God Inside Minded – Part 2

“For it is God that works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

We must all become God-inside minded, because it is God (in Christ) in us, the hope of glory. I picture this as a massive house built out of brick. You cannot lay the top brick until you first lay the foundation. Then you build the house by laying one brick at a time. Likewise, you become God-inside minded by beginning to build God's Word in your life, day after day, brick after brick, until you get the whole structure of your life built up into a beautiful tabernacle for God. It must be brick, after brick, after brick. You do not genuinely become God-inside minded overnight. You have to build and stay faithful – day-by-day. You have to stay focused on God's Word, and keep building on it – just like a house."

"God is at work within us to will and to do of His good pleasure,” so we have to become God-inside minded. Many times I’ve heard people ask, "What do I need to do?" or "What does God want me to do?" The first question you should ask in order to become God-inside minded is not "What should I do" but "What did He do?" "What should I do?" is very self-centred. "What did God do for me?" is God centred. To begin to walk with God and to be God-inside minded you must go to God's Word and get knowledge of what God did for you. Get to know God intimately through His word.

•   The book of Ephesians is the greatest revelation that God ever gave to the church. It contains several prayers and focuses our attention on what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. The prayers of Ephesians are God's prayers for us.

I want to focus in detail on the first prayer in Ephesians 1:17-23 because the point of this prayer (as with the entire epistle) is that we get a knowledge of God. That is the only way we can become God-inside minded. Ephesians 1:17, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” The prayer is that we get knowledge of HIM. Our prayers are often self-centred. The Lord’s Prayer for us is always God centred. We often try to get a knowledge of ourselves or the world around us: "What should I do?" – "How do I get to know myself?" – "How do I understand the world around me?" – "Why do the wicked prosper?" and on and on and on. However, God's prayer is that we get a knowledge of HIM. As we go to God's Word and get knowledge of God we become God-inside minded.

Ephesians 1:18-19, …“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to toward us who believe…”

1.   To know what is HIS calling,
2.   To know what is HIS inheritance,
3.   To know what is HIS power.

(1)   The prayer is to know HIM. It is not to know OUR calling: "What have I been called to do?" The prayer is to know HIS calling. "What was God's purpose in calling us?"

(2)   The prayer is not to know what is OUR inheritance. The prayer is that we gain a knowledge of the inheritance GOD HAS in us.

(3)   The prayer is not to know what power we have; it is to gain a knowledge of God's power. The prayer is that we become God-inside minded by gaining a knowledge of God. Let’s now examine these three key areas:

1.   HIS CALLING

Ephesians 1:4, “According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Ephesians 1:5, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” God's Word declares that God chose us first! – "before the foundation of the world." The knowledge of God's calling is that He called you FIRST!

God called us to be holy. God called us to be without blame. God called us to be His children (adoption of children means to be placed as a son). God's calling was "according to the good pleasure of HIS will." Chosen IN HIM, predestinated to be HIS children, according to HIS good pleasure. This is the knowledge of God's calling! If you’re not convinced, here are some other scriptures:

To be God-inside minded is to have knowledge of God's calling! "What is my calling?" is a question that’s attached to the knowledge of God. He chose us first. He called us according to His OWN purpose and grace. That is the knowledge of God. That is the calling we should focus our lives on.

2.   HIS INHERITANCE

God has an inheritance in the saints (that’s you and me)! Ephesians 2:7 declares: “In order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” The Amplified says, “He did this that He might clearly show (demonstrate) through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favour) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus.”

The word show is to “exhibit”. God is going to have a show! He is going to show us off. We are His children. Just as any proud father wants to show off his wonderful children, God is going to show us off. We are God's inheritance! The Word of God does talk about an inheritance that we have waiting for us – that God has prepared for us. But the prayer in Ephesians 1 is talking about the inheritance that God has is us. To be God-inside minded is to understand that we are God's inheritance!

3.   HIS POWER

Ephesians 1:19-23, “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that fills (floods) all in all.”

The knowledge of God's power is that, with HIS power He raised Christ from the dead. He seated Christ at HIS own right hand. He made Christ head of the church – which is His body. We are the body of Christ. He placed Christ far above all principality, power, might and dominion. He put all His enemies under His feet. And since we are His body, all is also under our feet. We are seated in the heavenly places in Him! What power! That is the knowledge of God. That is what it means to be God-inside minded. By looking up we can actually see IN!

Ephesians 3:20, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” The power that is at work within us is – GOD! We have His Word telling us that it is His power in us. Therefore, when we become God inside minded, we can manifest the greatness of His powerful Word in every situation. To be God-inside minded is to have knowledge of God.

Knowledge of the Almighty God that dwells inside of you. He is your father! The majestic God that created the heavens and earth! Read Ephesians and pay attention to that which it tells you about your wonderful God.

Ephesians 1:9, “Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself.” It’s all about HIM! Get to know Him intimately and become God-inside minded. The more aware you are of God the easier it will be to sense His presence inside of you. Then when you sense His presence, you will be able to acknowledge Him in every situation and every circumstance. You will get a real awareness that He is with you and that He will never leave you or forsake you.

To KNOW Him is to love Him. And to LOVE Him is to be in constant fellowship with Him. Yes, God is always on the throne, but He has chosen to be on the throne in your heart! Let Him rule from this position and you will live in victory!

Chris Demetriou, 12/09/2010