Gain Momentum with Intentionality

Our goal should be to continue moving ever closer to fulfillment in GOD. Intentionality in the moment creates momentum. Be intentional in every moment to be led of the spirit in order to be virtuous, righteous, kind, temperate, understanding, patient, charitable, faithful, loving, in total godly. If we are not intentional in each moment to be godly, we will succumb to the dark forces of this age to manifest selfishness, hate, fear, envy, greed, and other degenerate rudiments of this world. Taking up the cross every day is a personal dedication to GOD to be intentional about expressing His will. That dedication has to be connected to every moment throughout the day with intentionality.

The crucial determinant in this whole process is the willingness of people to accept the truth regarding their own intentions and beliefs. GOD is faithful and true, but people are flawed and deceived. It can be difficult for people to accept that they prefer darkness rather than light, yet whenever they reject the truth of GOD for a lie which is more comfortable to them, their actions confirm it. Let’s look at the process of being delivered from a fault. I have chosen to look at this process because if we are seeking salvation in Christ then we are seeking deliverance from a carnal nature laden with faults. The salvation of Christ is power to live in the will of GOD. I know many see that as impossible and that is understandable because in our own strength it is impossible, but the power of Christ is the ability to give life, new life, even His life, which is the life of an obedient child.

 ¹¹ He came unto his own, and his own received him not. ¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: ¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John1:11-13 KJV)

That is the hope of the gospel of Christ unto salvation. If you don’t believe this can be a reality for you then you will not have the hope or confidence needed to have the intentionality I am writing about. It is very unfortunate but many people who say they believe in Christ don’t believe in the very truth He taught. I face this reality in people all the time. The bible says Christ endured the cross for the joy that would come through the triumph He was focused on. Without the hope of triumphing over your faults through the cross, you will never commit whole heartedly to the process of repentance and transformation. I stated earlier that if we are seeking the salvation of Christ then we are seeking deliverance from the carnal nature which is laden with faults, but that was not in ignorance to the fact that many people seek the salvation of Christ in hopes of a free ride to heaven and an unconditional pardon from the wrath of GOD. Both of those latter motives are based on lies spread by the powers of darkness. These lies have been effective in their goal of keeping people in bondage to sin and bereft of their inheritance in GOD.

¹Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. ⁴ You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. ⁵ And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
⁶ For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”

⁷ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? ⁸ But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? ¹⁰ For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. (Hebrews 12:1-10 NKJV)

Our Heavenly Father has made a way for us to be partakers of His divine nature, but it requires for us to endure the cross. A key word in this block of scripture from Hebrews is “Endured”. Christ endured unto victory. To endure is to bear and hold on without breaking or yielding to force or pressure (Noah Webster). Life on earth generates a lot of pressure to deviate from our spiritual walk, but if we are convinced of the truth of Christ then the power of the spirit will cause us to endure unto victory.

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63 NKJV)

When you receive the word of Christ in belief, you are receiving the Spirit of His life. His life in you will bring new vision which compels you forward to the obtaining of GOD’s promises. The intentionality to maintain moment to moment faithfulness to GOD comes from a constant focus on the vision given by the Spirit. This is the meaning of the scripture which says those who are justified live by confident hope in spiritual things that are not seen by physical sight. The prophecy of Isaiah 61, which Christ fulfilled as recorded in the book of Luke, speaks also of restoration of spiritual sight.

¹⁸ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, ¹⁹ To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19 KJV)

Christ came to destroy the lies of Satan and to reconcile us to the truth of GOD. We should endeavor to live every moment in the narrative of Christ’s victory as an expression of the Father’s love. We should be looking for the grace of GOD in every moment as He orchestrates all things to bring us into union with Him. Your life is a path which begins and ends with GOD. Look for YAHWEH in every experience. Let each moment be tempered with your intentionality to connect with Him by the grace that is in Christ. This is the path of fulfillment. A life that is filled with more righteousness, more peace, and more joy.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10 KJV)