Re-Thinking & Re-Aligning My Motives as a Biblical Christian
What does this mean? First, it means I allow the Holy Spirit to pull back my curtain to examine my heart and mind and reveal the true motives that drive me—not those I say or pretend. Even though I am already in every sense just because of Who He is, I allow myself to be naked before God—completely exposed as I have never done before. I found a great place to begin is to cry out the words great and humbled King David did before the Lord.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.” Psalm 139: 23-24
Now let’s examine our wrong motives in light of what Scriptures teaches and allow the Holy Spirit to tell us exactly what we need to change. He alone has the power to effect such change in the heart of a truly contrite, repentant heart.
1) Motivated by FAITH not fear
The greatest OT example of faith over fear is in Daniel 3 – the famous “children’s story of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego. Let me read it to you. (Daniel 3: 8-30)
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; beware of men…Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known…Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. “So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows… “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. (From Matthew 10)
We must not be afraid to confess Jesus as our Savior and Lord.
2) Christ – my all in all
Moving from all about me to all about Jesus! I must learn it is not about me My motivation becomes “my utmost for His highest”—to lay down my life, take up my cross daily, and follow Him.
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2: 20
“More than that, I count all things to be loss [c]in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and [f]the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; Philippians 3: 8-10
3) Motivated by What God Thinks – not the world
Stop believing the lies! If you are in Christ, He died for you to save you from your sins. You are a blood-bought son or daughter of the most high God. In one sense a brother or sister to Jesus Christ our Messiah since He is the Son of God. You have been adopted into His family and no one or demon can steal you away. “The world will hate you because it hates Me,” Jesus told His disciples. To that we say, “So what!”
“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5: 11-12
The Apostle Paul gave us these powerful words you need to commit to memory.
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Galatians 1: 10
“Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” Galatians 4:7
4) Motivated by my freedom in Christ that includes breaking with my past
These verses tell us all we need to, not just know, but own!
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36
“Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say goodbye to those at my home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9: 61-62
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8: 1
Finally, I noticed in my study, and how the Holy Spirit laid this out to me, the motives of the Holy Trinity were completely focused on us. Doesn’t that teach us something? Shouldn’t our motives in return be completely focused on God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and let our lives flow from there? I think you know that answer.
For Christ’s sake,
