I have come to realize that no matter how much I try to articulate the experience most people are just not going to get it, unless that have already shared the experience before. I am finding this exceptionally true with all my post on surrender. Surrender being dying to self, bearing the cross, and a host of other euphemisms.
But the point in sharing it is not that you would understand per se. But at this point I share simply because it is what I feel compelled to do by God. I hope with all sincerity that even in the lack of empathy or understanding that somewhere in these words is inspiration to pursue God yourself.
The coming week, if the Lord wills, will be a different week in posts. I presently have the intention for a review of sorts of The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee. It, for me, is a complete confirmation of the past 4 or 5 months, and certainly a complete confirmation of the past 67 days.
Please hear me on this... I am certain that I have discovered something in God that few find. All are called to it. All experience its beginnings, but few take it this far. I know, because at present there are only a handful of people I know who get it. I am also certain that there is much, much, much more. I am certain that I am nothing special, with no special gifts. And I am certain that God loves you every bit as much as He loves me. This thing is surrender. Complete and total surrender. (Stay with me)
At this moment I perceive myself to be in complete surrender to God. (Not true... but my perception. I am not conscious of anything else to surrender.) I know that this complete surrender is purely a momentary place. God is going to have be walk out in this place before bringing me even deeper into it. But that is not the important part.
The important part is that the backside of surrender transcends faith. Post surrender there is no need for faith, as there is only obedience. (Jesus was not a man of faith, He was led by obedience.) Post surrender things become visible like never before. At that place were you honestly know that NOTHING in you is good. That EVERYTHING must be laid down. EVERYTHING!!!!! And that there is only Christ and His expression of Himself through you. This is surrender. I am nothing and I will do nothing save for Christ. This is a heart condition... this is soul condition.
Remember we are spirit, soul, and body. Surrender occurs at the soul level. At salvation we are confronted with the evils of our flesh and its animal tendencies. The blood of Jesus covers our sins past, present, and future. But from here the cross must be picked up. Why? It is picked up to bear onto our soul, the home of our character, the place of our ego. The cross weighs onto the soul illuminating its evil and proving it has no value apart from the Spirit.
We will cover this later, but Nee shows that original sin inflated the soul. The soul must be deflated so that the spirit of God can increase. I must decrease so that God can increase. This is not a statement of flesh. This is a statement of the soul.
I will close with this story. I have a friend who God told, "If you will live like a pauper I will make you rich." The man is already a multi-multi millionaire. His response to this compulsion was to sell his $3MM house and a bunch of toys and move to a $1MM house without the toys. Compulsion not satisfied he has now sold the $1MM house and moving to a much smaller home, but still not one of a pauper. The spiritual truth is this... He could have stayed in the $3MM home for all God cared. The command to live like a pauper is a command of his soul. Surrender God says. Be poor in your soul. Take no value in what you have or can do. Take no stock in your education, your savings, surrender it to me and I will make you rich. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God... We know our spirit is poor when we recognize are soul is too large and has driven it into poverty. Surrender to God and discover the riches of His Kingdom.
No comments:
Post a Comment