My Disability Disappears

"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find." (Romans 7:18 NKJV)

If you've ever seen the story of Team Hoyt, the Father and Son pair who run marathon's and triathlons... If you've ever seen Dad Dick pulling, pushing, carrying, and lifting his quadriplegic Son Rick, than you have witnessed the reality of Romans 7:18 being played out in Ricky's life.  For truly Ricky is a man with the will to do, but his disability prevents him from accomplishing that which he longs for.

Enter Dad, because of Dick, his disabled Son Rick can swim, and run, and race with the best of them.  Which is why Ricky Hoyt said to his father not long after they began racing many years ago... "Dad, when we're running I feel like my disability disappears."





I praise God that when my Father in Heaven is pulling, pushing, carrying, and lifting my spiritually dead limbs...  Why, my disability disappears.  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13 NKJV)

I have experienced the disabling power of sin in my life.  I have felt the shame and worthlessness of falling for the hundredth time... or not even being able to get off the floor of my sin and shame.   But I praise God that Jesus is the pioneer and perfecter of my faith (Hebrews 12:2).  I praise Jesus that He will finish the good work He has begun in me (Phillippians 1:6).  

O friend, you and I have nothing to fear, no regrets when we are running with our Father.  His strength is perfected in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength." (Isaiah 40:28–29 NKJV)

Afterglow:  Here are some passages of hope and promise about the Resurrection power available to you and me as we put our faith, confidence, and trust in the living Christ!

"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him," (Romans 6:8 NKJV)

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1–2 NKJV)

"But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:11 NKJV)

"In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory."

(Ephesians 1:13–14 NKJV)

"Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20–21 NKJV)

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3–5 NKJV)

"There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him." (1 Peter 3:21–22 NKJV)

I Choose Life

"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by (the) faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference...

Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." (Romans 3:21–22, 27–28 KJV)

Observation:  It was the faith of Jesus that made justification available.   And it is faith in Jesus which takes hold of that justification.  This is the law of faith.  Faith begets faith.  Trust awakens trust.  The Father trusted the Son.  The Son trusted the Father.  They extended their trust to humanity.  And as we trust in them... They will accomplish their perfect work in us... Father, Son, and Spirit... trusted us enough to say... We believe that if we give You the fullness of our love, it will awaken love within in you.  It will awaken that which we have implanted in you from the very beginning... On the flip side of enmity between thy seed and her Seed is a longing for our Father's love.  But we don't know it until we see the fruits of that enmity.  We don't know it until we see the Seed of the woman crushing the serpents head by taking the spear in His side.  We don't see it til' we see and understand that in His hatred, our God takes all the evil His enemies can through at Him and then prays... "Father forgive them because they know now what they are doing."

In all of this, there is one thing we must understand about God's belief in us... It's not a belief in our ability.  If this was the case, the cross would not be necessary.  For we would be able to save ourselves.  No, His belief in us is a belief in our availability.  A belief that the cross would make us response... able.  Or able to respond.  All God needs is our response.  Our Yes.  Our choice.  The faith of Jesus in You in me is that we would choose if He chose.  That we would say yes to the Father, if we could experience the power of His profound yes on Calvary's cross.  He is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith in that when He, by faith, went to Calvary's Cross... He awakened within all humanity... the possibility of taking up their cross and following.  Before the cross... we would not have chosen Him.  After the cross... choice was once again possible.  Glory to God, our choice is the purchase of His choice.  He whom the Son sets free, is free indeed, because he/she has been given freedom to choose.  And in that choice we have been given an incredible gift.  What will we do with it?  What will we choose? 

I choose Christ!  I choose Life!