Going DEEPER In Christ!

HOUSEKEEPNG & MAINTENANCE!

This week the Lord began to speak to me about going deeper in Him. I began to ask what that meant. At first, I thought perhaps this was just for me. However last night we watched the Dove Awards. It made me very sad watching the program. I realized here was a “Christian event” and Christ was only there for a very small portion of it. In fact, only a couple of people that won this very cherished award even mentioned His name or thanked Him for putting this beautiful gift of worship in them. What was being called awards for worship was anything but worship, it was strictly performance of songs. Most of the individuals looked like they had just stepped onto the stage of a very worldly event. I think most of them forgot to bring Jesus with them. I could feel the Lord’s sadness over it. Again, He began to speak to me about going deeper—that it wasn’t just for me but for His people.

Going Deeper

You see, going deeper in the things of God isn’t singing a song; it isn’t operating in the gifts; it isn’t in raising a hallelujah; and it isn’t in delivering the best message ever. He spoke to my heart and said it is in living a surrendered life—a life of submission to Christ. Maybe when He is speaking about surrendering and submission, we need to know what those words mean.

SUBMISSION Biblically this refers to an attitude of humility, obedience, and reverence that acknowledges God’s authority over our lives. It really is humbling ourselves before God and knowing we need to completely depend on God. It is also showing respect, not only for God, but for those that He has put in spiritual authority and leadership in our lives and in His kingdom. Paul spoke about this often to the churches to which he was an Apostle.

SURRENDER Relinquishing one’s personal rights and will to God—fully giving our lives to God, making Him Lord over all our life, not just making Him Savior. The word “Lord” means He is the BOSS! Surrender is trusting Him and His plan for our life more than our own plan and believing that doing things His way is better than our own. If we want God’s plan and His will, we have to surrender ours. It must be a continual choice that we make.

So often, we think that if we were in a better worship service we could go deeper. Or, what about the person next to me that isn’t really trying to go deeper? That hinders me, right?? Then there’s the people I’m closest to, I need to get them to do what I’m doing, so we could go deeper, right? And, if only my spouse would do things my way, then for sure I could go deeper. Then there is: I’m hearing from God, even if the rest of you aren’t, and of course, I know He wants to do things my way. Oh, and there is another thought that we have to surrender as well: I have my own theology on that tithing thing. I only give when I feel like it, But I’m ready to go deeper. I’m ready to go deeper, but why aren’t we going deeper?????

None of this is submission or surrender. When we focus on everyone else, what the leadership or what God should be doing, there is no humility, only pride, which is counter to submission and surrender. Once we began to focus on our own lives in a posture of submission and surrender, He becomes the center of our attention. Then as we enter a corporate setting the presence of God will be so thick because of the unity of surrender and submission; we won’t be able to do anything but go deeper.

So, does this mean that we only do this on Sunday? I know I can do this on Sunday. NO!!! This is a lifestyle that is a choice that only you can make. What if not everyone else makes this choice? It won’t matter because those that make this choice will enter into a deeper relationship. The anointing and the glory resting on them will cause others to relinquish their fears and enter in.

We can’t live like the world Monday through Saturday and be Holy on Sunday. What does this mean?? It means He is your LORD (THE BOSS) over your life everyday 24/7. Yes, even in those times where you want to be in charge or in change someone else’s life. None of us are called to the ministry of correction. We are however called to speak the truth in LOVE and live a life of prayer. And when we walk in LOVE and add on prayer, its just amazing because He changes our lives first. When you’re tired of doing things on your own and always working on others in your lives and just want Him, that is the point where we begin to get caught up in Him. That’s truly humbling.

As we have said many times, “He’s NOT looking for VISITATION, but a place of HOLY HABITATION!” Therefore, housekeeping and maintenance must be done on a regular and ongoing basis in our Spiritual, as well as our physical house! Sometimes the flesh has to be crucified in order to go deeper in the things of God. To cut and establish a blood covenant, the flesh must be sacrificed; each party must surrender to the other what they value most—themselves and their own will.

What the Lord wants from you is simple, yet the most difficult to give: He wants your whole heart, not just the parts you want to give him. You can’t give Him what you don’t care about, but what you care about most. The truth is that the things that you don’t want to sacrifice are strong indicators of the things that you don’t want to submit to. Biblical tithing is a perfect picture of either submission or rebellion! You will know you have given Him your whole heart and you are ready to go deeper in Him, when you consistently give Him at least a tenth of the first fruits of your financial increase, rather than the leftovers at the end of your paycheck.

You will also know you are ready to go deeper in Him when you can stop looking around at everyone else and take a serious look at yourself. This also means you have to stop trying to fix others and leave that to the people whom the Lord has anointed to fix and repair others.

The end result is GOING DEEPER IN HIM! Our cry should be, “Jesus I want more of you and less of me. I want to humble myself before you each and every day of my life. When people see me, they should see your glory, not me.” This is where nothing else matters, where the time with Him stands still and we are caught up in Him. Nothing compares to Him, nothing! It will only take a spark to start the flame. Abba, we want only you! Only you! You’re so close, Abba and I need you to be my reality, nothing else matters! It’s about you and me Abba, just you and me. Remember the first time you feel in love with Jesus? It’s time to go back to that day!