Being Christ-like is a process it doesn’t happen instantly as some may believe. Today I am going to show you through scripture how the Holy Spirit works on each of us to bring us from Glory to Glory into the image of Jesus Christ (becoming Christ-like). First, let’s understand that when you were born again and surrendered your life to Jesus Christ your spirit man was renewed instantly.
Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5: 17)
A New Creature From Glory to Glory
So, we see through God’s word that when we surrender our life to Jesus Christ the past is gone. We start over in this new life called the Christian life. But, the Holy Spirit knows that you are still bond to the old life within your mind and heart. This is where the supernatural power of God’s Spirit comes to work within each of us. No-one is instantly renewed in their mind and heart this takes a process, a journey with the Holy Spirit who sanctifies us.
That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of
God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified
by the Holy Ghost. (Romans 15:16)
The word sanctified in the Greek means to make holy; that is what the Holy Spirit is doing in each one of us from Glory to Glory. When you were born again God took you out of the world which represents a type of Egypt a place of bondage and a place of captivity. But now that you are born again the Lord knows He hast to take Egypt out of you. This is where the Spirit of the Lord comes in. He is here on the earth to mold us into the image of the son Jesus Christ.
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are
changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the
Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3: 18)
Why Do We Need the Anointing?
The anointing in your life does so much for you but God knows that you have to die to self before you can be trusted with an increase of that anointing. The anointing can become such an amazing blessing to you. But I am not going to teach on the anointing so much in this article because it is a subject all on its own and there is so much to the anointing. However, I will list some powerful truths about the anointing here and then you can go and do some Bible study on your own.
Understand this that God will not allow any flesh to glory in His presence (1 Corinthians 1:29, Exodus 30:31, 32). The flesh has to die meaning the old nature of our thinking. Because when the anointing increases in your life it brings great blessings. Have you ever heard someone say that God has favored someone before? Well, really it is not favor because God is no respecter of persons. What He did for one He will do for another. When in fact it has everything to do with the calling on someone’s life not that He favors someone over another.
God’s Process of Becoming more Christ-Like Day by Day
First, let’s understand the way God sees you in His Kingdom. The book of Psalms tells us that God Almighty sees each and every one of us as olive trees within the house of the Lord. (Psalm 52:8) Why olive trees you may ask? There is an amazing thing about the way olive tree farmers get the oil out of the olive fruit that grows on the olive trees. The process is still used today in some parts of the world. This process is old school because of new technology that can and is used today. But some still use the old method and today I want to show you that your Father God still uses this process to conform you into His image from Glory to Glory.
Let’s understand something about the Christian life, when you were born again the Holy Spirit dwells within you right now as you read this article. For that alone, you should rejoice and be amazed at God’s grace. YOU ARE ANOINTED! Yes, the anointing of Jesus Christ belongs to you right now (2 Corinthians 1:21, 1 John 2:27). Both scriptures declare you are anointed once you become born again. But that anointing will and can increase in your life if you allow the Holy Spirit to take you through the process that He wants to take every believer.
Step 1 The Beating
Olives that grow on a tree are not picked, the farmers take a long pole and beat the tree so that the olives fall to the ground where the farmer has placed a large net or tarp to catch the falling olive fruit. The Holy Spirit will use the same process in your life to produce more fruit.
This is where the Lord will use the cross to break you and drive you into prayer. Not a physical beating this is where the Holy Spirit begins to reveal to you the price of Jesus Christ on the cross. This is where your emotions begin to be affected. Your love of Christ begins here because you are being shown the price Christ paid for you. This is a hard process to explain to the outside world because they do not have God’s Spirit within. Only the Holy Spirit can begin this process within you.
This step will lead you to prayer and thanksgiving because of the blood that was shed for you on that cross. Understand this is not emotions that you draw out on your own, this is something only the Spirit of God can do, He is breaking you within and driving you to prayer. This drive to prayer will begin to do something supernatural within and even the world (those without Christ) will begin to see a change in you. The beating process causes your light to begin to shine. This is also called a time of purifying (Exodus 27: 20).
Every believer must go through this step in their walk with Jesus Christ. Because just hearing about the price He paid for you on the cross will never change you. It is only when the Spirit of God begins to reveal that to you within your heart that you will see true change and a deeper love for what Christ did for you on the cross.
Step 2 The Shaking
This is when the olive tree is shaken to get any remaining fruit that’s still on the tree. The shaking represents persecution. Every believer that follows Jesus Christ will go through persecution, and if you haven’t something might be wrong with your walk with Christ. Jesus said the world will hate you if you are a minister of the Gospel and you are doing everything in your power to please everyone and not offend anyone you are wasting your time. Because the gospel will offend someone, the gospel will expose sin and those who love sin will begin to hate you. Rejoice when that happens don’t be like the weak worldly preachers who line up with the world and their ways so that they can build crowds in their services or scared because they are going to lose their 501c tax benefits.
The Glory to Glory Process Comes With A Price
You will be hated by the world and the wicked media if you minster the word of God. As a private Christian, you may be hated just by your co-workers and some family. But always remember Jesus said “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. Matt 10:34” The world and religious people think that Jesus came to bring peace but the Bible tells us He came to bring the truth and the truth hurts to those who love their sin.
The point is that you will be driven to persecution the shaking process. This is where you will have no choice but to trust God to deliver you from your enemies. It may be lawsuits against you and your business or ministry. It may be a co-worker trying to get you fired or even a city councilperson that will not pass a permit for your business because they don’t like you or what you stand for as a Christian. The enemy satan has people placed all around you to come against you and cause trouble for you. But always remember you will have the victory just don’t give up.
When persecution hits your life just remember what David said;
But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head (Psalm 3:3)
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. (Psalm 3:6)
“Brokenness produces compassion, compassion produces power and
boldness, power and boldness produce changed lives and salvation,
changed lives and salvation produces the coming of the Lord”
Jason Powers
