Conditioning: A process of behavior modification by which the subject comes to associate a desired behavior with a previously unrelated stimulus
Did you catch that? In relation to being a commissioned man of God; the Lord has to condition us to a behavior that is suitable and pleasing to Him and His purpose. And he does so while we are still in our undesired state. Wow!! This is what the Lord is doing with us and I know it's what he has done with me. While I am still in my present state of unholiness, God is conditioning my behavior to be what He needs me to be while I am still in the middle of being what He does not want me to be.
Christ gives us these trials, these test to condition us to be the men He has called us to be. Now I know you are probably saying Duh!!! I knew that already. That's great and I am glad you do, some don't ya know. But here is the other side of that coin. We men have to put in work. For one nothing is ever promised to be easy for any believer...
John 15:18 states...If the world hates you; Know that it has hated me (Christ) before it has hated you. ..ESV
So we know good and well we are going to receive some form of ridicule. But that cannot deter us from the fact that the Lord has called us and is wanting to condition us for His great work. Paul said it best...
1 Corinthians 9:27...But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified...ESV
In that scripture we can see that Paul is conditioning his flesh to submit to God's will and not his own. Also another huge point Paul touches is Integrity. We won't get into it real deep in this blog; but this is very important to being a true commissioned man of God. We can't carry out the commission if we do not have sound integrity and character. How will we hold up against false doctrine? how will we fare when the flesh dictates it's terms? Huh then what?
Another scripture that makes it plain is 2 Peter 1:5-9
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.
So as you can see we are to make every effort to add to our faith. We are to put our flesh under subjection to the best of our ability and then Let the Lord handle the rest. I realized that praying Lord do this, Lord do that, Lord help here, Lord help me there was not enough. I needed to walk in my faith and trust God. The Lord gave me test and I needed to exercise my faith and beliefs in order to succeed and be conditioned properly.
Yes it is hard and sometimes nerve racking, but coming out on the other side of your test victorious is well worth it. See for me God's conditioning me for battle, for a future that I have not yet seen. Just know that alone tells me how much He loves me. He is willing to guide his creation his child. Like a parent that is love. Now He can be extremely harsh to me at times, but thanks to His Holy Spirit giving me comfort and discernment; I began to see that what the Lord is doing really is for my good (Rom 8:28).
Brothers I will never say it was easy for me, because it wasn't. I lost a lot, but I gained so much more in Him. I am stronger because of His conditioning to my heart and to my spirit and my faith. He flexed them all until they got stronger. I go through tests now with more joy than ever before because I know that everything is conditioning me to be the commissioned man of God he has called me to be.
Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge him and HE WILL direct your paths.
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