You Do Not Have To Be Old

Although our bodies age our spirit does not age. God created us to live forever.

Aging is not a natural part of life but an unnatural part of life. God never designed or created us to age.

Our Father in heaven does not age or die. Sometimes we got a wrong perception of picturing Him with a grey beard and being old. He is forever young and full of life. Likewise His children are created in His image to forever be young and full of life!

What is aging?

Aging is like cutting a branch off from a tree . At first when a branch is cut off it looks vibrant and full of life. After several days the branch starts to wither and become lifeless. The branch was never designed to be cut off but connected to the tree. Likewise we are created to be connected to God. When Adam and Eve sinned all of humanity is now like the branch that is disconnected.

When we believe in Jesus we are no longer branches that are cut off but connected to the vine . Psalms 92:14 They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green…

One of the benefits of salvation is that we don’t have to make aging our identity! We do not have to fear it or allow it to rule over us. Our identity is youthfulness and life. Christ is forever young likewise we are forever young. Although our bodies age our spirit never ages. 2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

Since we are children of God we have a youthful identity. I never seen an old child but only a young child.

In order for us to reject making aging our identity we must understand what it is and where it came from. Aging is when we slowly die. Aging and death are actually one. Since Jesus is the opposite of death we lose the fear and consciousness of it the closer we know Him. He destroyed the power of death on the cross. 1 Corinthians 15:54-55

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

The term we use all the time that is popular is, “graceful aging”. The reality is aging is not graceful. Grace does not cause us to age but makes us more young. It does not give us death but life! Grace does not make us weary but gives us strength. It does not cause us to fade but blaze! Grace does not cause us to decrease but increase.

True aging by grace causes us to increase in strength, life, joy, wisdom, peace, health, vision, success. Aging under grace causes us to be more excited about the future instead of looking back at the good old days.

Death is a curse because of the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden. Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

It’s important we understand that aging is a result of the fall of man. The reason is so that we want conform to it. Example If we were to get cancer we fight against it. If we was to embrace the cancer it would strengthen the cancer and accelerate it and kill us .

Conforming to the world is more than conforming to the sins of the world but also the patterns, cultures,

or anything that is contrary to the word of God. Unfortunately society has given us a pattern to follow. The world has programmed our minds to identify with age. Example in this world we are taught to live our life to the fullest when we are young. But when we grow older we begin to get weak, slow down and retire and die. This might be normal in the world but not for believers in Christ.

The world says,”your to old to lead worship, to old to start a business or too old to marry”. Abraham did not allow age to stop him he was 75 years old when God called him. He had a son at 100 years old. This is funny for us today but normal with God because age does not exist with Him.

Moses started his ministry at 80. He later died at 120 years old. Deuteronomy 34:7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.

We must not embrace aging but reject it . Why? Because Jesus reject it! He destroyed it at the cross. John 11:25-26

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

For those who believe in Christ we experience opposite results than what the world experiences. Our strength in our bodies may decrease  but our strength in our spirit increases. Isaiah 46:4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Isaiah 40:30-31 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

We shall mount up as wings like eagles

In this verse it mentions how the youth will grow tired, weary, stumble and fall. Just because youth are young physically does not mean they are really young spiritually.

Our youthfulness is activated when we trust in the Lord.  When we trust Him no matter how old we are our strength is continually renewed .

God has called us to soar like eagles and do mighty things with Him. We are created to fly not give up and grow old. We never have to look back in our younger days how we did great things back then. Our greatest days are ahead . His plans for us only increase in our life never decreases. The fellowship we have with the Father does not weaken but becomes better.

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Notice in his verse it’s not from glory to less glory but from glory to more glory. What this means is as we get older our experience with Jesus increases. His joy , power and fellowship we have with Him gains more momentum.

We shall run and not grow weary

Running represents speed. As we get older we do not have to slow down but we are called to speed up . One example is a train. The train begins slow but increases in speed little by little and eventually nothing can stop it . As we get older we are like this train . We become more wise, experienced and successful in life. We gain speed because of the wisdom we have. Job 12:12 Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?

We can walk and not faint

When we faint it means we are overwhelmed with the stresses of life. One advantage of knowing Jesus over time is we become less stressful because of our spiritual growth. We should never become more stressed in life but less.

What happens when we die ? We must live our life as if we will never die. Why? Because we want die if we believe in Jesus. John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

What about physical death? Although we will physically die it is only an exchange of homes. We go from our home here on the earth to our Father Gods home in heaven . We will never see darkness, terror or death but when we leave our body we are instantly with Jesus.

2 Timothy 4:6-8 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Notice Paul mentioned the word departure not death. He also knew his time of departure was at hand. When we run a race we know when we are going to cross the finish line.

I believe one of the blessings that God gives to His children is letting us know when we will depart this life. If Paul knew we can also. It was very common in the Bible how people knew when they would depart this world. Jesus, Moses, Elijah, Sampson, and many others knew this.

When we are at a  race track we know when we cross the finish line. I never have observed runners hanging out at tracks. After they complete their run they leave. Likewise we are not created to just hang out in this world but to finish our race in this world.

Physical death is when we cross the finish line. It’s when we complete the plan and purpose of God for our life. The world says, “We never know when we are going to die”.  But according to Paul he knew exactly when he was going to depart this life.

This is why it’s important to know Jesus and walk in His plan for your life. By doing this we may also know when our departure also may be.

Unfortunately  people who do not know Christ does not have this promise. They have to live in fear every day not knowing if the will live or die. Because of bad choices they make they make themselves open for the devil to kill, steal and destroy them. John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

The good news is if you do not know Christ you can know Him. The greatest gift He gives is the gift of life. Right now ask Jesus into your life. Ask Him to forgive all your sins. He paid for  all your judgment so you want to be judged. He is an awesome savior!