I want to look at another area of GOD's being within us as the anointing of promise though it may not appear as such in the OT translations and language used back then. For Jesus under the cover of the OT was restricted by the Law and Prophets in the use of language that revealed this secret before it's time. And because this is not of my own leading but is from another's I am editing this as the LORD leads me.
The Most Precious Promise of a Shared Life
"By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature . . . 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." (2Peter 1:4 and John 15:4-5)
This promise of a shared life is so "exceedingly great and precious" that we would do well to consider it further. Being "partakers of the divine nature" (without becoming divine ourselves) is a difficult concept to grasp. The scriptures clearly invite us to live day by day as Christ ones sharing His life, love light and law as the correct path of life in us. "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" is what Paul sated in Galatians 2:20 of 15-21. Yet, how to walk in this truth can seem quite elusive. In His teaching on the vine and the branches, Jesus provided a wonderful physical illustration of this tremendous spiritual reality.
Jesus' visible example involves actual grapevines, grape branches, and the grapes that can potentially result. For grapes to grow, the appropriate life must be available and developing to maturity, from the water or sap that flows just under the outer surface of the bark. The grape branches do not have this life in themselves. "The branch cannot bear fruit of itself." In order to bear grapes, the grape branch must share in the life of the vine. "The branch cannot bear fruit . . . unless it abides in the vine." This can be irrefutably demonstrated by separating a grape branch from its vine. No grapes can ever be produced on the branches, if the life of the vine is not flowing through the branches. The life of the vine is essential. This word is hidden with one word, LORD.
The spiritual application concerns Jesus as the vine and us as the branches. "I am the vine, you are the branches." For Christlike fruit to develop in us, the appropriate life must be available to us and maturing in us. We as branches do not have this life in us: "neither can you [bear fruit], unless you abide in Me." This truth is lamentably demonstrated daily by Christians who live self-sufficiently, trapped in religions deception's not depending upon the life that is in Christ and Christ in Jesus, the vine. "Without Me you can do nothing." Day by day Christian living is only possible by the shared life of Christ at work through us.
Once again, we are reminded that humility and faith are the practical application for living as GOD intends. We must humbly depend upon the Christ Who resided in Jesus for true fruitful living, just as grape branches must depend upon their vine for grapes.
"By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature . . . Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the (Mosaic) law . . . that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (2Peter 1:4 and Galatians 3:13-14)
Here, we get at the heart of GOD's "exceedingly great and precious promises." By means of promise, the LORD has made it possible for us to share in His life: "that through these [GOD's promises] you may be partakers of the divine nature."
What a remarkable prospect this is — that man could and can participate in the divine nature. Yet, the promises of GOD make this available to man. Of course, this does not mean that man becomes divine (as many false religions and some aberrant theologies espouse). GOD alone Is, and will ever be, divine. "I am GOD, and there is no other; I am GOD, and there is none like Me" (Isaiah 46:9 of 8-11, 12-13). Nonetheless, man can share the life of GOD, even though he will never become "a god" himself. This was accomplished by Jesus Christ and His coming to dwell within the lives of those who believe Him. The Lord Jesus died for us that He might give life to us. "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life" (John 6:47 of 41-51). This life that Jesus wanted to share with us is His own life. For, "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life' . . . Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life' " (John 11:25 of 17-27; 14:6 of 1-7).
The Apostle Paul taught this great truth extensively. "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will (plan and purpose) of GOD, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus" (2Titus 1:1 of 1-3). He understood that his apostolic ministry was not only anchored in God's will, but it also depended upon the life that God promised. Thus, Paul confessed Christ as his very own life: "Christ Who is our life" (Colossians 3:4 of 1-4). Paul was not the source of the daily Christ life that he lived. "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20 of 15-21). The Lord Jesus was Paul's example of the true life source.
This is what the promise of the Spirit is about. "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the (Mosaic) law [those under its burden as Jews] . . . that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." At new birth, the Holy Spirit comes to indwell those who believe. The Spirit reveals these truths to us through the word of GOD. Then, the Spirit pours (as oil is poured and then rubbed upon us) forth the life of Christ through every humble, dependent child of GOD. "It is the Spirit Who gives life" (John 6:63 of 60-65).
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