“Everything is permissible (allowable and lawful) for me; but not all things are helpful (good for me to do, expedient and profitable when considered with other things). Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power.” 1Cor 6:12
What exerts the most power over you? The answer to this question is only something you can decide – but I would recommend you not decide it alone – let the Holy Spirit guide you into all truth concerning this question. Otherwise we have a tendency to look too kindly at our motivation and what really holds us.
There is a quote by Oswald Chambers that lays more insight into this question and its true response than perhaps we want…. But here it is: “It is not what we spend the most time on that molds us the most, but whatever exerts the most power over us.”
Think of that now –It’s not about what you spend the most time on, but what exerts the most power over you….
Many of us spend a lot of time reading the word of God, excavating Scripture for deep insight, time in prayer, serving, ministry etc. But this quote is saying that those matter not in terms of molding us most – because it depends on what exerts the most power over us! In fact… the thing that exerts the most power over us may not even be of the Lord, but it may be of this world. This is something to then investigate carefully!
This has driven me to inquire of the Lord… “How can I give You, Lord, the ability to exert the most influence over me? How can You become the preeminent force of my life? How can I choose to align with giving You this kind of power Lord?”
The answer is both simple, and yet difficult: simple to understand, difficult to exercise.
To allow the Lord this kind of preeminence, this kind of power exerted, we must make a conscious effort to frame every insight, to bring every thought captive, and every response yielded to the authority and reality of redemption that is found in the Cross and the work of the Cross through Christ Jesus. In essence, to live under the shadow of the reality of the Cross – continually allowing it to determine our position on every issue of life.
You see, as believers, we are no longer our own. However, while that is true in premise, many believers continue to live as if they are only their own – and call it Christianity. That kind of living does not display the demonstration or power of God in our lives, because we continue to live lives that are natural in substance – not under submission.
The greatest reality in life is what Jesus did at the Cross – it has overcome the world, even our faith! But unless we continually yield and live under that truth, we are allowing other things to exert the most power over us…
For instance: I may be completely yielded to the Word of God and what it reveals to me – but if I haven’t made the Cross a higher order of submission, then I have made my own understanding and intellect the preeminent thing. Thus, my soul is still basically in charge of what I do, my responses in life, and the thing that exerts the most influence over me. Not because I spend the most time in mental pursuits, but because that is the place of my highest yielded-ness. What that means is, that while I may understand what the Word shows me – it remains just an intellectual exercise. Until I have given Jesus and the Cross all authority to rule over me, I will continue in the mode of determining what I will and will not obey.
Once I yield myself totally to the redemptive reality, suddenly the pivot point for all my choices and all my understanding defaults to the Cross. Every issue that arises thereafter, every concern and question, every need and experience then becomes tied to the atonement. The baseline question for every need then becomes: “What does this issue have to do with the atonement?” In other words, what does the Cross and the reality that I am Christ’s now require me to do?
Without this preeminent authority being given to the reality of the redemption, I will decide things and give power to something lower than the Cross and Christ – generally my soul.
The litmus test for this reality is: What was the last time your heart was rent over a decision – because you were choosing submission to the Lord?
You see – no amount of intellect or mental insight into the instruction of the Lord would ever have brought Abraham to the place of offering his son Isaac on the altar. No intellectual understanding of the concept of forgiveness would have motivated Joseph to forgive his brothers of their betrayal and selling him into captivity. No great intellectual insight prompted Moses to choose oppression with the Hebrew slaves over the riches of Egypt. Every one of these situations required a renting of the heart to obey and choose the way of the Lord.
It is no different for us today! Daily we are faced with choices of comfort and convenience or the leading of the Lord and obedience. Where He is truly Lord – we will face a struggle in our own heart to obey. There will be a renting as we choose to submit! And yet, that is the provision He has made a way for at the Cross as He gave us not only forgiveness for our sin nature, but a new nature in Himself – abiding in us!
This is the redemptive reality that should exert all power over us! This is the life of Christ and the Kingdom ruling over us! It is not about more time in Bible Studies or prayer, or service. It is about the recognition of His authority over us and the walking of that authority out in our lives! This is the very reality and intention behind the Sermon on the Mount – The Beattitudes!
Yes, everything is permissible for me as a behavior and choice that is approved within me by the presence of the Holy Spirit abiding in me! The only choices that are lawful for me are ones led and in agreement with the Presence that rules in me that is the Spirit. As my choices are born our of the Spirit’s Presence dwelling in me – there can be no charge of lawlessness brought against me. (Gal 5:22-25, Col 3:15, Rom 8:4-8) This is where we should be living – daily! Otherwise I become a slave to something or someone other than the Lordship of Christ! It may be my appetites, my intellect, my emotions, or my agenda and plans – but these are simply the elements of my soulish life which are to have been laid on the Mercy Seat as an offering (like Isaac) – that righteousness from Christ and His life in me can come forward.
What exerts the most power over you? As a Christian — it should be the life of our Savior Jesus, aligned with His Word, compelled by the Spirit in love. Is this true for you?
It is not our perception or understanding of the image of Christ’s glory that we are being continually transfigured into, but is is the reality of Christ we are moving into from one degree of glory to another – and we shall resemble Him! (2Cor 3:18, 1Jn 3:1)
Maranatha!
Insolomonsporch's Blog 
Well done Sandra Jean
I’m in Him and He is in me and we shall live in unity.
Love and miss you Charley