious mind wholeheartedly endorses the Law, yet I observe an entirely different principle at work in my nature. This is in continual conflict with my conscious attitude... it is an agonizing situation..."
            It is this indwelling of the mystery of iniquity of the old adamic nature that has plagued many Christians. For we are taught that "If any man be in Christ, a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." [2 Corinthians 5:17]. And they say, if this be true, then why am I thus? with such baffling behaviour of internal conflict? Then the holy Spirit begins to reveal the fact that we are yet in the PROCESS of coming INTO Christ, and we are not yet fully IN Him. Positionally, yes, but in an experiential way we are still ascending. He hath "raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." [Ephesians 2:6]. This is the reality of what we are and have IN CHRIST. But what HE HAS in me is still being worked out by the grace of God! And we are "confident of this very thing, that HE which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." [Philippians 1:6]. For HE IS both "the Author and the Finisher of our faith." [Hebrews 12:2].
        Understanding that it is a PROCESS, that old things are experientially passing away, and all things are becoming new, we are freed from the condemnation for not being yet perfect, but we also thank God that we are not as we used to be. Therefore we can say that at this point, "I am what I am by the grace of God," and I will be all that He purposes for me to be when He has fully wrought His work in me.
          Thus we pass from the conflict of Romans 7, into the victory of Romans 8:1, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them in Christ Jesus." Why? Because, verse, "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." How do we escape the conflict that we experience  then the "law of sin and death" dwells in us? WE HAVE THE VICTORY BY BEING CHRIST-POSSESSED, controlled by "the law of the Spirit of life."
          Though all natural illustrations have their limitations, yet they also give us glimpses into principles of truth. In those areas of our country where we have the change of seasons, with summer and winter, we find there are certain trees, rose bushes, types of shrubbery, etc. that seem to often retain their leaves in the fall ― brown, dead, yet clinging to the branch. The winds and snows of winter cannot remove them. But come spring, with the upsurge of NEW LIFE, the inner life that flows outward through the branch will force the old leaves to fall off, that the new leaves might appear. It does no good to condemn the tree in the fall, the brown leaves hang on. You might carefully try to pick them off one by one. Or, you can wait till that NEW LIFE FLOWS, and then the INNER LIFE accomplishes what all the exterior condemnations could never do.
          Furthermore, as the new life emerges, it does not carry on with harsh inditements, "get out of my way, you ugly, dead leaf." It simply LIVES, it quietly expresses its life, and everything that bespeaks of death falls away.
          The more we are POSSESSED BY THE LIFE OF THE CHRIST, we will not condemn ourselves, nor anyone around us, concerning the things of the flesh, for HIS LIFE will cause them to drop off, while all the more HE is manifested in the positiveness of His victory.
          Herein is the glory and the wonder of His new covenant with man, "I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people." [Hebrews 8:11].
          It is true, when HE writes on our heart, "thou shalt not drink strong drink," we will not drink it. When He writes on our heart, "thou shalt not defile your body with smoking, unhealthy foods, adulterous relationships, etc." then it is true, we will not do those things. But all of that is still in the negative view of "thou shalt not." Praise God, HE is able to keep us from doing that which we ought not to do. Even as He said to Abimelech, "For I also withheld thee from sinning against Me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her." [Genesis 20:6]. Divine RESTRAINT is a beautiful working of God. But the positive side is even better, when HE writes in our heart of His MORE EXCELLENT WAY, and we live out the EXPRESSIONS OF HIS LIFE, then it is self-evident that we won't be doing any of these negative things. He will not have to tell us what not to do, by virtue of writing within us of the way wherein we shall go ― His way that leads into the fulness of His life. Amen!
        How marvellous therefore is the promise: "I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh." [Joe 12:28]. ― "And all flesh shall see the salvation of God." [Luke 3:6]. ― "For all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest." [Hebrews 8:11]. ― "And they shall all be taught of God." [John 6:45]. Hallelujah!
      However, back to the more immediate present, and His inworkings in us. Paul writes on, Romans 8:9, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the SPIRIT OF GOD DWELL in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." Once we had our life in the flesh, and followed the impulses and imaginations of that realm, but now a change is taking place, HE DWELLS WITHIN, to be the Source of our life, and we are no longer to be controlled and dominated by the lower nature of the flesh, for HE is more and more living out HIS LIFE through us. "The fact is that what we are we owe to the hand of God upon us. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do those good deeds which God planned for us to do." [Ephesians 2:10, Phillips].
      Furthermore, "If the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead DWELL IN YOU, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies BY HIS SPIRIT THAT DWELLETH IN YOU." [Romans 8:11].
      Such indwelling is more than an occasional visit from time to time. It is more than just a "shower of blessing" for a given need. We are reminded that the word means: to occupy, a fixed position, to reside permanently. HE IS ALWAYS THERE! "For He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my Helper. .." [Hebrews 13:5-6].
      No wonder Paul prayed, "That Christ may DWELL in your hearts by faith." [Ephesians 3:17]. And also admonishes us, "Let the WORD OF CHRIST DWELL in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." [Colossians 3:16].
      When the "Word of God dwells in you richly," you will find that the holy Spirit will bring to your remembrance those truths throughout the day which will be your strength and stability, so that you can meet the challenges which arise, and come through every processing triumphantly. "The WORD is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach." [Romans 10:8]. This INDWELLING WORD shall say, "This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." [Isaiah 30:21].
     Then shall there be a song also abiding within, "singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." As apart of His indwelling He ministers to us in these songs, melodies, choruses, guiding our steps, keeping us girded up to that which is right, that we might express Him. Is it any wonder therefore why God is dealing with His people so strongly in their music? And do we not see why the world has gone to such lengths to control the youth with their music? The INDWELLING SONG will influence our motivations and actions.
      Paul wrote to Timothy concerning "The unfeigned faith that is in thee, which DWELT first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that IN THEE also." [2 Timothy 1:5]. AN INDWELLING FAITH. This is not man's self-effort of struggling to believe. Rather, as Jesus said to His disciples, "Have the faith of God." [Mark 11:22]. Such faith is "not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." [Ephesians 2:8]. And when HIS FAITH DWELLS IN US, possesses us, we will live out the evidences of that faith.
      The man that has faith in himself, sets out to accomplish his vision, what he is believing, with his own strength and abilities. But the one that has God's faith dwelling in him, will find that God watches over His own Word to perform it, and it will be HIS STRENGTH which fulfills the vision. Thus we enter into the REST OF FAITH, to believe ― to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Living out the vision through His enablement, it is not the expression of "our" faith, but of "HIS." Praise God.
      Then in his instruction to Timothy, Paul writes on: "For I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that HE is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." GOD IS THE KEEPER! Therefore, Timothy, "That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the holy Spirit which DWELLETH in us." [2 Timothy 1:12,14]. Without the INDWELLING KEEPER we are not able to keep anything. "Except the Lord keep the city, the watchmen waketh but in vain." [Psalm 127:1]. But, praise God, we shall be "Kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." [1 Peter 1:5].
      How beautifully balanced and rounded out it all becomes. Christ dwells within, the Word dwells within, Faith dwells within, the holy Spirit dwells within, to be THE ACTIVE FORCE that possesses us, motivates us, governs us, keeps us ― to bring us into the fulness of His life.
      James writes of an added dimension of reality and victory concerning the indwelling of the Spirit, (4:5), "Do you think that the scripture saith in vain, The Spirit that DWELLETH in us lusteth to envy?" Lusteth ― literally, strong desire. What is he saying? James is letting us know that the holy Spirit, taking up residence within us, has a strong desire for our holiness, enough so, that he wages a continual warfare against friendship with the world, so that we "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world." [1 John 2:15]. The indwelling Spirit claims you for GOD'S TERRITORY, and to the point that He is envious against any encroachment of evil into our life. We know that "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit," but it is also written that, "THE SPIRIT AGAINST THE FLESH." [Galatians 5:17]. Therefore the more we "walk in the Spirit," the more we will "not fulfill the lust of the flesh," for we will be KEPT by the indwelling of the holy Spirit.
      The Word is clear, having received Him into our hearts, He lives in us NOW, to rule, reign, making it an experiential reality. We read of the truths that we are crucified with Christ, buried with Him, and yes, risen with Him, and these are all POSITIONAL FACTS, but they only become an experiential reality by the indwelling of His Spirit, as He guides us into all truth. For, "When He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:" [John 16:8].
      The word "sin" means: to err, to miss the mark. Obviously unbelief will cause us to MISS the way into His Life. If we do not BELIEVE ON HIM, we do not have a Way into life. "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." [1 John 5:12].
      Verse 10, "Of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more." What did He mean by this? The Spirit guides us into the understanding of the righteousness of Christ, and the totality of its victory. "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the OBEDIENCE OF ONE shall many be made righteous." [Romans 5:19]. And the proof of His personal righteousness and purity, which He shall impart to all men, is because (says He) "I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more," intimating that, were He the least defiled, the Father would not accept Him, and receive Him into glory. The Father will only receive back INTO HIMSELF, into the dimensions of His glory, that which is HOLY AS HE IS HOLY, pure as He is pure, perfect as He is perfect. And herein is the cause of our great rejoicing, THE FATHER RECEIVED HIM. "I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne." [Revelation 3:21]. The Father testifies that His Son is totally righteous. And now, it is this righteousness which He imparts unto us ― "That we might be made (become) the righteousness of God in Him." [2 Corinthians 5:21]. Then we shall be "as receivable as He was receivable."
      It is more than an "imputed righteousness," but it is WORKED INTO US until it becomes our STATE OF BEING. That is why "The Lord... scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." [Hebrews 12:6]. And while "no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." (verse 11). All of our processings are "for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness." (verse 10). How marvellous!
      Yes, praise God, the holy Spirit comes to reprove us of the sin of unbelief and then to impart the faith of God to dwell in us. He works the process of our being made partakers of His righteousness. And then, John 16:11, "Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." Herein is the security of our victory! HE has already gained total victory over every satanic realm, not only to pass sentence upon him, but He went on to "destroy (Greek, make inactive, down ―idle) him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." [Hebrews 2:14]. And now, believing into Him, HE becomes sovereign God in our life, and we, too, can reckon that FOR US this judgment is becoming an active reality. As we become ONE IN HIM, His victory is our victory also!
      It is a covenant union -to live and breathe as one. It is CHRIST IN YOU! This bespeaks of a penetration, of an emptying out of self, and a being filled with Himself ― a painful process, I dare say. But the more we truly EXPERIENCE HIM, and He DWELLS within, to exercise His Lordship, His divine government, the more we enjoy the blessed results ―His peace. The more we acknowledge "Glory to God in the Highest," the more we also enjoy. peace on (in our) earth." The result of His Kingship is always peace!
      Our being POSSESSED BY HIM becomes an inworking ONENESS, a UNION, so that we become one in His nature, to live out His life. "I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God." [Galatians 2:20].
      Such possession by Him becomes an INCARNATION, lifting us up into new dimensions, into His kingdom life.
     The law of Biogenesis illustrates this in a beautiful way, for it demonstrates that during all of recorded history, life has only come from pre-existing life. No human power has ever been able to produce life out of inorganic chemical material. Life is not now being originated on earth, but all the life forms today spring from pre-existing life forms of some kind. The inorganic world is circumscribed from the living world by barriers which have never been crossed from within. No change of substance, no modification of environment, no chemistry, nor any form of energy, nor any evolution can give to a single atom of the mineral world the attribute of life. Only as they are possessed by some living form can they be gifted with the properties of life. The gulf between death and life can only be bridged as life bends down and embraces the lower realm, possesses it, and lifts it to the higher realm.
      Year by year we watch this process with our garden. A seed is planted, its inner life lays hold upon the chemical elements in the ground, converts them into food, and builds up a LIVING tissue out of the matter that had never lived theretofore.
      The stone may roll down the hill and smash into the tree, but it does not lay hold of the life of the tree. If anything, it can but minister the realm of death of which it is. But take that stone through all the ministrations of the elements of rain, freezing, heat and cold, wind, etc. and bring about a crushing to fine powder, and the life of the tree will reach out and take those mineral properties of the stone and absorbing them into itself, will raise that "processed stone" into the higher form of its life.    The Law is: except a mineral (or man) be born FROM ABOVE, from the kingdom that is just above it, it cannot enter that kingdom just above it. Only as it is POSSESSED by the higher, does the lower ascend.
      The message is clear ― the earth will never POSSESS the Kingdom of God, but the earth shall be POSSESSED BY the Kingdom of God. The Higher must always possess the lower, to raise it up to its own dimension.
      "And you who were dead in trespasses and sins...GOD, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherein He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, and hath RAISED US UP together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." [Ephesians 2:1,4-6].
      In view of all this, how absolutely useless is any form of man's self-reformation, with his empty ritual, lifeless creed, works of the flesh! "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" [Galatians 3:3].
      We know that, as previously quoted, "He that hath the Son hath life." But let us re-word this, and it does no despite to the scripture, "Whom the Son hath possessed hath life," and whom the Son has not yet possessed remains dead. For, "No man can come to Me, except The Father which hath sent Me draw him." [John 6:44]. The DRAWING, the reaching out and embracing, the possessing is done by the Higher realm, as He chooses us, lays hold of us, and raises us up into rarified forms of glory beyond all expression. How we need to be fully INDWELT BY HIM, possessed by Him, that HIS LIFE might pervade through every avenue of our being.
      All of man's carnal claiming, and so-called appropriating, are but words bouncing in the dark, they accomplish absolutely nothing. It is the work of our Sovereign God who reaches into our life, and says, "I will possess this one." And when He does, "ye are not your own," but you are HIS!
      Where then is our responsibility in all of this processing? Ah, the Word is also clear for this, "To whom ye YIELD yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are..." [Romans 6:16]. "SUBMIT yourselves therefore to God." [James 4:7]. "LET patience have her perfect work..." [ James 1:4] .
      To yield ―to submit ―to LET― for there must be a giving up of our life on the lower realm, if we are to be RECEIVED BY the Higher realm. If we are prone to resist, then He will continue to send the rain, the wind, the heat and the cold, until we have been fully subdued. On whomsoever "The Stone shall fall, it will grind him to powder." HE has the ways and means, for "When Thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness." [Isaiah 26:9]. But it is not always to be a continuous work of discipline, correctional chastening, ever learning ― for the prophet goes on, verse 12, "Lord, Thou wilt ordain peace for us; for Thou also hast wrought all our works in us." Yea, "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me."[Psalm 138:8]. Furthermore, the Psalmist adds, in the remainder of that verse, "Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever," and then he gives the prayer, "Forsake not the works of Thine own hands." Trusting, BELIEVING in His mercy, His love, we know HE will finish in us that which He has begun.
      How expressive are the words of the little chorus: 

            "Lord, take me and break me until I'm nothing,
            Then take me and mold me until I'm something,
            Take me, and use me, for Your glory,
            Until all that I am is YOU!"
 
      Within the hearts of those whom the Father has apprehended in this day, burns the fire of desire to be fully possessed by Him ― indwelt by His Spirit, indwelt by His Word, indwelt by His faith, so that the life which we live is a manifestation of HIM!
      There is no way that we can lift ourselves up by our own boot-straps. But, "As for us, we all, with uncovered face, reflecting as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are having our outward expressions changed into the same image from one degree of glory to another AS THIS CHANGE OF EXPRESSION PROCEEDS FROM THE LORD, the Spirit, this outward expression coming from and being truly representative of our Lord." [2 Corinthians 3:18, Wuest Expanded].
      Only as this change of expression "PROCEEDS FROM THE LORD," comes to us from Him, are we being changed. HE must possess us, to bring us into His life.
      The writer to the Hebrews admonishes us, "Let us go on to perfection..." and then adds the qualifying statement, And this will we do, IF GOD PERMIT." [Hebrews 6:1,3]. For only as He imparts of the life, do we have life. But, once a measure is imparted to us, let us receive it with joy, yield to it, and live it out to His glory and praise. And as He finds us faithful with the little portions we have received, then shall He continue to impart more and more, until "mortality is swallowed up of life." [2 Corinthians 5:4].

                    Possessed "indwelt by Christ alone,
                    This is my heart's desire,
                     Desire He hath placed within ―
                     A purifying fire.

                    Full well He knows just what I need,
                    Inworking of His grace,
                    Till I am pure as He is pure,
                    Ready to see His face.
 
                    No works of self can transform self,
                    From Him the change must come,
                    His Spirit speaks the promise sure,
                    Of life in fullest sum.
 
                    Possessed ―indwelt by Christ alone,
                    That Kingdom from above.
                    Let every atom of my earth
                    Yield to this wondrous love.
 
                    That I may be unto His praise,
                    A son He doth receive.
                    To know His resurrection life ―
                    Yea, this I do believe!
         
                    Then I shall live as He doth live,
                    Expression of His grace,
                    A living witness of the hope
                    For every tribe and race.
 
                    Possessed ―indwelt by Christ alone,
                    God shall be all in all,
                    Be everything to everyone
                    On this terrestial ball.