Living A Transformed Life In Christ

92 Pages·2014·1.26 MB·English

Book Four of The Curriculum:

Living A Transformed Life
In Christ

Bill Loveless

Christ Is Life Ministries
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 1 b y B i l l L o v e l e s s

All rights reserved. This book may not be copied or reprinted for a commercial gain or profit.
The use of this material for personal or group study is permitted.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984
International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996
by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible®, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968,
1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (GNT) are from the Good News Translation in Today’s English
Version—Second Edition, copyright ©1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.

Christ Is Life Ministries

Website: www.christislifeministries.com

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Living From The Overflow
of Christ

Table of Contents

Lesson 1: The Overflow and Christ-Like Attitudes………….. 3

Lesson 2: The Overflow of And Ministry…………………..….. 16

Lesson 3: The Overflow and Christ Building His Church
Through You………………………….……………….. 29

Lesson 4: The Overflow Of As A Result Of Our Beliefs
About God ?……………………………..…………… 40

Lesson 5: Walking With God – Entering His Rest………….. 62

Lesson 6: Growing Into A Deeper Intimacy With God…….. 72

Appendix: ………………………………………………………….. 86

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Lesson One

The Overflow and Christ-Like Attitudes

DAY ONE

Introduction

Through the first three books we have discussed the foundational truth of
Christ living His life in you, your true identity in Christ and the transformation
of your soul. All of these three studies have primarily focused on what God
promises to do IN you. However, as I have said many times during these
studies God wants to do a work THROUGH you as well. I call this work
through you the OVERFLOW of what the Holy Spirit has done in you. We
will focus on the overflow in the following areas:

• The impact of Christ-like attitudes in personal relationships, in
marriage, with children, and the workplace.
• What ministry looks like from the overflow of Christ living through
you.
• Walking with God and experiencing a deeper intimacy with Him.

In this lesson we will focus on Christ-like attitudes that are formed as a result of transformation
of your soul as a fulfillment of your spiritual destiny.

Remember Your Spiritual Destiny?

In Book One we discussed God’s spiritual destiny for your life. Let’s review the verses that
reveal to us our spiritual destiny.

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son,
that He might be the first-born among many brethren.” Romans 8:29

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His
likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:18

Your spiritual destiny is to be transformed into Christ-likeness. Let’s review the meaning of
Christ-likeness.

Christ-Likeness

Is God’s transforming process of your soul so that you will THINK,

BELIEVE, CHOOSE, and BEHAVE like Christ.

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Paul has another way of explaining Christ-likeness in Galatians 4:19:

“My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you.”

What does Paul mean when he says “Christ is formed in you?” Let’s look at Philippians 2:5 to
find part of the answer.

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus.”

The outcome of Christ being formed in us are Christ-like attitudes. What are Christ-like
attitudes?

Christ-Like Attitudes

Are attitudes in your SOUL that are the OVERFLOW of the characteristics

of your true identity in your HUMAN SPIRIT.

Remember that in your true identity in your human spirit is who you really are. Your true
identity is made up of divinely imparted characteristics (2 Peter 1:4) As your soul is being
transformed these characteristics of your true identity produce Christ-like attitudes in your soul.
Therefore, in addition to your mind, emotions, and will being transformed, the Holy Spirit
produces Christ-like attitudes in your soul. This is illustrated in the diagram below.

Christ-Like Attitudes Formed In Your Soul
BODY
SOUL
Christ-Like Attitudes
MIND Huma n spirit EMOTIONS
Your True
Thinking and Healing of
believing Identity
damaged emotions
truth.
WILL
Greater dependence
and willingness

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Below is a partial list of some of the characteristics of your true identity. God’s desire is to
transform your soul so that these characteristics become Christ-like attitudes of the soul.

Unconditional love Victory Worth Acceptance Faith
Freedom Patience Strength Peace Power
Forgiveness Understanding Security Fearlessness Wisdom
Discernment Adequacy Humility Confidence Boldness
Righteousness Selflessness Rest Compassion Courage
Hope Gentleness Control Faithfulness Joy

Remember the diagram of the characteristics of your identity in Christ in your human spirit?

Your True Identity In Your Human Spirit
BODY

SOUL
Human spirit
(Identity In Christ)
Righteous, Worthy, Humble,
UnconditionBalOlyD loYv ed, Secure,
SPIRIT
Acceptable, Pat ient, Forgiving,
Complete, Wise, Compassionate,
Discerning, Adequate, Thankful,
Confident, Selfless, Joyful,
Peaceful, Sacrificial

The following diagram illustrates how these characteristics of our new identity become
Christ-like attitudes in our soul.

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Christ-Like Attitudes Formed In Your Soul
BODY
SOUL
SECURE FORGIVING
Human
Selfless
Spirit FEARLESS
True
Identity
Adequate
Patient
Humble
Victory
REST
Christ- FREE
Confident

Christ-Like Attitudes and The Line

Let’s look at the same truth just discussed using the Line analogy.

God Transforms Our Soul To Experience
Christ-Like Attitudes
SPIRIT (New Identity)
Unconditional Love Worthy Humble
Secure Acceptable Patient
Forgiving Kind Complete
Compassionate Discerning Wise
Adequate Thankful Confident
Sacrificial Righteous Selfless
Free Victorious Powerful
Joyful Peaceful Good
SOUL
Unconditional Love Worthy Humble
Secure Acceptable Patient
Forgiving Kind Complete
Compassionate Discerning Wise
Adequate Thankful Confident
Sacrificial Righteous Selfless
Free Victorious Powerful
Joyful Peaceful Good

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TRANSFORMS
Above the line in your human spirit in union with God is the place of our true identity. As
your soul is being transformed, these characteristics become an experiential reality in your soul. I
think it is important to distinguish between human attitudes and Christ-like attitudes.

DAY TWO

The Difference Between A Human Attitude and A Christ-Like Attitude

Human attitude – an attitude produced by man that can be changed by thoughts, feelings, the
flesh, the power of sin, circumstances, relationships, Satan, or the world.

Let me use an example to illustrate a human attitude and how it can change due to
circumstances. Let’s assume you come home from work and have a human attitude of peace and
joy. You open your mail only to find that the IRS says that you owe several thousand dollars of
back taxes. Then you notice water start pouring down from the ceiling above. Before you can
check out the water leak, your teenage daughter comes in and announces that she is pregnant. By
now what do you suppose is happening to your human attitude of peace and joy? Now let’s
contrast a human attitude with a Christ-like attitude.

Christ-like attitude – a supernaturally produced attitude in your soul by the Holy Spirit that
remains unchanged regardless of thoughts, feelings, the flesh, the power of sin, circumstances,
relationships, Satan, or the world.

Let’s use the same example above to illustrate a Christ-like attitude. If you were living from
Christ-like attitudes of peace and joy then none of these events would rob you of your Christ-like
peace and joy. To give us a better understanding of what Christ-like attitudes let’s look at what
Paul and Peter had to say.

Examples of Christ-Like Attitudes of Paul and Peter

Paul

As Paul was being transformed, he began to experience Christ-like attitudes in his soul. He
refers to one of them in the following passage:

“And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in
Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

This peace was so supernatural that even Paul could not describe it. The key thing to
remember is that the peace Paul is describing is not a circumstantial peace. It is a supernatural
Christ-like attitude of peace that can’t be changed regardless of his circumstances.

Peter

Look what Peter says about the Christ-like attitude of joy.

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you
believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.” 1 Peter 1:8
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Peter had the same problem as Paul. He could not put into words the joy he was experiencing.
Here again this Christ-like attitude of joy Peter was experiencing is an ongoing attitude in his
soul that does not change.

Adversity Cannot ROB You of Your Christ-Like Attitudes

As you begin to experience these Christ-like attitudes, then every day you will be faced with
circumstances and/or relationships that seek to consciously or unconsciously “rob” you of these
Christ-like attitudes. Let me use Paul to explain. Paul says this in 2 Corinthians 12:10:

“Therefore, I am WELL CONTENT with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with
persecution, with difficulties…….” (Emphasis mine)

What were some of the distresses, persecutions, etc. that Paul was talking about. 2
Corinthians 11:23-28 tells us that Paul was:

a. Imprisoned.
b. Whipped.
c. Beaten with rods.
d. Stoned.
e. Shipwrecked.
f. In danger from rivers, bandits, Gentiles, etc.
g. Was hungry, thirsty, cold, naked.
h. Under great pressure in dealing with the churches.

If what Paul was referring to was human contentment, don’t you think that insults, distresses,
beatings, whippings, and stonings might rob him of his contentment? I think you would agree
that it would. However, Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:10 is bearing witness to a supernatural, Christ-
like contentment that nothing or no one can rob him of.

DAY THREE

God Is Taking You To The Place of “BUT GOD”

Whenever we get into conflict or some adversity, in our humanity, we tend to cry out for
relief from the situation. We want the conflict to subside because no one wants to feel the pain
that arises out of these circumstances. However, God uses these situations to draw us to Him and
to grow our trust and Christ-confidence in Him. In addition, He is working in these painful
situations to produce Christ-like attitudes such as peace, rest, or joy.

Just like God used every circumstance in Paul’s life to produce Christ-like contentment, God
will use your conflict, adversity and suffering to produce Christ-like attitudes in you. This does
not mean that you will not feel the pain. The pain is very real. However, God is taking you to a
place where His peace, joy, and rest for example are a greater reality than your pain/suffering. I
call this the “but God” experience. Here is an example:

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“I am being rejected by my spouse BUT I will not his/her rejection rob me of my Christ-like
attitude of acceptance.”

“I am in an impossible financial situation BUT I will not this situation rob me of my Christ-
confidence in You.”

“My son is rebelling against me BUT I will not let his behavior rob me of my Christ-like love for
him.”

What is the greater reality in all three of these examples: our Christ-like attitudes.

Question: What are you negatively experiencing in your soul due to your present circumstances
or relationships? What do you believe is the “but God” experience associated with those
circumstances?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Engaging God: Seek God to reveal to you and move you to the place of “But God” in the
negative or adverse situations you are facing.

David’s “But God” Experience

To better understand this point, let’s look at David’s “but God” experience in Psalm 13. The
first four verses describe the pain in David’s soul.

1
“O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?

2
How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
3
Turn and answer me, O LORD my God!
Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.

4
Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.”

In these first four verses we see that David is in real pain. He is focused on himself and is
doubting God. He is wondering where God is in the midst of his turmoil. Have you ever felt that
way before? I am sure we all have. However, the good news is that this Psalm does not stop in
verse 4. In fact the next word we are about to read is the key to the whole Psalm.

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“BUT I trust in your unfailing love. (Emphasis mine.)
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.

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I will sing to the LORD because he is good to me.”

We see the key word in this whole passage is the word BUT. Even though David is in this
terrible situation and the pain is very real, what does he says is “but (God.)” We see in verse 5
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