“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” – 2Peter 1:3
LIGHT FOR NOW: The divine nature is never accompanied by spiritual deficiency. The God who gave you His life has also supplied everything necessary to live that life.
One of Satan’s greatest strategies is to convince believers that they lack what is necessary to live victoriously. He whispers that they need something more; more acceptance, more righteousness, more qualification, more spiritual worthiness; yet Peter presents an entirely different picture. He writes: “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness”. Notice the tense once again. Peter does not say God will give; He says God hath given. This speaks of a finished provision.
At the new birth, God did not give believers only a portion of what they would need. He provided everything required for the life He called them to live. The expression “divine power” reminds us that salvation is entirely God’s work. The life we now possess did not originate from human effort; it came from God’s omnipotent power. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is the power that brought the believer from spiritual death into spiritual life. Peter then says that this divine power has given us “all things that pertain unto life and godliness”.
The word “life” refers to the divine life we have received in Christ. The word “godliness” speaks of a life that reflects God’s character. This means that God has not only called us to live like Him. He has also supplied everything necessary for that life. He never commands without providing grace. He never calls without providing ability. He never assigns without providing strength. This truth should silence every excuse. When believers say, “I cannot forgive”; “I cannot overcome”; “I cannot remain faithful”. They are often looking at their natural ability instead of God’s divine provision.
The divine nature changes the equation. You are no longer living from merely human resources. You are living from heavenly resources. Peter also tells us how these provisions become effective in our daily experience. He says: “Through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue”. The Greek word for “knowledge” here is epignosis; it speaks of full, accurate, experiential knowledge. God’s provision is complete, but our experience of it increases as our knowledge of Christ increases. This is why spiritual growth is inseparably connected to the Word of God.
The more we know Christ, the more we discover what has already been given to us in Him. Faith grows where revelation grows. Confidence grows where knowledge grows. Victory grows where Christ is known. This explains why Paul constantly prayed that believers would grow in the knowledge of God. Not because God had withheld blessings; but because many believers had not yet discovered the riches that already belonged to them. As partakers of the divine nature, we do not spend our lives begging God for what He has already supplied in Christ. We grow in the knowledge of His finished provision and learn to live from it by faith.
Remember this today: The God who gave you His nature did not leave you spiritually unequipped. Everything necessary to fulfil His purpose for your life has already been graciously provided in Christ. Your responsibility is to grow in the knowledge of Him and confidently walk in what He has already given. Hallelujah!
INSTRUCTION: Instead of focusing on what you think you lack, thank God today for all that He has already provided in Christ. Study His Word with the expectation of discovering more of your inheritance.
CONFESSION: Father, thank You that by Your divine power You have given me everything that pertains to life and godliness. Open my understanding to know Christ more deeply and to walk confidently in all that You have already provided for me. I refuse to live with a mentality of lack because Your divine nature has fully equipped me, in Jesus’ name, Amen. Glory!
For More Light; get the message, “Now we are in Christ” by Dr. John Linus
QUOTE: God never imparts His nature without also providing every resource necessary to express that nature.
DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: 2PETER CHAPTER 1; EVENING: COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 2:6-15
LIGHT FROM THE WORD 