Galatians 4:19 – My little children, for whom I am again suffering birth pangs until Christ is completely and permanently formed (molded) within you,
The Passion Translation – You are my dear children but I agonize in spiritual labor pains once again until the Anointed One will be fully formed in your hearts and become visible through your lives.
We don’t just try to “act like Jesus” or ask “what would Jesus do?” and attempt to do it; He is actually the one living in and through us. He becomes completely and permanently formed and molded within us; He is fully formed in our hearts and becomes visible through our lives.
Most people try their whole lives to act like Jesus but never get enough of His Word in them or get close enough to Him through fellowship that He is actually the ONE living in and through them.
Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
My new life is no longer merely me; it is Christ who lives in me and through me. I am not to try to be like Him as much as put faith in Him who is in me that HE IS in me, Him who loves me and gave Himself for me. I yield to Him, and it is His live and power that I live.
Ephesians 3:17 – May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts!
It is through my faith that He dwells in me; it is through my faith that He settles down and abides in me. I live by faith in Him who lives in me.
Ephesians 3:19 (AMP) – [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!
The end result of Him dwelling in me is that I may be filled through all my being unto all the fullness of God, that I might have the richest measure of the divine Presence and that I become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself.
When Christ is fully formed in me, He is living through me in all the aspects of my life. I am full of Him. It is no longer me who lives but HIM IN ME AND THROUGH ME! This is much different that trying to be like Him. It is what Jesus spoke of as abiding.
John 15:4-5 – Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.
