Introduction

This past Friday evening, Kathy and I re-watched Facing the Giants, by the Kendrick brothers. And I was so impressed with how that movie illustrates some of the themes in Colossians 3, that I rewrote my sermon yesterday. And for those of you who have never seen the movie, let me introduce it, and then I will refer to other themes throughout the sermon. This is a movie that powerfully portrays the difference between living by our own strength and living by Christ's power. The movie follows Coach Grant Taylor, head of the Shiloh Christian Academy football team, who has never had a winning season in the six years that he has coached. His star player transferred to a rival football team - the Giants - who have won the last three seasons. On top of that discouragement, he finds out that some school boosters were plotting to get him fired, his car breaks down, and he and his wife Brooke wrestle with his infertility. It seems like everything has been going wrong and all he can think about is what a failure he is and how impossible it is to do what he believes God has called him to do. There is a prayer warrior who has been praying for revival in the school for six+ years, but has not seen any yet. But he gives good counsel to the coach, who begins to focus more on glorifying God, trusting Him, and conquering his own fears, frustration, and inappropriate responses to God’s Providences than he does on winning. The story is not just about defeating a football powerhouse (which, at the end they miraculously do); it is about faith that refuses to die when circumstances seem hopeless. Coach Taylor stops giving in to fear, frustration, and negative thinking about his inabilities and the inabilities of his team (all of which were killing his faith), and instead chooses to live to God’s glory whether they win or not, whether they get a child or not, whether they have the finances to get a car that works or not. I’m not describing it very well, but it is a moving storyline, and I think it is a movie worth watching.

Well, Paul’s concern with the Colossians is similar. The Colossians weren’t ignorant of what Christ had done for them. They were believers. But like a lot of us, they weren't always consistent in living out the privileges of the exchanged life. We will see four “exchanges” that Paul describes—at Christ’s death, at His resurrection, in the ongoing life of faith, and in our future glory—and how each of those exchanges calls us to live by faith, to persevere even when things seem impossible.

An exchange at His death (2:20)

The first exchange that Paul deals with took place at the cross. Colossians 2:20 says, “If you died with Christ.” Note he says, “with Christ.” This is something that happened 2000 years ago. And there are other Scriptures that say the same thing. Galatians 2:19 says, “I have been crucified with Christ.” Galatians 6:14 speaks of "the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Since we were not in existence when Jesus was crucified, it is clear that being crucified with Jesus is a legal exchange that took place. Jesus was treated as if He was us. If we have put our faith in Jesus, then Jesus legally bore hell in our place so that we would not have to bear the penalty of hell. It is a doctrine that we should never tire of praising God for. God on the cross treated every elect person as having died with Christ. Everything that happened to Christ is legally reckoned as having happened to us. For example, Colossians 2:12 says that we were buried with Jesus and we were raised with Jesus.

Obviously there are many Americans who don't think that they deserve God's wrath. They don't see themselves as being particularly evil, so they don't see the necessity of this first exchange. They might think, "Sure, I have done some bad things, but I've probably done far more good things." They somehow think that their good deeds will outweigh their bad deeds and make them acceptable to God.

But that is much like me inviting you to our house for an omelet breakfast and cracking 10 good eggs into a bowl and 2 rotten eggs and thinking that the good eggs will outweigh the bad eggs and expecting you to ignore the horrible stench and horrible taste of the omelet. The whole omelet is ruined and becomes unfit to serve to company because of those two rotten eggs. In the same way Scripture says, “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” The reason even our good deeds are filthy and stinky to God is because our good deeds are polluted sinful motives, goals, and other sins. And when the Holy Spirit opens your eyes to your sins, you realize that it is a whole lot more than two rotten eggs.

Let me use a word picture that hopefully will make the first exchange make sense. Let's pretend that this iphone contains a record of the millions of sins that I have committed in thought, motive, word, and deed over my lifetime. No matter how close I might try to come to God by my good deeds, there is still that record of sin that would make God look with disgust upon me. Scripture says that the wicked are an abomination to God. Psalm 5:5 says, “You hate all workers of iniquity.” Well, that would include me. I've worked iniquity in my life. God simply cannot love and have fellowship with any of us when this record of sin separates us. God would cease to be holy if He embraced us to Himself without dealing with that sin. So how can God save anybody? How can He love anybody?

And that is where the amazing concept of the exchanged death comes in. Let’s say this hand represents me, and this hand represents Christ. Sin separates me from God but Christ did something about it with His death. Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned, every one, to his own way; but the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Christ willingly bore our sins and willingly bore the death that we deserve. He willingly suffered the hell of God’s wrath and gave us His righteousness (a record of His perfect life) so that we can now be embraced to God without any contradiction. Because of the exchanged death, those who repent of their sins and put their trust in Christ no longer need to worry about the penalty of our sins. And I think all of you understand that legal exchange quite clearly.

But in Colossians 2:20 Paul points out that there are implications of that first exchange that we tend to forget about. He says, "Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations." He was saying, "If you are saved, then you died to the world and the world died to you. You have been saved from your old inheritance in Adam. So leave that old life buried and seek the new life in Christ Jesus." If we were to use the analogy of marriage, it would be like saying, "I want your life to revolve around your wife or your husband." I don’t want you still living as if you were a bachelor. I don’t want you dating other people. I don’t want you leaving your underwear on the bathroom floor like you used to do. I don’t want you to eat your food out of the pot. Be civilized. Your life is changed and you need to begin to live like a married person.

Or to use the logic of a slave who has been purchased from the slave market and set free, that slave should stop acting with a slave mentality. His old life as a slave to Satan, to the world, and to sin has been broken. Yes, the old slave master would love to woo that former slave back into his custody, but legally the slave no longer needs to subject himself to the condemning rules and regulations of the old life. In the movie, the Eagles star player was tired of losing, so he transferred to the Giants's team - a team that was anything but Christ-like in its orientation. It was the epitome of self-confidence. And Paul is saying, that we have by Christ's death died to any other team out there and belong to a new team that Jesus zealously trains for His own winning season. It may not be the best analogy, but I think you get the point. If we are truly saved, we have not only been saved from hell, but we have been saved from our former self-serving life.

An exchange at His resurrection (3:1a)

The second exchange is similar. It too is a legal exchange. It is given in the first part of chapter 3, verse 1. Paul says, “If you were raised with Christ…” I should mention first that the word “if” in the first two exchanges is not denying the reality of their having died with Christ and their having being raised with Christ. In Greek there are two different words that are translated by the English “if.” One expresses a degree of doubt: “If it rains next week, the picnic will be cancelled.” We don’t know if it will rain, so this is an “if” of uncertainty. The other Greek word is the “if” of logical deduction – “If this, then that.” Some people call it the “if” of certainty. It is like saying to a man, “If you are a man, then act like a man!” We are not questioning the fact that the person is a man. Rather we are using the certainty of that fact to try to logically convince the person of something. So this "if" is the “if” of logical deduction or the “if” of certainty. In fact, some translations put “since” instead of “if” to clarify this point. Paul is saying, “Since you were raised with Christ, then you should be doing what is outlined in these verses.”

Just as Facing the Giants shows Coach Taylor’s perspective shift from a sense of hopelessness in what he and his team can do on their own, to focusing on honoring God whatever the outcome, God wants the Colossians to stop evaluating life based on their old identity (what they could and could not do in their own flesh, and to stop comparing themselves to the Giants) and to begin realizing that they have a new identity, new goals, new Person (Jesus) that they are now seeking to please, etc.

So we are not just treated as legally having died. We are also treated as legally having risen. We have been ushered into a brand new identity. It's sort of like having a new citizenship, with new passports, and new names. His exchanged death keeps us from hell. His exchanged resurrection gives us the legal right to live in His presence and to approach His throne, and to ask Him for things, and to reign with Him. We now have citizenship rights. There needed to be a legal basis for Christ to live His life through us in the third exchange, and to resurrect our bodies in the fourth exchange. But that legal change that happened in our resurrection with Jesus gives us a new legal paradigm for living. It's sort of like Coach Taylor telling his team that their goal was no longer just to win games but to honor God (win or lose); likewise, our goal is not to accumulate earthly successes but to glorify Christ in all that we do.

The Ongoing Exchange Of Life (3:1b-3)

But Paul spends most of his space on the third exchange—what is happening now. Verses 1-3 say, “Seek those things which are above … Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:1–3). Coach Taylor's perspective is changed when the prayer warrior who has been praying for years for revival tells a parable about two farmers: both prayed for rain, but only one prepared his fields to receive the rain. He asked the coach, "Which one truly trusted God?" Coach Taylor says, "The one who prepared the field to receive the rain." And the prayer warrior asks him, "Which one are you?" And he began to realize that he had not been acting consistently with his faith; he had not been preparing his fields; he had not been acting as if Christ was willing to give him everything he needed to glorify God in football, in his home life, and wherever he was. It changed the way he viewed everything. And after Coach Taylor surrendered his program to God, he began to pray over his team, invest in the players’ lives to help them play to God's glory, and to encourage them to stop worrying about what they think they can and can't do. The tension went down and the enthusiasm went up. As the kicker's dad pointed out to his son, when his son kept saying, "I can't kick that far," your actions are as limited as your thinking, and you will never achieve more than what you convince yourself you can't do. So a good deal of the movie revolves around teaching the team to trust God rather than their own strength.

So what does Paul mean when he says in verse 1, "seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God." What does Paul mean in verse 2 when he says, "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." Those who went off to monasteries thought it meant escapism - escape from the world and spend most of your time praying and looking to Jesus. You can appreciate their zeal, but they completely missed the logic of Paul's admonitions in the rest of the book. In the rest of the book Paul speaks about bringing heaven’s resources to bear on everything we do on earth.

I want you to notice that Paul has given his own interpretation of what he means by the phrases “things above” and “things on the earth.” The phrase “the things on the earth” of verse 2 is identical in the Greek to the phrase “which are on the earth” in verse 5. So verse 5 is defining verse 2. It says literally, “Therefore put to death your members, the things which are on the earth." And what are those things? Are they things like marriage, cars, football, family, and friends? No. Every single one of those things is a sin related to independent living. They are all a part of our old life that Christ died to save us from. Let’s read verses 5-10.

Therefore put to death your members, [the things] which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

The things which are on the earth involve the independent living that we inherited from Adam, the things which are above represent the dependent living which we have inherited from the New Adam or the New Man, Jesus. Unlike the legal exchange that happened 2000 years ago, there is an actual exchange of life that is going on right now from heaven to earth. There is the exchange of the new man for the old man. We are to seek the new life in Christ and put off the old life of the world. Verse 5: “put to death the things on the earth;” verse 8: “put off sin;” verse 9: “put off the old man.”

And in exchange for that, verse 9 says, “put on the new man;” verse 12: “put on tender mercies, kindness, etc.” and in the following verses on through to chapter 4:6 he tells them to be exchanging their old life for the new life in Christ in such things as godly marriage relationships, family life, and a faithful service to an employer. So both the things below and the things above have to do with your cars, football, houses, spouses, children, etc., but in two totally different ways. Rather than the self-confident cockiness the coach of the Giants was instilling in his team, Coach Tayler began calling his team to put on the fruits of the Spirit as they played hard. So this is not escapism. This is transformation of life upon planet earth in everything that we do - including football. The Lord’s prayer does not say, “Lord let me escape to your kingdom in heaven.” It says, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” It is heaven invading earth.

And when we do that, it changes everything. The Eagles team didn't win every football game just because they were serving Christ, but they found fulfillment in their playing because they were playing their hearts out for Christ. After the school revival, the students were confessing their sins, reconciling with their parents, encouraging one another, and learning perseverance. They were learning to study and play harder than they ever thought possible because they had moved from natural living to supernatural living. The negative voices around Coach Taylor told him to quit; he chose instead to trust God’s promises and prepare his team as if God would act. He didn't escape from football; instead he applied the grace of God to the way he engaged in football. In the same way we must reject the inner voice that says, “I can’t overcome this sin; I can't witness; I can't do x,y,z; it’s impossible; I want to quit.” Instead, we must begin to believe that God’s resurrection power is available to us for any problem that we might face.

In Galatians, Paul pointed out that Abraham and Sarah were so focused on the impossibility of her being able to conceive (since she was both naturally barren and past the years of child-bearing), that they figured that they needed to serve God in a way that was achievable to the flesh. Sarah gave her handmaid to Abraham and Abraham produced Ishmael, resulting in strife in the Middle East to this day. His Ishmael was a disaster. And Paul convincingly argues that we are doing the same thing that Abraham and Hagar did when we do our ministries in our own strength. When we do that, we produce Ishmael's that are unacceptable to God. In contrast, when we believe God's promises and seek to serve Him in His way and by His power, then we can produce Isaacs - or ministry that is pleasing to God.

Now, let me dig into Paul's illustration of Isaac and Ishmael because some people have a hard time thinking that they can relate sex to Christ. But look at Colossians 3:17. Verse 17 says, “And whatever you do [that’s pretty comprehensive, isn’t it? – “And whatever you do”] in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Paul is reaffirming the Dominion Mandate of Genesis 1, but he is saying that we must do it with the empowerment of Jesus, the Second Adam. Everything in life (including sex) must be transformed by seeking those things that are above. Both Coach Taylor's wife and Abraham's wife, Sarah, were infertile. So let's make this practical. In what way was Abraham's marriage to and sexual relations with Hagar a thing on the earth, whereas his marriage to and sexual relations that produced Isaac was a thing that he sought from above? In what way is even sex supposed to be transformed by seeking those things which are above? And the answer is that you can either engage in it from your old identity in Adam or you can be transformed in it through Christ. Clearly it is not that one is physical and the other is non-physical. They both relate to physical things. Rather, the contrast that Paul is drawing out is a contrast between natural living and supernatural living in our day-by-day life right here on terra firma.

Turn to Galatians 2:19-20. It is a parallel verse that will help to spell out why we are to be so focused on heaven, where Christ is. And I'm spending more time on this exchanged life because it is the one exchange that people are sometimes mystified by. Galatians 2, beginning to read at verse 19.

For I through the law [so he is going to be talking about a legal exchange - "I through the law"] died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; [that’s all in the past tense. Now look at the ongoing exchanged life] it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

This is the genius of the exchanged life. When Colossians 3-4 tells us how to live as godly husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, children, servants and masters, He isn’t telling us to do it in our own strength. He is telling us to ask for the resources that Christ has already purchased for us; to find our strength from above; to get our wisdom from Christ; to look to Him in everything that we do. We can no more live the Christian life by ourselves than we can be saved by ourselves. It’s not just justification that is by faith. Scripture says that the just shall live by faith. Sanctification, service and the Dominion Mandate is by faith as well. Christ provides everything for us, and what he provides is utterly practical. Now don’t get me wrong: He is not opposing our effort. James makes it clear that faith works. But it is the source of your energy for working that is in question. Is it from Adam or from Christ?

Now it is very easy for Christians to fool themselves into thinking they are living the Christian life by what Paul calls having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5). Outwardly they are Christians, but they don’t have the power of Christ. Let me illustrate. Picture a room full of people with beautiful music playing. Some are deaf and some are not. You see a man tapping his feet, clicking his fingers, smiling, swaying, and really getting into the music that is filling the room. A deaf man sees him really enjoying himself and decides that he wants to have the fulfilled life too. So he sits down beside the man who can hear and begins to imitate him by tapping his feet, clicking his fingers and moving. And after a while, he thinks to himself, “Wow! This isn’t really all its cut out to be, but I guess it’s O.K.; at least I fit in.” Now a third man enters the scene and looks at these two men. If he hears the music, he can tell immediately that the movements of one man come from the music and the movements of the other are mere conformity. Right?

Unfortunately, some people are Christians by going through all the actions. But they are still deaf and blind. They are living the Christian life by the power of the first Adam, not by the power of Jesus. They want the fulfilled life, so they try to be a Christian. They go to all the meetings, they learn doctrine, they pray, but they don’t have supernatural life. They still find themselves dry and spiritually barren. In fact, they have tried to be spiritual so many times without success that they decide that they better just continue to go through the forms rather than let everybody know that they are dry and barren. But that misses the whole point of the exchanged life. Verse 4 says, “Christ is our life.” William Hendriksen comments that this means that Christ is not only the pattern for our lives but is also the source and power for our lives. He not only tells us what to do, but also provides the power to live it. All Christians realize that the beginning of their Christian life is by grace alone (that's the first two exchanges), but too many try to live the Christian life on their own, and they are miserable and tired and discouraged as a result - much like Coach Taylor was in the first part of the movie. Coach Taylor was very discouraged. They are Christians, but they are not experiencing this third point of the exchanged life - of the Holy Spirit taking the things of Christ above and transferring them into our lives moment-by-moment.

Because some people lack the power to conquer sin, to find joy, to overcome anxiety, to get past fear, to overcome Satan, they have come up with a theology that says, “Don’t worry about it. Focus on your security in the legal exchange that happened 2000 years ago. Find joy in your justification. Don’t worry about present power.” This is the reductionism of the Sonship Movement and the Grace Movement. They limit grace to a legal exchange. True - this theology has helped some people to quit being legalists, to quit being depressed by the accusations of the evil one, and to find joy. So I am not knocking it. But that’s only half of the story of the exchanged life. Yes, grace includes the wonderful doctrines of justification, adoption, and the incredible legal exchange involved in that. But Grace continues with the doctrine of sanctification and the personal exchange that should be happening 24-7.

2 Peter 1:3 tells us, “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.” Let me read that again: “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.” In fact, I highly recommend that you study 2Peter chapter 1 on your own. It’s a marvelous passage. In Christ we have everything that we need. But are you getting everything that you need right now? 2Peter 1 tells us that sometimes Christians forget about this ongoing exchanged life and end up being barren and powerless. Yes, it is possible for true Christians to be barren and powerless. They have a new citizenship and are headed toward heaven; they are saved; but they are barren and powerless. That's what 2 Peter says. In contrast, Christ said that He came that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly. So our goal in life is to pursue Christ, and His power, and His resources, and life more abundant, and not be satisfied without Him. That's why I am grateful that a number of young men are going through John Piper's book that deals with these kinds of things.

Paul said on one occasion,

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed - always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”

He’s talking about power for living in even persecution. Can you see that? – “that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” That’s what I want for you – not just a legal declaration in a courtroom that you are saved. That’s a wonderful thing for a criminal to be declared "Not guilty!" But what about the rest of that former criminal's life? He has the opportunity of declaring day-by-day that it is Christ living in me. The thing that made Paul able to face incredible adversity was the ongoing exchanged life. When you read Romans 8:31-39 from the perspective of the exchanged life, it will take on new meaning. Apart from that exchanged life we can't love the unloveable, forgive the unforgiveable, or do the other impossible things we are commanded to do in the Sermon on the Mount. In verse 37 of Romans 8 Paul said, "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

Perhaps you feel like less than conquerors. Then it may be that you have been trying to live the Christian life on your own. We really only have two options: to live our new life by the strength that we received from the Old Adam (that’s default; and many times we fall back into the default), or to live by the strength we receive from the New Adam (that’s not default – that’s living by faith; walking by faith). Ask yourself this question: “Do you live most of your day, and do you do most of your work as if you didn’t need Christ for the things that you do?” If so, then your mind is set on things on the earth. You’re living independently. Do you do your dishes just because they have to be done, or do you do them as a service to Christ - asking Him to give you joy in doing those dishes for Him? That is the difference that the book of Colossians is driving at.

One of the things that revolutionized my life in twelfth grade was that I began to have a constant awareness of God’s presence and power no matter where I was or what I was doing. It was brother Lawrence's Practicing the Presence that got me there. Prior to that, this concept of the exchanged life did not make sense to me. I was like that deaf man pretending to hear the music and pretending to be fulfilled. But there came a time when I got spiritual ears – or at least learned how to use them. It was an attitude of prayer, though prayers were not always verbalized. I began to talk to God naturally about the things that I was doing moment by moment, or when not talking, realizing that He was watching how I was working, and trying to do my work in a way pleasing to Him. I had a constant sense of my need for Him.

This is what Calvin called “living Coram Deo,” which is a Latin phrase meaning, “living Before The Face of God.” Wherever there is faith, there is an awareness of God’s presence, and whatever is not of faith is sin according to Romans 14:23. Wow! If whatever is not of faith is sin, a lot of us have a lot of sin since we aren't washing the dishes by faith, and making our beds by faith, or working for a mean boss by faith. Hebrews 11 says that without faith it is impossible to please God. Let me repeat that: Wherever there is faith, there is an awareness of God’s presence, and whatever is not of faith is sin according to Romans 14:23. This is why in my leadership training I emphasize intimacy with Christ. Some people wonder why I spend so much time on that. It’s because I don’t want you to be like that deaf man. Paul said, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31).

Here’s a self-evaluation question: Does your 40-hour a week job pull you away from Christ? It doesn't need to. Christ was a carpenter for most of His first 30 years. There is nothing unspiritual about carpentry. You don’t have to go to a monastery to live like Christ. Christ didn’t go to a monastery. He was a carpenter. Carpentry is not one of the “things on the earth” that Paul is talking about - unless, of course, you do it independently. But some carpenters don’t do their carpentry like Jesus did. Listen to Jesus’ words of total dependence: He said, “The Son can do nothing by Himself . . . Rather it is the Father living in Me who is doing the work” (John 5:19). And He repeats that in John 14:10. If the Son could do nothing by Himself, then He couldn't do His carpentry by Himself. He did His carpentry entirely by the Father. Why does 1 Thessalonians 5:17 say that we are to pray without ceasing? Because there is never a time during the day when our need for Christ diminishes. Christ told His disciples, “Without Me, you can do nothing.” Everything done from the Old Adam will be burned up as hay, wood and stubble. Only what’s done by, for, and through Christ will last. And praise God, we can do dishes, landscaping, roof removal, marriage relations, and everything else in life by, for, and through Christ. Which means that all those menial labors will bring us reward in heaven. They won't be burned up as hay, wood, and stubble.

When we take our eyes off of Christ, then immediately the issues of jobs and diapers and dishes begin to flow from the Old Man. That’s just the default. When our eyes of faith are on Christ, then those same issues become the fruit of Christ. He said,

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5)

So when Colossians 3 says, "seek those things which are above where Christ is . . . Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth," Paul is telling us that we need to be in a constant attitude of dependence. You need to be brought to the place where you can always say, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” And you can say that when you do the dishes, when you clean the garage, when you witness.

If this is all mysterious to you, ask God to open your eyes and enable you to enter into the exciting exchange of resurrection life that is available to each of you moment by moment. There is no need to limp and struggle through the Christian life on our own. Galatians 3:3 says, “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” You could paraphrase that this way: Are you so foolish? Having experienced the first two exchanges in your outlines by the power of the Second Adam (Jesus), are you trying to live the third exchange by the power of the first Adam? You see, our flesh, our old man, is not capable of living the new life in Christ. All it can do is the imitation of that deaf man who was clicking his fingers, tapping his toes, swaying, and imitating something that he has never personally experienced. He is not experiencing music filling the room (which I liken to Christ’s grace).

When the Spirit of God indwells a person, he brings the life of Christ powerfully to bear. For example, Ephesians 1:19 says, “and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.” Wow! He is saying that the exact same power that raised Christ from the dead, is an exceedingly great power that can work in you right now by faith. And that in no way conflicts with our effort. Earlier in Colossians Paul said in chapter 1:29, "To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily." Both are true. Paul never advocates passivity. Rather he advocates looking to Christ continually as we labor and strive. Coach Taylor’s prayers didn’t make him passive. If anything, he trained harder, disciplined his players to put their all into the game, and adopted new strategies, but he did so in dependence on God. It is Christ’s resurrection life that enabled Paul to say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” And I hope each of you can say that this morning because you have the resurrected Christ indwelling you powerfully.

So the first two exchanges guarantee our justification, adoption, privilege, security, and a totally new legal identity. The third exhange relates to our sanctification, transformed thinking, and a Dominion Mandate done by a new power.

The Future Exchanged Life (3:3-4)

The last exchange happens in our future; on the last day of history. Colossians 3:4 says, “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” The exchanged life must be true for all eternity because it is only as we are hidden in Christ that there will be safety for us when Christ returns for judgment. That is an amazing way for Paul to end this section. Not only are we saved in Christ, and empowered to live our new life in Christ, but also we will even be able to judge the world in Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:2 says, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” That’s why we can return with Christ in glory. Each one of us is worthy of judgment ourselves, but because of Christ, and His righteousness, God will give us the privilege of returning with Christ and sharing in His judgment. What amazing grace that turns criminals into righteous judges! Amazing grace how sweet the sound! Do you see how Christ is our all in all? Can you see why verse 3 says, “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God”?

Facing the Giants illustrates what happens when ordinary people stop killing their faith with negative affirmations and start trusting God with their whole lives. If you are not yet a believer, you are still in the old world, outside of Jesus, and subject to judgment. I urge you to trust in Christ’s death and resurrection so that you may be hidden in Him. If you are a believer but you can’t honestly say with Paul that you know the “exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe,” then lay claim to your present benefits. Study passages like 2 Peter 1. Pray as Coach Taylor did: surrender your plans to God and seek God’s glory above your own. Don’t let impossible circumstances make you give up. Don’t resort to human schemes and manipulation. Instead, by faith prepare your fields and expect God to send the rain. Never give up, never back down, and never lose faith.

If you want what I have just preached, come into agreement with the prayer that I am going to read right now. I will read it in the first person. Virtually every phrase is taken from Scripture. I won't be reading the verse references, but just the phrases found in those verses. By faith you can say your “Amen” to this prayer and make it your own personal prayer. And if you pray it in faith, you will begin finding astonishing changes in your life. Let’s pray.

Prayer for the Filling of the Spirit

By Phillip G Kayser

Father, your word has promised that if we ask for the Spirit, you will give of the Spirit far more readily than parents give the necessities of life to their children. I lay claim to the “how much more” of Luke 11:13 and ask that you would give to me an extra portion of the Spirit’s presence for today. I need the Spirit because you have commanded me to “walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16) in everything that I do. Help me to “sing in the Spirit” (1 Cor. 14:15), to “worship...in the Spirit” (Phil. 3:3) and to “rejoice in the Holy Spirit” (1 Thes. 1:6; Rom. 14:17). Please help me to “pray in the Spirit” (Jude 20; Eph. 6:18) since I do not know what I should pray for as I ought (Rom. 8:26). Help me to “love in the Spirit” (Col. 1:18), be “led by the Spirit” (Matt. 4:1; Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:18), be “moved by the Spirit” (Luke 2:27), be “compelled by the Spirit” (Acts 20:22 NIV) and to have my “mind controlled by the Spirit” (Rom. 8:6). May every part of me be controlled by the Spirit (Rom. 8:6,9) so that I might “live in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25; Rom. 8:13). I want to be taught by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:13), to speak by the Spirit since “no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:3). Wash and sanctify me by the Spirit (1 Cor. 6:11).

I know that Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:17-20 is according to your will, and I ask that the reality of your transforming power would work in my life today:

... that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places...

I do not ask this because I deserve it, but because I am united to Christ and He has purchased everything that is necessary to my full enjoyment of the Spirit.

Lord Jesus, you are the vine and we are the branches (John 15:1-8). I acknowledge that my life flows from you, and that without you I can do nothing (v. 5). I know that you were given the Holy Spirit “without measure.” I ask that you would release your life into my life that I might bear fruit. Release your strength, wisdom, healing, and anything else needed to meet the needs of this day. You have said that all who drink of you will never thirst since they will have within them a fountain of living water that never grows dry (John 4:14). I need that for my dryness. I lay claim to your promise in John 7:37-39:

...If anyone thirst, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Lord Jesus, since you have been glorified, and everything necessary has been done that we might receive the Spirit, I pray that the Holy Spirit would be poured out upon me today - and that He would transfer Your life into my life.

And Holy Spirit, I invite You now to baptize me afresh with the fire of your love. I want to know you, not just know about you. I want to experience your presence in my life. I give myself to you and ask that you would give yourself to me. I need your power in my life. Please come, and fill me now. Come into my life as the “Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD” (Is. 11:2). I need those things in my life. I am your bondservant and I come humbly to be controlled and moved by you. Whatever giftings you want to pour out in my life today (1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4:7ff; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Pet. 4:9-11), I gladly receive and determine to use your giftings to the glory of the Father.

Fill me with your gracious fruit. Help me to walk in the Spirit that I might not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. I lay claim to Your supernatural love that can love the unlovable. I lay claim to Your joy of the Lord, which is my strength. I lay claim to Your peace that passes all understanding; I lay claim to Your longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Help me to do everything today by Your working, that you would replace my evil thinking with the mind of Christ, my rebellious will with the will of Christ, my unruly emotions with the compassion of Christ.

Flow through me to minister to others. Please flood the deepest places of my life, washing away the filth and replacing it with the righteousness of Christ. Cleanse my wounds that still tend to dominate my thoughts and are keeping me from emotional freedom. Help me to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. I want to learn more and more what it means to walk in the Spirit. May I not lift so much as a straw from the ground without your presence, love, and approval.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, by faith, I thank you even now that you have answered this prayer and have poured out your Spirit in my life. Praise be to your name! I love you and thank you. In Jesus name, Amen.

[Hymn - His Robes For Mine]

Charge: Children of God, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.” And as you do so, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.