Living in the Spirit Realm

You say you have problems? You're unemployed. You have relationship problems. You have been diagnosed with cancer. Your loved one passed away...

While driving home from Long Island the other day, I was thinking about some of my friends and family members who have asked me to pray for them because they are facing some seemingly hopeless obstacles in their life. I also started thinking and praying about some of the hurdles that I'm currently facing in my own life.

The apostle Paul wrote that we are seated with Christ in the heavenly realm above the seemingly hopeless problems of the flesh; above the traumatic circumstances of this world (Col. 3:1-4; Eph. 2:5-6). We don't look up to or at our problems, we walk above them. We look down on them, knowing that from the heavenly realm, they are obscure and infinitesimal compared to the eternal life of love that we have in Christ Jesus. Even though we rest in Jesus (Mat. 11:28-30), we go forward in Him walking (Gal. 5:16; Eph. 2:10) not according to the dead man, who is no longer in motion, but according to the Spirit man, who lives, and breathes the abundant fragrances of love. We share in the divine life. We participate in Christ's life (spirit life, spirit man or life in the spirit). Walking is our participation in the Christ life. It is a restful walk, not a fretful walk.

Since we reside in Christ, the supernatural is a natural occurrence. I don't even like to refer to the supernatural as supernatural. I suppose if we are looking at a supernatural occurrence through our natural eyes we will call it supernatural. Yet if we look upon the supernatural in the spirit realm, that is through Christ, as he lives in us, and as he works in and through us, then the supernatural becomes the natural.

Jesus faced many seemingly hopeless circumstances when he walked in person on the face of the earth. In one instance there wasn't enough food to feed the five thousand plus that had gathered to be with Jesus. Philip thought that he needed a lot of money to feed them. But because Jesus lived in the spirit realm, he simply gave thanks, broke the  five loaves of bread and two fish, and the people ate as much as they wanted. They even had leftovers (John 6:1-13; Luke 9:12-17; Mark 6:33-44; Mat. 14:13-21).

In another instance Jesus healed a man who had been blind from birth (John 9:1-11). Finally, Jesus showed that death was likened to sleep in the spirit realm, when he raised a man named Lazarus from the dead - even while he was decomposing in his grave (John 11:1-44).

Solution? Christ lives, and we live in him not apart from him! Problems solved. Amen.

Clinton Tuck, "Keep Hope Alive"

You wouldn't think a guy who has had two strokes would have much hope, but Clinton Tuck not only has hope, he is excited about his life. (See the link at the end of this story to read more about Clinton's journey). Last week, during my visit to Shady Lawn Nursing Home, Clinton asked if I would take him with me to Trigg Manor Nursing Home to participate in their weekly prayer service. So yesterday, as I was preparing to pick him up, I thought that as long as he was going to come with me, he might as well be given the opportunity to talk to the residents and share the love of Christ with them. I know that Clinton loves Jesus and loves to encourage others.

It's not easy for Clinton to get around. I pulled around to the back of Shady Lawn Nursing Home to pick him up. He refused any help from me choosing instead to push himself forward with his left arm and left leg. I watched as he plodded along in his wheel chair. His right side is mostly paralyzed, so it takes a great deal of effort for him to get from his room to the exit ramp at the back of the building (approximately seventy-five feet). He rolled his wheelchair alongside of the front passenger door of my 1998 Toyota Camry, then I helped steady him as he lifted himself up from the wheelchair. He held onto the front door of the car while I packed the wheelchair in the trunk. Thankfully, it collapses almost like an umbrella and easily fits in. Even though the front seat of my Camry was pushed all the way back as far as it would go, I still had to help him lift and twist his legs to get them into the car.  

Trigg Manor Nursing Home is only a few miles from Shady Lawn and when we arrived there, we went through the same procedure, only in reverse, to get Clinton out of the car and into his wheelchair. I don't know that Clinton will ever get use to his struggles, but he certainly isn't a complainer.

Every Thursday we meet for prayer. All the residents at Trigg Manor are invited. On the last Thursday of the month, we also have a Bible Study. After our prayer time,  Clinton spoke to about twenty residents. Here is a summary of what he said:

 

I had two strokes but I didn't give up hope. We need to keep hope alive. God supplies all our needs. I was on a feeding tube, I couldn't walk-it was God who brought me where I am today. I am so thankful. We need to be thankful. We all have so much to be thankful for. We are so blessed. God loves everybody. Tell people about God and don't be ashamed of Him. Tell people about how He loves you. We all have a different story to share. Your story is different than mine.

Take one day at a time. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow isn't promised to anyone. We need to start with our children. How many of you have children? We have to leave them an example. It starts in the home. You can't blame the principal.  We need Jesus.

I am so thankful that I met Clinton Tuck. He is an inspiration to me. Sometimes it takes great hardship and suffering to recognize that all we really need in life is right before our eyes. Don't let another day pass before you come to this realization. Take what my friend Clinton says to heart. And be reminded of what the apostle Paul wrote:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Rom. 8:18 NKJV).

http://brotherjoeradosti.blogspot.com/2010/10/message-from-clinton.html