“He must become greater, and I must become less.” John 3:30 NLT
The topic of God’s increasing within me and me becoming smaller has been on my mind for a while.
Many of you will be familiar with this way of thinking which is based on the scripture above. But have we been interpreting these words in all its fullness?
Traditionally, I think, it’s been used to tell people that anything related to their bodies and worldly nature is evil and should be suppressed. And when that happened, God’s presence would increase in them and they’ll be in some way ‘holy’. We certainly need to allow our spiritual nature lead us more (see Galatians 5:19-25) than we allow our bodily nature to but it doesn’t mean that everything related to our carnal nature is bad.
After all, God made our bodies. He also gave us our personalities and individual talents and character traits. There is more to this scripture than we see on the surface.
1. We are made of two natures constantly battling with each other.
We are spiritual beings living in physical bodies. One nature draws us closer to God and what our spirit needs, and the other draws us closer to the needs of our body. Even if we’ve accepted Jesus us our Lord and Saviour the battle continues. This is normal – just because we experience the battle it doesn’t mean something is wrong with us.
What comes from our physical nature needs to decrease and we need to be led by the Spirit more. What comes from God needs to be stronger than what comes from the world which reminds me about old tale about feeding two wolves – the one who is fed more often wins.
We’ve now got awareness of this natural battle within us and we’ve got the help from God’s Holy Spirit to know which nature we should be feeding more and how.
2. Our physical nature needs to be submitted to the purposes of God
Remarks from point 1 don’t mean that our physicality is purely evil; and we should punish it and suppress at all cost. No, God made our bodies and what God creates is good. But they need to be used for right purpose. If we use our bodies for our own pleasure and be led by their desires, we’ll quickly move away from God. But if we offer our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12), don’t burry our talents (Matthew 25) and shine our personalities for God’s glory (Matthew 5), they’ll be put to good use and will help us in the battle.
It’s like money. Money, especially lots of them, is not wrong it itself; it’s when the money starts controlling us and we serve money instead of God; that’s when things go wrong. Money can do a lot of good in the world and so can our bodies and what’s related to them if they’re submitted to God.
3. Let go of control
This scripture doesn’t only speak to the desires of the body that on the surface might look positive. It also relates to our weaknesses
God is strong in my weakness. When I am weak, He is strong. If there is less of me trying to pretend I am strong, God’s power to use my weakness will increase.
Where me and my earthly abilities end, God’s power begins to work starts – the quicker we realise it, the sooner God’s power can be at work.
We need to let go of controlling things, both good and bad ones, and let the power of God work. And see what happens.
4. Follow Jesus
As with every part of our life, we don’t have to do this alone. Jesus is our example and not only in theory. He lived on earth and went through anything that we go through today, so we can ask him for help.
He came down from heaven laying down everything that was ‘Him’ in order to God fill Him completely. Just read the beginning of Philippians 2 (emphasis mine):
“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slaveand was born as human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honour and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus did it first. He became less and less, so God could become more and more in Him. And He was God in the first place! But like us He lived in a body and experienced the same battle as we do. But He submitted himself FULLY to the will and purpose of God. He did it for us, so we can be here today and experience the eternal life tomorrow. And so, we need to follow in His footsteps.
Good Good Life 
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