The Code of Life

Of the greatest struggles I’ve faced since knowing Christ, one of the biggest has been living with DNA tainted by the enemy of my soul through sin.  The building blocks of my body have not been the code of full life.  I did not begin knowing Jesus until I was 15, and sin’s taint also marked the DNA I inherited.

Throughout my life, condemning lies and accusations hurled at me by the enemy through various avenues have assaulted my heart.   In the deepest recesses of my heart where He meant Truth and Love to line the walls and promote life, vile words have been spewed (from others, from myself ) and have built up like plaques that have blocked life from flowing.

James 3:5-8, Psalm 64:3, and Proverbs 25:18 speak of the evil and destruction done with a tongue.  I truly believe that the soul, mind, heart, and physical body of a person are affected by words that do not line up with Truth.  We are told in Proverbs, “Gracious words are sweetness to the soul and healing to the body.”

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I’m a mess.  There’s no doubt about it.  I see my blemishes and sin more clearly than anyone else on this earth.   And for years, I’ve believed that when He looks at me, all He sees are the sin and flaws.  And, since I believe those things are all He can see, a constant nod of disappointment with a sigh is what I have perceived as coming from Him.  Condemnation.

But I’ve been so wrong.

Of the biggest transformations presently taking place in my heart, I believe the most significant has been the rewriting of my DNA.  The building blocks of life.  No longer are the false lies and accusations of the enemy to condemn me in judgment and lead me to death (Isaiah 54:17).  Springs of life were meant to flow from my heart (Proverbs 4:23), and the Lord intended from the beginning that He be what courses through my heart, mind, soul, bringing abundant life.

He is intent on bringing me to a place of confidence in Him, rest in His love, and belief of His sheer delight in me.  To an abundant life. But to get me there, a major transformation has had to take place–the blueprint for how my body functions must change.  I believe that Epigenetic change is taking place, actually.

What’s taking place is a total re-design in what makes me who I am.  The lies that have become a twisted truth are being replaced by the Lord with His True words–they are reality. The hard thing has been believing the truth over the lies, which have been my “reality” for so long.  But in order for the new genetic changes to be laid down, the old must be destroyed and replaced with what is True.  And the only way to do it is by believing what is really True.

My hang-up has been believing Him.

Do I believe when He says, “You are altogether beautiful, my darling, And there is no blemish in you” (Song of Solomon 7:7)?  Do I listen and believe His words?

In order to see the plaques in my heart destroyed, I must first believe the words of Jesus.  I must believe Him, not anyone else.   My validation is not from Satan nor from the curses or praises of man.  He said that He came to give me life, peace.  He is life.   I need that life!  I cry out for faith, and He’s helping me believe.  I’ve asked Him to let His voice be louder than all others.

Also, this:  I have to take captive my thoughts and destroy every argument or lofty opinion that does not line up with the truth of Christ.  My thought life must come under the obedience of Jesus Christ.  Unwittingly, I let accusations wreak havoc for years, to the point of being confused about what is true and what is a lie.  I have pleaded for help to recognize the difference.

My lifeline in this process has been adoration.  Practicing adoration.  Reading Scripture and praying it back to the Lord, telling my heart and Him who He is.  Choosing to believe these Words as truth.    This gaze shift from hearing and believing lies about me to hearing and believing truth about Him, the God-Man Jesus Christ has been rocking my world.  I’m finding treasures in darkness and hidden wealth in the secret places, and in the process am believing that the Lord has called me by name (Isaiah 45:3).

He is worthy of my thoughts, my obsession, my toil.  It is His very Word (Who was made flesh) that is the code of life.  My mind, my heart, my body–they all must work to pursue Him.  To keep myself wrapped around His Words.  They must permeate my being.

More and more of my day is being filled with spurts of intentional adjustments of my gaze.  It’s my lifeline.  As I believe that He is who He says He is, it tenderizes my heart to receive His life-giving words. To let Him perform open heart surgery, destroy the plaque of lies and line my heart with His DNA.

His DNA.  The DNA of a King, of God over all, the only perfect One!  I’m slowly understanding that His DNA is nothing short of glorious, magnificent, grand, stunningly beautiful!  And He wants me to have it.

That being the case, in the moments that build upon moments of gaze-shifting, He is re-writing.  My heart is opened a little more to receive His divine, life-changing Love.

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You must scoot on over to Sara’s blog, my dear friend whom the Lord has used to help me see the significance, hope, and life in practicing adoration.  You will be blessed! (Just click the button below)

Also, this is a wonderful resource that helped jump start my practice of adoration.