"And he who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' Also he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.' And he said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.' " - Revelation 21:5-6 ESV
All things new... Really? Yes, All things.
God knows we are used to paying for what we want or need but in this new economy the water of life is free.
Newness. Not tired oldness. Not what we are used to. Our old methods won't work when all things are new.
Our soul is an intermingling of mind, emotions, will, conscience and consciousness of self. We could say that as our personality becomes fixed the arrangement of our soul becomes fixed as well. Fixed like the path of a river becomes fixed... fluid but moving in certain lines or ruts. Some people make primarily emotional decisions or intellectual ones or conscience based decisions. But, In freedom our soul's configuration changes. Our living spirit receives from God and we become healthy people. The water of the Word washes our soul. The Word is built up as line upon structures providing a new framework for our soul to operate in. Our will once ironclad or willy nilly now changes from a yes-no response to a yes-amen response when presented with decisions that are made in God's eternal value system.
"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:11-13 ESV
Paul's soul had become flexible within a new framework. The framework of grace made him rich even when he was poor and poor when he was rich. The water of life was free and Paul's attention was captured by Christ as situations came and went. His will rose to the top and he made decisions in spite of how he felt or what he thought. Paul had a supply from above and a purpose to function in that made him a thankful man who prayed through situations and saw God answer in redemptive ways. God didn't free him from jail but people in the house of Rome were saved one by one and books of the Bible were written there.
God did free Peter from jail (see Acts 12:5f) answering the prayers of believers praying in faith but He didn't free Paul that way. Both men were free inside. Both men had souls that functioned differently than they did before because of a growing awareness of newness.
As believers we are new creatures that inhale and exhale newness. The old things no longer work.
God, Renew our minds. Reconfigure our souls by showing us Christ today in a fresh way. Make us ambassadors of newness in the situations we face with creative methods that come from a perspective of freedom. We trust you for this. It is not by our power but by Your power. Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven in our lives today.
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