I want to tell you about a Christian lady who loves God with all her heart-as much as she is able. Most of what she does is related to the Christian life, and learning to know and grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. She has no interest in the things of this world, she hates the philosophy of this world. She helps others, when she can, and she ministers to others, sometimes even from the pulpit. She has her struggles, her prayer life has slipped a little lately. Well, a lot. She fasts, she does pray, she meditates on the Word, and she digs deep in the Word, praying for understanding. She's hungry to know God herself. She shares what God has given her freely, without expectation of reward or financial compensation. She spends her own money to share the Gospel. She always tries to point others to Christ, to encourage, and edify those around her. She's deeply concerned about the honor and glory of God, and heartbroken at the condition of this nation she lives in, America. She grieves over the direction the Government is taking. She has been praying for the baptism of the Holy Ghost-which she desperately needs. She tries to teach her children right, but she makes mistakes, especially with her young daughter, whom she's allowed too much cartoon time, though she has heavily censored what she is allowed to watch. She has been too busy lately, helping someone in need, and had too many children around, so she's neglected her Bible and her Lord, shamefully, even though she goes to prayer meetings, and tries to go early before the services at church to pray. But at home, alone, is when it counts.
She got up this morning, took the children to school, and needed to stop by the store for one item, a small thing, before she went home. It was a windy morning, the skies were slate gray. It was raining lightly. The wind made the air chilly. She was driving down the road, listening to the song by Chris Tomlin "Give Us Clean Hands". The words of the song mirrored the desire in her heart to be pure before the Lord. As she turned on the road behind the store where she was heading, she saw a lady walking. Her heart was moved with compassion, and she stopped and rolled her window down. "Do you need a ride?" She asked, thinking she would offer this lady a ride to her destination, probably home. Oh, how we pre-suppose and get in trouble. This woman looked like she'd a run of bad luck, and her face revealed she'd lived a hard life. She looked so tired and discouraged.
"No, I'm out hunting a job, and trying to find some money to buy some cigarettes." the lady answered.
"Oh," she replied, knowing she couldn't buy this lady cigarettes. And she didn't really have time to take this lady job hunting, either. She had so much to do. And she really wanted to hurry home so she could grab at least a couple hours time to study her Bible and pray, God knew she needed to. That desire was burning in her heart. So, she rolled up her window and drove on to the store. She got out, went in, and quickly found her item, and went to the cash register. There stood the same lady.
She smiled, and spoke, "See, we were going to the same place."
The lady didn't return her smile-she was there, seeking employment, and the store had a sign up they were accepting applications, but she heard the manager tell the lady they were not hiring. The lady had a paper she needed the manager to sign, to prove she'd been looking for a job, and the manager of the store said "You will have to fill out another application before I can sign that."
So, the lady asked if she could come back tomorrow and do that? "Yes," said the store manager.
The lady went on, headed outside, and this woman in a hurry to go study her Bible stepped up to the cash register and paid for her purchase, and headed outside. The lady was standing there, looking for all the world like she didn't know what to do next, and looked ready to cry. It was spitting rain, the cold wind was blowing, and it was not a day good for walking.
She looked at the Christian lady and said she'd lost her job in November, and was having a hard time finding one. The Christian lady said "I know what you mean, I got laid off last summer, and haven't been able to find one either. If it weren't for my husband and the Lord we wouldn't be making it."
The Christian lady was suddenly assaulted in her mind by shame. She wanted to tell the lady about Jesus, she knew she needed to hear, and she could all too well understand the craving for a cigarette. She herself had smoked 17 years before she met the Lord and He delivered her from this bondage.
The lady looked at her and the purchase in her hand, and said "I really need to find somebody that will give me three dollars so I can get a pack of cigarettes. And I've got to go find a job." She spoke about going to meet someone who might give her some money, and some other places she needed to go, to look for work, and this Christian lady was feeling so torn, but all the lady was interested in was getting some money for cigarettes right now. The Christian lady looked at her, and wished her luck. She went to her car as this lady headed out, walking in the light rain, pulling the hood of her jacket up over head as she went.
The Christian lady was feeling miserable as she pulled out of the parking lot. When she got home it occurred to her, why didn't you tell her about Jesus regardless of how you felt? Why didn't you tell her about this Jesus who could deliver her from the bondage in her life, and give her new life? Why? Self got in the way. Self was suddenly afraid God wouldn't show up and minister to this poor needy woman because the Christian lady was not prayed up and read up. And then self would look stupid. She was overwhelmed while talking to the lady by a sense of shame. Shame for the way she'd been neglecting prayer, neglecting Bible Study, and the communion with the Holy Ghost. Who was she to tell somebody about a God she's been neglecting?
Okay, in all fairness what is her idea of neglect? Not showing up daily for time alone with the Lord and His Word. I mean, we feed our bodies every day, right? We make sure we get sleep every night, right? We make sure we shower and comb our hair or brush our hair, and teeth regularly, right? How much more important is time with HIM who created us and sustains us?
Oh, God help me, the Christian lady thought. This woman has a soul, she's lost and stumbling around in darkness, spiritually, bound by the chains of sin, and I was more worried about myself. God please forgive me for being afraid of looking foolish, for yielding to the shame and insecurity. Please forgive me for putting those negative things of self ahead of a lost soul. God please forgive me. Please send someone to help that lady. You wanted me to be Your hands and voice this morning and I failed you. Please forgive me. I am soooo sorry.
She walks in the door of her home, feeling overwhelmed with regret, remorse, and grief in her heart. Once again she has failed the Lord she loves and this time, someone else was effected. Someone lost, who needed light. She begins to pray for the woman, and asks God for mercy on the lady and help.
A slow anger begins to burn in her heart. She did not ever want this to happen again. This wasn't the first time she had been in this position. She had to take self to the cross and trust the Holy Spirit to do the crucifying. That is the only way. Souls are more important than self. Only He could help her stop being afraid of looking foolish. She had little struggle talking to other Christians, or encouraging those she knew but she was terribly tongue tied when it came to talking to strangers. She prayed for His strength to be made perfect in her multiple weakness. Please forgive me for failing you Lord, and for failing her. I owed her the Gospel and held it back for fear. Please change me and forgive me.
Mar 13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Stay awake, stay alive, for you don't know when I'm coming-don't let me find you spiritually asleep.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
We need to love one another, because if our love is God's love poured out through us to others, it will not hurt others, or neglect them. Who is our neighbor? Our brothers and sisters in Christ who are part of the Body of Christ. It's time we rise up from our inactivity and obscurity. If we've been neglecting God, we need to shake ourselves from the dust, from self, and make it right. If we have been languishing in a spiritual stupor, making excuses and looking to "Someday things will change, and I'll overcome" we better shake ourselves and face the fact that NOW is the time to get busy, and get in the presence of God to seek Him and get what we need so we are prepared before He tires of our excuses and shuts the door. Our rescue, our deliverance, it is much nearer now than when we first put our trust in Him. Don't let loose of the truth. Don't over indulge in anything except prayer and the Word of God. Be clothed with the presence of the Lord, be like Him, and don't provide for self to have its way.
Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
He is telling them there is going to be a struggle here. We have an adversary to contend with, and it's a fight of faith. There is something that has to be overcome here to make it in this narrow entrance. Struggle to go in through the only channel or avenue there is to enter here. Remember, Jesus Christ Himself is the Door-the entrance. He said by Me if any man enter in he shall find rest. But any who try to get in any other way are thieves and robbers. (John 10). Many will demand entrance into this life which is eternal, this kingdom of God that is available. Many are searching, trying to obtain this life. The question is about how they are trying to obtain it. If He is the Door, we must be joined to Him-for he that is that is joined to the Lord is one spirit-united with Him. Our life must be hid in Him. We are to put off self and put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for self. (Rom_13:14) Self cannot get through this entrance. He plainly says no flesh can or will glory in His presence. (1Co_1:29) He said many are going to try to come in but the can't. They won't be worthy. It will be impossible for them to enter. They are unwilling to pay the price to enter here. They won't have what it takes to enter here. They won't have the strength to make it in.
Luk 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Luk 13:26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
The Master of the house is the Head of the Body-Christ. When He appears, and closes the door-that is the entrance, the gate, some will be left outside. What a horrible thought. Remember the five foolish virgins here, folks. This door isn't going to stay open forever. There is a set time and it will close. Those who have been making excuses, who haven't done what He told them, will be left outside. If they have been misled by a preacher because they didn't take time to dig in the Word and pray for understanding themselves, they didn't seek God for themselves, they will still be left outside. There will be those who are left outside and will realize they are outside and not understand why. How tragic, folks! They'll be knocking, just like the foolish virgins, "Lord, Lord, open up, let us in with You! And He will respond, "I don't know you, or where you have been or where you are from." He does not regard them for they are strangers to Him. They use His name but He does not know them. He had a table spread, full of the provision of God, but He never saw them there. They had no time for prayer and communion. They were perhaps religious but would not pay the price to come into His presence, and learn Him, and tarry there until they got the power they needed to overcome what they were. There was no relationship, no intimacy, no hunger to know Him. Their lips were full of His Name but their hearts were far from Him. Where they had been, He was not.
It is a straight, or narrow entrance because there are obstacles all around it. There are many things that are naturally in us that won't make it through that gate. Self will, pride, anger, envy, jealousy, malice, lust, covetousness, hatred, selfishness, bitterness, unforgiveness, dishonesty, things like this are obstacles that will hinder us from entering that gate for what fellowship has Light with darkness? Christ will not let these things come in Himself. Only what is centered in HIM, only lives that are hid in HIM get through. To do that we have to reject ourselves and all we are apart from Him and embrace the cross that will destroy self, crucify it, and embrace everything HE is. It's like trading our rags for His righteousness. We give up what will destroy us, and receive what will save us. Hallelujah!
How do we do this? Take Him at His Word-Believe it and then act on it.We get in His Presence and tarry there, waiting on the Lord, praying for the power to overcome what we are, we pray for the Holy Ghost to come on us and fill us and be the power in us to do what He's calling us to do. You can't represent Someone you don't know. So how can you be an honest witness for Christ if you don't spend time in His Presence learning Him yourself?
But what is a true witness? Someone who knows personally this great God. Someone who can accurately represent Him to a lost and dying world. Someone with the oil of the Spirit of God burning brightly in their vessel so those in darkness can find their way out of the darkness, into the light, and be saved! THAT is what it is all about. THESE are the ones who will be taken INSIDE before He shuts the door. If you are strangers to prayer, strangers to His Word, then you are strangers to Him. If you don't make time for Him now, He will have no time for you then. You reap what you sow. I pray to God in the name of Jesus that all who read this, if you sense your need of Him, that you resist the pull of your self that will try to draw you away from Him, resist the pull of the world that would have you believe other things are more important. Nothing is more important than knowing HIM. For if you don't know Him, you have no life. Joh_17:3 says THIS is eternal life-knowing HIM. They learn to know Him, through relationship, they are ever learning Him, daily learning Him, spending time with Him, gaining understanding of who He is and sharing His heart. He is Life-to have life you have to connected to the Life Source. Break the connection, the flow of life leaks out and the vessel is empty and dead. It can't be otherwise.
I've been meditating on the life of Moses for a while now. That man was born under a death threat. His life was to be a promise of deliverance for a nation in bondage. Though this new life was born in adversity and surrounded by hostility, God secured it, raised it up and kept it for Himself and His purposes. This new life God births in those who are born again Christians, He is able to secure as well. This new spiritual life is surrounded by carnal flesh, and thinking which is determined to rule. This warfare breaks out and God's people are affected by this struggle. The new spirit life of God is vying for supremacy against a hostile, carnal nature that is determined not to die.
Just as God raised up Moses, to deliver a nation, He can raise up His life in us, and secure in us the victory. He's already made the provision. But we have to be brought to the place we are willing to say no to what we are and want and yes to God's will and the cross.
God is looking for a people who are not satisfied with the religious rut. These are a people who have read their Bibles, saw that it rebuked their life, and the church, and cried out with a God-produced cry for deliverance. They are a praying people, who love God and have undergone a circumcision of the heart-they know they are weak, and they have no confidence in anything but God and His Word and His Power. He's looking for a people who will step out of their comfort zone, be willing to suffer some things and reject everything that would hinder His life in them from operating as it is supposed to do. He's showing them the burdens of the people. They see the suffering all around them. In their own strength, they know they are helpless to change things. But there is a God on the throne who has more power than we can possibly conceive of and He wants to move and change things. He works through surrendered, sanctified vessels. He wants us to have a part in what He is doing but at the same time be unwilling to take any credit for what He does. He used one man to change things and liberate a nation from bondage. Church, what does that tell us? We have families in bondage, neighbors in bondage, spouses in bondage, parents, and children, and friends. God used one man who was willing to give up everything he had and everything he was just to walk with God and do what God said. He used Moses to liberate a nation. I know I said it again. THINK ABOUT THAT. He used Moses to prepare a people to leave bondage, and go into the promised land. OUR promised land is CHRIST-in whom our life must be hid. We can't hold on to it if it is rooted in self or this world. We lose it. It must be hid in HIM. It must be anchored, rooted, and built all in Christ, in His Word, His Spirit-HIS LIFE. How long will we halt between two opinions-between struggling with self and chasing our tails?
You know, we are no threat to the devil or his works when we are so busy fighting with ourselves, struggling with our carnal nature. We'd rather fight with our flesh than see it suffer denial and death. That is the problem. Moses refused to be called a prince of Egypt and he refused the pleasures of his position in this world. Think about that. He turned his back on the palace and that easy, comfortable and luxurious way of life. He chose to suffer for a season, with God's people, so deliverance could come. If we don't know how to travail for souls in prayer let us run to the altar, to God, who gives wisdom and understanding to all men, and let Him finish us off so He can raise the life of His Son as governor in us. Let us tarry until He baptizes us with the Holy Ghost so His power can do in us and through us what needs to be done . We get nothing accomplished and we are no good to God trying to live the Christian life in ourselves and our own strength and understanding. But if we just go the altar, recognize it is a place where something in us has to die, and just go, and trust God to put to death what needs to die, and tarry in His presence until He does what needs to be done, things will change. For so long the church has preached the altar is a place to get something from God. Not so. It's a place of death. It's a place to bring something TO God. The throne of Grace is where we go for help but an altar is a place where self dies. Something in us has to die before HIS life can be lived out as it's supposed to be. We can't serve two Masters. Self or Christ. Which one will be Lord? Choose you this day whom you will serve. We know if the altar is repaired, and the sacrifice is broken in pieces and laid on that altar in the manner God prescribed the fire will fall. If we will just tarry in His presence, and let Him break us, the fire of the Holy Ghost will fall. Then, He can use us to make a difference. It is our choice. We can be part of God's plan for deliverance or we can be left out. For the sake of those we love, for the glory and honor of HIS holy name, let us make the right choice. This may sound like a hard truth. But we can stop feeding the flesh, fast from food, and worldly influences such as media, and newspapers, and TV, and computers, and get alone with the Word of God and pray until God changes us. We can seek Him and we will find Him when we are willing to say no to everything else.
We are truly on Holy Ground when we put ourselves before this Holy God and want nothing but HIM, His way, His Word, His Will, His plan, and His power. Let us break with self and choose this day to serve the Lord, without reluctance or hesitation. We must not linger just inside the door any longer. We must put all on the altar and trust God with the results.
Here's a radical thought: before any preacher gets up to preach anytime, should he not have first spent time with the Lord, being equipped in prayer, in the Word, drawing from the Lord what is needed to deliver the message the Lord wants delivered? This is the pattern laid out here in these Scriptures.
2Co 1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
2Co 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
Do not misunderstand God is fully aware of the pressure that is squeezing many of His children mentally right now. There is a pressure unlike any previously known and the intensity is increasing. Many saints are struggling with anguish, burdened down, many are enduring persecution, or some form of tribulation. This will weigh you down, make you feel heavy with despair and cause you to struggle with depression, even. It will truly make you wonder about the purpose of your life, make you feel like your life isn't amounting to much, and seems so fruitless, so pointless, how could God ever be satisfied? Have you caught yourself wondering why, Lord? Of course the enemy will be right there to whisper God is mad at you. He'll throw your failures in your face, constantly seeking to harass and accuse. Why does God allow these things into our lives, those of us who love Him and truly desire to know Him and live for His glory, not for self?
I think Paul tells us in the next two verses. The word for sentence in verse 9 means answer. There is a judicial answer for the problem. There is something in us that has been sentenced to death-and that is self will-it has to die and God will allow things to press and come against us so we will learn that we cannot trust in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but only in God who once we are dead to ourselves, (no longer relying on or looking to please self) is well able to raise us up and make good use of our lives. Just as He rescued us from sin, and darkness, which truly was an awful death, He is well able to deliver us and will deliver those who trust in Him. No matter how it looks right now, no matter how you feel right now, He loves His people, and is working things out for their good and His glory. And He will yet deliver us. Think about what He delivered you from in the beginning. Look at how much your thinking, your desires, your life has been changed since He saved you. He saved us from our sins, but He wants that self will pressed out of us. Why does He want to empty us of self? He has something better to pour in us in its place.
Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
He can never give this kind of revelation, He can never have this kind of close fellowship with a carnal person. What will happen to a saint of God who gets a divine understanding of the Lord? When He manifests Himself to you, and reveals to you more of who He is then you are knowing Him yourself-you are learning Him. Intimately. As you begin to have this kind of deeper fellowship with Him, your faith is strengthened, your purpose in life is reaffirmed, redefined, and transformed. Now your focus has moved away from self and to HIM. When He begins to manifest His presence in your life, and open His Word to you more, drawing you in deeper, it's a thrilling thing. That aching longing deep in your soul that nothing around you satisfies, begins to find fulfillment in HIM alone as it was meant to do. In the knowledge and presence of this awesome God is fullness of joy. His precious Holy Spirit is working to this end. No matter what is wrong now, or how bad it may look, He wants to minister the cure to His people-His presence, and our divinely given awareness of His presence and who He is. He wants to reveal to us more of Himself. He wants us to understand and consider the hope or expectation of His calling which is an invitation. His calling us is His inviting us to something much better, much greater than what we have. He has such great richness, there is such a majesty about Him, and He has a glorious possession held in store for the saints, (the blameless, the consecrated, those who are HIS). What is that Possession? I believe it is His Beloved Son, the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. Remember, beloved, many are called but few are chosen. If we don't yield to the stripping and pressing process, we won't be chosen. He has to strip away all the chaff of the carnal and worldly thinking, and living. He wants to replace it with spiritual understanding, spiritual thinking and living, and dependence on God, not self or the world. What is the hope of His calling? The expectation of this invitation God has given us? It is in His Son. Our life is in His Son.
Now there is something else we must know as well....He wants us to know the exceeding magnitude of His power-His mighty ability freely extended toward us who have faith in Him, who are committed to Him, and know that HE ALONE is our hope, our security. As long as we try to do it ourselves, then God will allow things to move against that to tear down that reliance on and confidence in self. If He can't fix it, it can't be fixed. If He started it, He will finish it. He that has begun a good work in you will continue to perform that work until it is finished, if you will allow Him to. That requires yielding to His leadership. And He has to give the grace, the understanding, and Holy Ghost power to do this.
This kind of power He has already shown us when Jesus Christ was crucified, put to death, and the power of Almighty God working in Him raised Him from the dead and elevated Him to the throne in heaven. He rules over all, that which was, which is, and which is to come. Hallelujah!
Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Col 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
I know I was in terrible darkness until He opened the door! You never realize how awful that darkness is until you see the Light. Let us pray this way for one another, beloved. Pray the Lord of glory will open our spiritual eyes and ears and that we may be fully aware of His will for our lives, with a godly wisdom and spiritual understanding. That we no longer be carnal in our thinking or living. That we can mentally put the truth He reveals to us together-the pieces of the puzzle coming together so we can see the BIG picture-we can see beyond ourselves to His greater purpose. That we might live a life worthy of Him, pleasing and fertile-so His life is reproduced in us, no matter what work or labor we do, that we are continually being enlarged by Him in the recognition of Him, intimately knowing Him. That intimate fellowship produces a solid faith in us, which will enable and strengthen us, with His mighty power, that dunamis (G1411) power, that works the miraculous-that which only God can do. This will help us endure, patiently waiting for the completion of all things-when He comes for us. It all depends on Him revealing Himself to us. He can't do that if we don't meet with Him in prayer, if we don't pick up our Bibles and begin to dig in, and make time to get alone with God. We need to be filled with His Holy Spirit, we need to know HIM for ourselves, and we need to be depending on HIM and not ourselves. God help us once again to know how to tarry before Your presence, to be willing to tarry and not leave until we get filled. Help us be willing to put off any thing and every thing but You.
Dan 11:32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
There is a temptation to want to prevent suffering, to give in to the desires of ourselves, and indulge ourselves. We need to realize that voice is an enemy of what God wants to do for and give His people. Don't be corrupted by a smooth voice whispering you don't have to go to the cross. You don't have to deny yourself. He did it for you. But we must pick up ours and carry it and follow His example. In this time we live in there is a heavy sense of impending disaster. People everywhere are struggling, the only difference is some have the Holy Ghost in them, and the Word of God is their foundation. If we are on the Rock, built on His Word, and on His promise, no matter what storm hits, we will not go under. Remember, when Peter stepped out on that raging sea, as long as He kept His eyes focused on the Lord, He did not sink.
Those who continually meditate on Him, His Word, and stay in close contact with the Holy Spirit, acknowledging His presence in themselves, communing with Him, hungering to know Him, He will reveal Himself. What He reveals will strengthen, and edify and build us up. It will always leave us longing for more of Christ and less of self. You can reach a place in God where the voices of this world, the things of this world, the temporary pleasures of this world no longer hold any fascination for you. God can be and wants to become so real to you that these things lose their grip on you. When what you read in His Word is more real to your heart than what you see and hear in this world, you have moved into a heavenly place reserved for those who are dead and dying to self. Why does self have to die? Oh, what an awful thing to say, if you don't understand the recompense and the reward! For the carnal mind is enmity (HOSTILE) against God. That is why it has to die. It will never yield to God. It has to be denied. That nature in us that wants to please only itself regardless of the cost to others, to God, it has to be crucified.
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
I am learning, this is how the Holy Spirit is working in me. Through His power and His love, He draws me to dig into His Word, to seek a greater understanding of this lovely and all powerful Christ who gave Himself for me, so that I might give myself to Him and for Him, and in knowing HIM, in seeing Him, through eyes of faith, through divine revelation, I hunger for more of Him and less of me. In this way, the Holy Spirit, by revealing Christ to me, more and more, creates the desire to give up self and embrace Christ, to do His will, regardless of the cost, and He is the power and ability of God in me to see this accomplished. Hallelujah.
Now, if God had never allowed me to be pressed, troubled, afflicted, so I would be stripped of confidence in self and human ability, see what I would miss out on? He wants to strip us of filthy rags of self and cover us with His glorious presence, with His glorious truth! Nothing is worth missing out on knowing Him! He is our exceeding great reward and our shield!
See Him, being pressed by a crowd of people, on His way to raise a dead girl, and you see that trembling, fearful, and very ill woman pressing through a crowd, pressing through many voices, much opposition, just to touch the hem of His garment. She's lived like an outcast for 12 long years, lost everything but nothing has brought relief. See her trembling fingers touch the very part of His garment that was put there in remembrance of the law that marked her as unclean. See sin, and sickness touch holiness and be cleansed!! See Him stop and turn and fasten His wondrous eyes on Her, as she tries to slip unnoticed back into the crowd. See her fearful eyes lock with His as He says "Who touched Me?" She knows He's not going anywhere. She's exposed. Her heart is pounding like a frightened rabbit's, but she comes forward, completely exposed and vulnerable. Oh, she got healed, immediately, but there was something else she needed. See Him take away the reproach of 12 long years of living as one unclean, a social outcast. See Him recognize that pain of being ostracized. Hear Him speak to her "Daughter, be of good comfort, your faith has made you whole." What a lovely heart for us He has! See Him as He is and desire Him! Love Him! This is what the Holy Spirit wants to reveal to us! He wants us to know who this wonderful Christ is! Our lives will be revolutionized! We will never be the same. We will no longer be content to live mediocre, barely getting by lives. We will no longer feel like we are barely hanging on when we are holding His unchanging Hand and we KNOW IT! See Him and Love HIM! See His mercy and praise Him! He is so worthy!!!! Glory to GOD!! He will not fail you, neither will He forsake you! The Perfect One who lives in you will make you perfect-complete in HIM. You stand in God's sight, complete in Him, but He wants to make that finished work a reality in you now. It doesn't happen overnight, but each yielding of your will to His is a step toward that perfection. That completion.
He is circumcising our hearts, cutting us off from that tendency to live by self rule. Be encouraged Beloved, the stripping process is very unpleasant and painful, but God knows what He is doing, and doesn't delegate this task to another. No, He is right there, doing this Himself. That is in itself a declaration of His love. He will not entrust such a personal, painful process to one of His angels. He does this Himself-through the power of His Holy Spirit. He will not leave you alone, defenseless and wounded and raw, having been stripped. No, He wants to replace that confidence in self, with the kind of faith and peace that comes from intimacy with Him. Sharing His heart, and learning who He is, how He thinks, and what He thinks. Don't believe the lie of the devil that what you are going through is God's judgment because He is displeased! God knows your heart, He knows if you truly desire Him, and if you hunger and thirst after righteousness! He wants to fill you! He has to empty you first. Nothing must be allowed to remain that would hinder the free flowing river of living water. He wants to pour it in us that it may flow freely out of us to others. He is a hands on God, Beloved. Let this truth comfort you today, and pray this truth be real to your brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all being pressed, being afflicted, and things are growing darker by the day-but if we yield to God, He will trim the chaff off us and we will shine brightly in this dark hour. He wants us to shine so the lost can see and come and be saved. Let us be found willing vessels, submitting to the Refiner's fire, so we can be purified, and shine brightly to the praise of His glory. Knowing Him for yourself will produce a confident faith and peace that is never dependent on circumstances-and never goes unnoticed by the lost. In our tribulation, He is our Rock, our Refuge, an ever present Help in an increasingly dark and evil world.
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