The Benefit of the Indwelling Spirit

The ability to receive and know the things of God is not attained through the schools, for many who are unlearned possess it while many who are learned do not possess it. It is an ability which is born of the indwelling Spirit. For this reason the Spirit had been given to those who are saved that they might know the things which are freely given to them of God. Yet among Christians there are some who are under limitations because of their carnality. They are unable to receive “meat” because of carnality, rather than ignorance. He That is Spiritual, L. S. Chafer.

In this age of advanced knowledge and Google, we have the information we seek at our fingertips within a few seconds. We can learn anything quickly if we differ in opinion and prove it with our reference to a website or referenced page. This can be used for good to help inform ourselves or others; or it can become bad depending on the attitude of the person and abuse the source. We can be right with the wrong attitude about proving it, or we can use it to help.

This is not true however with the Word of God. You see from early on in our history, men of learning were sought out for truth. Those who were ignorant to truth or learning had to seek out someone who could give them the information they sought. Even though the information was sought, those who gave the information or learning to the unlearned often used it with the wrong motive to manipulate those of unlearned backgrounds.

With the things of God, as stated by Chafer, human insight and learning can become a barrier to things of God. It doesn’t matter how smart you are, if the Spirit of God doesn’t reveal His truth, you don’t have wisdom. I think this is why many of the wisest Christian men I know never went to seminary. They have encountered God on such deep personal levels as He spoke to them that nothing compares in the earthly realm. One man I have deep respect in his knowledge of the Bible will often claim to me that he is a dumb North Florida redneck; when in fact his knowledge surpasses men who have doctoral degrees, including myself. This obviously doesn’t include those men of God who have seminary degrees who are in tune to the deep things of God revealed by the indwelling Spirit of God.

The danger Sperry mentions is when men become so carnal, they unable to receive “meat” because of their carnality. They would rather have what the world offers rather than sacrificing time to hear from God. This nullifies the work they seek because of their unwillingness to hear the things of God, or through their human efforts to manufacture something that appears to be spiritual in nature. All of us have tried it at one time or another and deep within ourselves we know it is a counterfeit.

Take the time today to ask the Lord to forgive your waywardness and bring you into the indwelling Spirit’s presence once again so that we can hear the “deep things of God.” Spend the time to hear from your Heavenly Father. It will be worth the time you set aside!

The Growth Process

I have begun another book over the next several weeks will contain my thoughts through the reading of this book. It is “He that is Spiritual,” by Lewis Sperry Chafer. Upon reading through the first part of the preface, I noted some things already. He makes this comment; “True spirituality is that quality of the life of the child of God which satisfies and glorifies the Father, it brings celestial joy and peace to the believers own heart. Upon it all Christian service depends. Since God purposes to work through human means, the fitness of the instrument determines the progress made. There is general agreement that the daily life of Christians should be improved; but improvement cannot be had other than in God’s way. Merely to exhort an unspiritual Christian is a loss of time and energy. When that Christian becomes spiritual, he will need no exhortation; but himself becomes an exhorter both by precept and example. Christians as a whole are satiated with ideals. Their real difficulty is stated in the words: “How to perform that which is good, I find not.” The divine way to sufficiency and efficiency must be understood and acted upon, else we fail.” He that is Spiritual, L. S. Chafer, preface.

Did you get the first part of that? The fitness of the instrument determines the progress made? His next statement even quantifies the agreement of most Christians who agree that there is a need for improvement. The problem is that most Americans have the mentality that we can have it all now, but the spiritual development goes in direct contrast to the current belief system. Maybe this is why many Americans never achieve the growth they claim to want in their lives. Maybe this is why we find ourselves trying to encourage other believers to stay on the path to development and find our ways discouraging; because they choose not to become spiritual…

The more scary thing today is that most Christians do not even understand “how to grow.” In a meeting this last week, I met with six men who asked the question, “what should we expect from the new Christian after their conversion?” I told them that without any knowledge in the person they should not expect too much, but rather than expect something from them in the beginning, we should be training them how to grow in their faith and then rechecking them to help them integrate it into their lives. You see most of us never understood the Bible and its contents before we came to Christ. That came after our conversion, not before. So before we become fruit inspectors, we should cultivate and nurture the growing process.

I look forward to what the Lord is getting ready to share with me over the next several weeks and I hope you will join me and seeing the truths He intends to share.