Occupation with Jesus Christ

One of the greatest components of the spiritual life is occupation with the person of Christ. Being occupied with Christ is the believer, filled with the Holy Spirit, functioning daily under the grace apparatus for perception, and thus erecting the edification complex of the soul. Occupation with Christ is a predisposition of the mind that sees all of life from divine viewpoint, therefore, thinking with the mind of Christ. 1 Cor. 2:16.

“For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16, NASB)

With consistent divine viewpoint thinking, the believer can handle the most severe pressures and difficulties in life much like our Lord did while on earth. It is wonderful to realize that we can enter into a personal love relationship with God. Believers can achieve this spiritually mature status by maintaining our filling of the Holy Spirit, learning the Word of God on a daily basis, and applying the believed Bible doctrine to our lives. The result is consistent spiritual growth.

Occupation with Christ is realized in the believer’s thinking after their spiritual growth has developed a personal love for God and an unconditional mental attitude agapao love for all that you meet in life whether friendly or unfriendly. Occupation with Christ is the standard operating procedure for the Christian life. Heb. 12:1-2.

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2, NASB)

Remember, all functions available to the Church Age believer within the spiritual life are provided by God the Holy Spirit. They are all purely grace functions all the way! Heb. 12:2-3.

“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2-3, NASB)

What destroys being occupied with Christ in the believer? Mental attitude sins. Mental attitude sins cause the believer to be out of fellowship and operating under the control of the old sin nature. While in a state of sin, the believer’s thoughts are not made captive to the obedience of Christ. 2 Cor. 10:5.

“We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:5, NASB)

Mental attitude sins, sins of the tongue, and overt sin will tell you that you are not occupied with Christ. Prov. 6:16-19.

“There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.” (Proverbs 6:16-19, NASB)

These can involve self-pity, eyes on self, eyes on people, materialism lust, etc. Four techniques that contribute to occupation with Christ are confession of known sins to God the Father, the resulting filling of the Holy Spirit, faith-rest, and living in the Word with daily function under the grace apparatus for perception. 1 John 1:9; Eph. 5:18; Heb. 4:1-2.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NASB)

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,” (Ephesians 5:18, NASB)

“Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.” (Hebrews 4:1-2, NASB)

Basis For Occupation with Jesus Christ

The basis for occupation with Lord Jesus Christ is Bible doctrine through the daily function of the grace apparatus for perception. Heb. 3:13-14.

“But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,” (Hebrews 3:13-14, NASB)

Even the spiritual babe in Christ gets a taste of occupation with Christ with spiritual growth bringing ever more time occupied with Him. Only the mature believer appreciates Christ fully. Why? The mature believer has more capacity. 1 Peter 2:2-3.

“like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.” (1 Peter 2:2-3, NASB)

Occupation with Christ is thinking the same thoughts that Jesus Christ thought while on earth in prosperity and under even extreme pressure. It is thinking divine viewpoint. Isaiah 55:8; 1 Cor. 2:16.

“"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8, NASB)

“For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16, NASB)

Occupation with Christ is actually the rapport love response of the maturing believer in their fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Occupation with Christ gives stability of mental attitude love. 2 Tim. 3:4.

“treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,” (2 Timothy 3:4, NASB)

The Lord allots certain amounts of time for the believer in the spiritual life. Time for sleep, to eat, to work, to play, vacation, to rest and relax. He also provides a certain amount of for suffering and pressures and time to be alone! For example, military service involves separation from loved ones. A man going to work involves separation from his wife. Confession of sin is done alone. God gives one mind, not two in one body, and so on!

David was alone in the cave of Adullam. This had become his headquarters for possibly as long as a year. From there he went to the forest of Hereth. In the meantime, before his parents and brothers arrived and the 400 malcontents got there, he was alone. He was alone with Jesus Christ. The greatest answer to loneliness is occupation with Jesus Christ. 1 Sam. 22:1; 1 Sam. 22:5.

“So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father's household heard of it, they went down there to him.” (1 Samuel 22:1, NASB)

“The prophet Gad said to David, "Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah." So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.” (1 Samuel 22:5, NASB)

Occupation with Christ is concentration on His thinking and thinking the same thoughts under pressure and prosperity. What you are thinking and what you are saying are often two different things. What you are thinking is really what you are. Occupation with the person of Jesus Christ is built on the concept of correct biblical thinking, divine viewpoint. Phil. 2:5-8; Prov. 23:7.

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8, NASB)

"For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, "Eat and drink!" But his heart is not with you." (Proverbs 23:7, NASB)

There are two ways of thinking, divine viewpoint and human viewpoint. The thinking of God is different from that of man’s thinking. The thinking of God is greater than the thinking of man. The thinking of man gets its direction and expression from the old sin nature. Occupation with Jesus Christ is built not only on the concept of thinking, but is a certain method of thinking which is in harmony with God’s thoughts. Isaiah 55:7-9.

"Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:7-9, NASB)

The Word of God is the umpire or the official in the battle of human viewpoint vs. divine viewpoint. The Word of God serves as a critic of man’s thinking. It accuses it, limits it, categorizes it, and condemns it. The Word of God gets to the source of man’s thinking, the real issue, their motivations. If one is to have soul stability, you must learn to express your own thoughts that line up with God’s thoughts. Heb. 4:12.

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, NASB)

Occupation with Christ is the only antidote against overthinking everything. Complaining, murmuring and disputes break your concentration on Jesus Christ. Phil. 2:14.

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing;” (Philippians 2:14, NASB)

Occupation with Jesus Christ or thinking divine viewpoint enables the babe to use the newly acquired truths learned in the babe stage to relate his thinking to life and God’s view of it. Before the babe is able to handle service for Christ, he must begin by learning that the mental attitude and thought pattern is the vital issue all throughout his life and service.

Four Components of the Spiritual Life That Contribute to Occupation with Christ

The four components of the spiritual life that greatly contribute to our occupation with the Lord Jesus Christ are; confession of known sins to God the Father using 1 John 1:9, the filling of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18), the faith rest life, (Heb. 4:1-2), and understanding the importance of divine truth and living daily within God's Word.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NASB)

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,” (Ephesians 5:18, NASB)

Occupation with the person of Christ constitutes a pre-disposition of mind that sees all of life from divine viewpoint. This is the great application of keeping our eyes on the Lord and not self, circumstances, things, and definitely not other people!

The Believer’s Greatest Enemy in Developing Personal Love Toward God

The greatest enemy keeping the believer from developing a personal love relationship toward God the Father and resulting occupation with Jesus Christ is mental attitude sin. These mental attitude sins are the result of living our lives out of fellowship with God and functioning under the control of the old sin nature. This old sin nature control of the soul frustrates any spiritual thoughts. 2 Cor. 10:5.

“We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:5, NASB)

The three ways we can tell when we are not occupied with Christ are gleaned from Proverbs 6:16-19. These three ways are the sins of the mind, the sins of the tongue, and various sins of overt behavior. The greatest enemy is the sins of the mind which can involve self-pity, having our eyes on arrogant self, having our eyes on others, and being motivated from the lust pattern of the old sin nature.

The Christian’s Highest Spiritual Function

Occupation with Jesus Christ is much more important than loving people, dogs, cats, or good scenery. It is based on motivational virtue of a personal love relationship with God under which the maturing believer, with epignosis Bible truth in the right lobe of the soul, is capable of appreciating, respecting, and loving the Lord Jesus Christ. Since our Lord is the only manifest person of the Godhead, occupation with Him constitutes maximum love toward the second person of the Trinity. Therefore, occupation with Christ is the maximum expression of personal love toward God. Deut. 6:5.

“"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:5, NASB)

Maximum Bible doctrine resident in our souls gives each of us the capacity for love in many directions. Once you begin to know the Lord Jesus Christ through His word, you begin to love Him, and in turn, you develop the capacity to love others. Occupation with Christ reaches a maximum when the Christian becomes spiritually mature. Col. 3:16-17.

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:16-17, NASB)

Occupation with Christ glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. The mature Christian glorifies God through their personal love relationship with Him. The personal love for God surpasses all knowledge and causes us to be occupied with Jesus Christ. Col 3:1-2; Eph. 3:19-21.

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2, NASB)

“and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:19-21, NASB)

In Ephesians 3:21, “to all generations, forever and ever” means that in every generation of the Church Age, some spiritually mature believer is occupied with Christ and that honors and glorifies God. If you become a mature believer and keep on growing in the spiritual life, this personal love relationship which glorifies Christ will go on forever and ever. You will then glorify Him to the maximum through the blessings and rewards of eternity.

The means of occupation with Christ is the daily intake, residency, and application of Bible truth. Consistency in the intake of the Word of God produces occupation with Jesus Christ and resultant spiritual maturity. This result is from the grace of God, not from the believer’s abilities. Any boasting should be because of God’s grace resources provided as part of His grace plan for each and every one of us. He has caused us to understand His plan for us through His grace only. Jer. 9:23-24; Eph. 3:18-19; Eph. 4:20.

“Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24, NASB)

“may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:18-19, NASB)

“But you did not learn Christ in this way,” (Ephesians 4:20, NASB)

Occupation with Christ eliminates the superficialities of human celebrityship. Phil. 3:7-8.

“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss 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 but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,” (Philippians 3:7-8, NASB)

In each dispensation, there are many heroes but just one celebrity, the God-man, Jesus Christ. The celebrityship of Jesus Christ is one of the great subjects in the prison epistles! Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 5:23; Eph. 2:16; Eph. 4:4-5; Col. 1:18; Col. 1:24; Col. 2:19.

“And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23, NASB)

“For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.” (Ephesians 5:23, NASB)

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism,” (Ephesians 4:4-5, NASB)

“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions.” (Colossians 1:24, NASB)

“and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.” (Colossians 2:19, NASB)

Occupation with Christ is the basis for blessing in suffering and can minimize the suffering. Reversionism intensifies suffering under divine discipline. Psalms 77; 2 Cor. 12:9-10.

“And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, NASB)

Occupation with Christ also motivates the pastor-teacher to keep teaching Bible doctrine so the congregation can grow and reach occupation with Christ themselves. Heb. 6:10.

“For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.” (Hebrews 6:10, NASB)

The intake and application of Bible doctrine produces the dynamics of occupation with Christ as the believer grows into spiritual maturity. James 1:19-20; Heb. 3:1-2; Heb. 3:6.

“This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19-20, NASB)

“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house.” (Hebrews 3:1-2, NASB)

“but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.” (Hebrews 3:6, NASB)

The function of the grace apparatus for perception through the filling of the Holy Spirit is the believer responding to the love of Jesus Christ. God reveals His love to the believer through Bible doctrine. The pastor-teacher demonstrates his love for his congregation by teaching them Bible doctrine. James 1:21-24.

“Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” (James 1:21-22, NASB)

“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.” (James 1:23-24, NASB)

With Bible doctrine as the working object of faith, the believer has maximum personal phileo love response causing him to be designated a friend of God. James 2:23.

“and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God.” (James 2:23, NASB)

Personal love for God or occupation with Christ is illustrated in the husband-wife relationship. Husbands should have self-sacrificing lives and husband and wife should have love for each other - not self-centeredness or what each can get from the relationship. Eph. 5:22-33; 1 Cor. 11:7.

“For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.” (Ephesians 5:23-24, NASB)

“So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;” (Ephesians 5:28, NASB)

“Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.” (Ephesians 5:33, NASB)

Occupation with Christ is related to the victory in the Angelic Conflict. Col. 3:1-2.

“For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.” (1 Corinthians 11:7, NASB)

Occupation With The Head of The Body of Christ

In Colossians 2:19, “holding fast” is the negative οὐ (ou) plus the present active participle of κρατέω (krateō) and means to seize, to apprehend, to be occupied with someone or something which belongs to self. “The head” is κεφαλή (kephalē) in the Greek and is the term refers to absolute sovereignty. It is used for the human head, but in Greek literature it refers to the ruler, the chief, the principle one to whom all are subordinate. It also connotes the concept of celebrityship and reminds us that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only celebrity in the Church Age.

“and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.” (Colossians 2:19, NASB)

Not being occupied with the Head or Jesus Christ is the great problem in the spiritual life. The failure to develop a personal love response to God is because the believer has failed to consistently learn and apply Bible doctrine. Hence, they have not grown spiritually and do not have the capacity to love God because of their lack of understanding of who God is and what He has done in grace for every believer.

They do not witness to the unbeliever, they have no prayer life, and therefore cannot be of service to the Lord. The basic principle is that the intake of Bible doctrine leads to spiritual growth which results in a capacity to love the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Colossians 2:19, “from whom” is the preposition ἐκ (ek) plus the relative pronoun ὅς (hos) and refers to Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. “The entire body” refers to all Church Age believers. This is part of the grace principle when Jesus Christ was hanging on the Cross alone, all alone. And when this happened, God said, “It is not good that the Last Adam be alone.”

A bride always has a body. Christ was appointed the high priest and a high priest needs to be over priests. The priesthood is based on spiritual rebirth. “Bride” is the designation in resurrection. There must be love between the bride and bridegroom. The courtship is going on now and will continue until the Rapture of the Church! You must recognize the celebrityship of Christ.

“By the joints and ligaments” is the preposition διά (dia) plus genitive plural of ἁφή (haphē) and the genitive plural of σύνδεσμος (sundesmos) and means to fasten, something that fastens one member of the body with another.

Joints and ligaments connect members of the body providing symmetry. Symmetry is determined by major joint functions of the body. Joints and ligaments become analogous to Bible doctrine in the right lobe of the soul. Every part of the body has a different function, but joints and ligaments link them all together. What links together all personalities, nationalities? Bible doctrine!

Not only do they connect, but they build strength. The daily intake of Bible doctrine builds spiritual strength. They provide body coordination and action. In sports, everything calls for action of joints and ligaments. The greatest occupational hazard for the football player is to have trouble with the knee joint and ligaments in the knees and so on. Eph. 4:16.

“from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:16, NASB)

In Colossians 2:19, “being supplied” is two participles, one of which is the present passive participle of ἐπιχορηγέω (epichorēgeō). This is a word from Greek drama where someone finances the drama production and supplies the money to dress the chorus in the drama.

“Held together” is the present passive participle of συμβιβάζω (sumbibazō) and means to unite, to infer, to conclude, and being taught through the pastor-teacher. “Grows” present active indicative of αὐξάνω (auxanō) and means keeps on growing. “From God” is the ablative with θεός (theos) and means from the source of God.

The corrected translation of Colossians 2:19 is, “And not occupied with the Head (Christ) from whom all the body through joints and ligaments (doctrine) being supplied and being taught keeps on growing (the body keeps on growing) with the growth from the source of God.”

Characteristics of the Maturing Believer

Characteristics are listed below that the believer will exhibit when they approach spiritual maturity where maximum occupation with Christ occurs.

Occupation with Christ is very thinking of Jesus Christ being formed in you. Gal. 4:19.

“My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you—” (Galatians 4:19, NASB)

Occupation with Christ is the greatest motivator in life. 2 Cor. 5:14.

“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;” (2 Corinthians 5:14, NASB)

The mature believer contributes to the blessings given from God to his or her nation. Deut. 30:15-17.

“"See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. "But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them,” (Deuteronomy 30:15-17, NASB)

Occupation with Christ produces combat courage and victory in battle. Joshua 23:10-11.

“"One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the LORD your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you. "So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the LORD your God.” (Joshua 23:10-11, NASB)

Occupation with Christ is the basis for persevering during testing. Psalms 31:23-24.

“O love the LORD, all you His godly ones! The LORD preserves the faithful And fully recompenses the proud doer. Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD.” (Psalms 31:23-24, NASB)

Occupation with Christ is the basis for stability of mentality and great inner happiness in the spiritual life. Psalms 16:8-9; Eph 3:17.

“I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.” (Psalms 16:8-9, NASB)

“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,” (Ephesians 3:17, NASB)

The spiritual life is based on thinking not action. Correct action and decision making is the result of correct thinking. The emphasis in the spiritual life as the believer grows is thinking divine viewpoint more of the time and human viewpoint less of the time. Phil. 2:5; 1 Cor. 2:16.

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 2:5, NASB)

“For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16, NASB)

Occupation with Christ is total dependence on God's grace provision leading to spiritual maturity. Occupation with Christ also results in developing the capacity for the grace blessings of spiritual maturity. Eph. 3:19; Psalms 37:4-5.

“and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19, NASB)

“Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.” (Psalms 37:4-5, NASB)

Occupation with Christ is the basis for strength under pressure. Heb. 11:27.

“By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.” (Hebrews 11:27, NASB)

Occupation with Christ frustrates soul weariness and discouragement. Heb. 12:3.

“For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:3, NASB)

Occupation with Christ is associated with sharing the perfect happiness of God. 1 Peter 1:8.

“and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,” (1 Peter 1:8, NASB)

The Dangers of Human Viewpoint Thinking

Illustrations of Mental Attitude Thinking

Worldliness: This is human viewpoint thinking. Rom. 12:2.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, NASB)

Peace: This is a resultant mental attitude of divine viewpoint. Isaiah 26:3; Phil. 4:6-8.

""The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You." (Isaiah 26:3, NASB)

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." (Philippians 4:6-8, NASB)

Giving: This is a grace way of thinking. Divine viewpoint is seen in contrast to human viewpoint. 2 Cor. 8.

Stability: Stability of life and practice is first expressed as mental attitude stability. 1 Sam. 17:47.

"and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD'S and He will give you into our hands."" (1 Samuel 17:47, NASB)

Examples of Human Viewpoint Thinking

Looking on things after the outward appearance. 2 Cor. 10:7.

"You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ's, so also are we." (2 Corinthians 10:7, NASB)

Wrongly evaluating leadership on human dynamics, personality, appearance. 2 Cor. 10:8-10.

"For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible."" (2 Corinthians 10:8-10, NASB)

Comparative success, spirituality by relativity. Principle and practice of measuring the ministry of others. 2 Cor. 10:12-13.

"For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you." (2 Corinthians 10:12-13, NASB)

Principle of self-justification. These attitudes are clearly set forth as having a human viewpoint origin. They are to be rejected in thinking divine viewpoint. 2 Cor. 10:18.

"For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends." (2 Corinthians 10:18, NASB)

Results of Thinking Divine Viewpoint

Mentally, divine viewpoint is the standard for life. This is the ultimate thinking that the babe has to learn that includes the technique of occupation with Jesus Christ or thinking divine viewpoint. Only with divine viewpoint will giving the Gospel be effective. 2 Cor. 10:13-14.

"But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ;" (2 Corinthians 10:13-14, NASB)

Growth and development in the believer. Increased missionary activity. 2 Cor. 10:15-16. Glorifying Him in our thinking.

"not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men's labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you, so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another." (2 Corinthians 10:15-16, NASB)

Concluding Principles

To be occupied with Jesus Christ is to be occupied with His Word. John 15. To be occupied with the Word means to have it expressed through our thought process. To have the Word expressed in our thought process, all human viewpoint must be excluded. To have human viewpoint excluded from our daily lives, we must recognize and confess it, moving on in the spiritual life.

However, before one can recognize human viewpoint or confess it, one must be taught from the Word of God what it is. Human viewpoint information like the specific sins list is often times much too short. Things that we accept readily as just our own idiosyncrasies are often sin or human viewpoint.

The technique of occupation with Jesus Christ or thinking divine viewpoint is dependent on other techniques such as confessing sin biblically, the filling of the Spirit, the faith-rest life, and living in the Word. The immediate source of occupation with Jesus Christ is the frame of reference in the believer’s soul. It is the Word stored in the right lobe of the soul and ready for application to life’s situations and decisions.

Thinking divine viewpoint in relation to the human affairs of life allows the believer to constantly have God in focus and not become sidetracked in the human things of life, or relegate God off to some corner with a church sign over the doorway. Paul said, “For in Him we live and move and exist.” Acts 17:28.

"for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.'" (Acts 17:28, NASB)

Human viewpoint attitudes restrict the communication of the Word of God and require that the communicator be tough as indicated in 1 Corinthians 10:1-2. Human viewpoint systems of thought will not hold up as methods of dealing with the forces of evil, nor survive in the Angelic Conflict.

"For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;" (1 Corinthians 10:1-2, NASB)