Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 44
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life Ministries
International
Littleton, Colorado
Notice: this email is part of a BLOG, called Getting Out of the
Wilderness. Why a blog? So that many can receive the weekly thoughts
I express on Michael’s writings in an easy manner.
Michael
introduces some of the most powerful insights into understanding one of the
most difficult(?) topics…co-crucifixion.
It seems to be most difficult for so many… But, just keeping with the simple basics
introduced in Scripture takes all the difficulty away, as Michael so eloquently
shares with us. IF you don’t have this
book, PLEASE get one (contact ALMI at web address above). You need to read, digest, and meditate on
just what happens “inside” when we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to be our
Savior. I can only share brief excerpts of
this detailed discourse covering four pages of the book.
THE THREE
SELVES
excerpt
from pages 124-127 of SIW (5th printing, March 1998)
excerpt
from pages 122-125 of SIW (14th printing, March 2012)
(used with permission from
ALMI):
…The
unique self is that part of a person that was made in the womb by God (Psalm
139)…although we all have the same purpose in life, which is to fellowship with
Him, we will all, as unique creations, express that fellowship in different
ways. I will, therefore, define the unique self as the creation of God that
is distinctive to each person…
…you
can think of the unique self as a tool that can do nothing on its own, but
derives its value from how it is used and by whom…
Self
#1 is the unique self under the control of Adam-life; this self belongs to the
unbeliever, or unregenerate man, producing a condition called flesh…God’s
command concerning this Self #1 is that it be crucified (Galatians 2:20). The source of the unique self, what is
driving it, must die, but not the actual unique self. Self #1 has a course set in one direction,
and it follows every signpost which leads it that way. Its destination is hell.
The
second of the three selves (Self #2) is the unique self under the control of
the baggage and residue of the dead and removed Adam-life and the unholy
trinity. This person is a born-again
believer in a carnal condition…This person is assured of going to heaven, but
will continue to experience hell on earth!
The command regarding this self is to deny it daily (Luke 9:23) by the
power of the cross.
Self
#3 is very important, being the unique self under the control of Christ’s life
within. The man in this state enters
into the fullness of his being. All of
his God-given talents, abilities, intellect, personality, and temperament
function properly as they should, and he manifests a condition called walking
in the Spirit. Whatever work the man
does, Christ does through him, and he is a blessing to all…The commandment
concerning Self #3 is that we are to love it.
“…You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 19:19).
You
can see that it is somewhat confusing when we read that we are to have self
crucified, to deny self, and at the same time we are to love ourselves. The above distinction should help clear up
the confusion. We have spoken much of
the death of Self #1, and particularly in the next chapter we will examine the
denial of Self #2. I would like to
briefly mention the need for love of the unique self as it submits to the
Spirit’s rule, Self #3.
This
comes in next week’s writing.
Self, what a unique individual… Perhaps
one of the most unique ironies of life is that we all have to live with others
who each have a uniqueness that “can do nothing on its own, but derives its value
from how it is used and by whom.”
Wow! That gives us a lot of
comfort and confidence to face these others, doesn’t it!?!
This small section of
the book requires an adequate amount of reading time to make sure we recognize
and understand the three different ways a unique self can be controlled. A lack of knowing and understanding the last
two by so many Christians leads to a majority of those not getting the help to
work through and find deliverance from the grip of the carnal life, and into
the life God designed for man to live on this earth.
It
is very important for any Christian living under the bondage of any baggage and
residue of the dead and removed Adam-life and unholy trinity to get some help
in reckoning and appropriating the truth of the Christ-life indwelling EVERY
Believer. To have His life and not be
enjoying it is as sad as it gets.
Note:
if you don’t have one of Michael’s Sidetracked In The Wilderness books,
please contact ALMI
(www.abidinglife.com) and get one today!
To access ALL past weekly
blogs, go to Getting
Out of the Wilderness by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
leemccm@gmail.com
1737 CR
2051 Nacogdoches, Tx 75965 936-559-5696
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