A CALL TO GO DEEPER WITH GOD
The Nature Of The Deeper Life.
What exactly is meant by the Deeper Life in the Spirit? Astonishingly few Christians have the remotest idea, nor is the subject familiar to most of the believers who have received the experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Thousands of believers today are discovering that there is a deeper experience with God after salvation; namely, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, as God in this present hour is pouring out His Spirit upon all flesh as foretold by the Prophet Joel (2:28f.). Countless thousands in all denominations are experiencing the reality of the promise in Acts 2:38-39. However, it comes as a surprise to most of these to learn, after they have received this experience, that they still have not attained God's highest purpose for them, but that the baptism in the Holy Spirit was, in reality, the "means" to a greater spiritual experience—the fullness of God Himself (Eph. 3:19). The deeper life in the Spirit is the Spirit-led life (Rom. 8; Gal. 5:16-25); it is the crucified life (Gal. 2:20); it is a life of total faith in and dependence upon God (Mt. 6:33); and it is the Spirit-filled believer's growth "unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13).
How is this deeper life in the Spirit to be attained?
The message of the deeper life is basically the message of the cross. The way into the deeper life in the Spirit is the way of the cross. It means to take up the cross and follow Jesus. It is, in a word, the death of the self-life. God, in this hour, is calling a people to walk on a higher spiritual level than they have ever experienced before and He is offering them nothing less than the fulness of Himself! The deeper life is walking in the Spirit in total commitment as disciples—the future goal is the fullness of God.
More and more disciples who have entered into the glorious experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit are now being brought by the Spirit into a place of the crucifixion and death of "self" as the essential condition to receiving the fullness of God. To the extent one is filled with "self," he is, of necessity, to that extent not filled with the presence of God. The deeper life in the Spirit is not some mere doctrine to be studied with the intellect, discussed, and then forgotten; but it is a real experience with Christ, as the Holy Spirit brings us into conformity to the death of Christ, so that His resurrection life and power may be manifested fully in us. This is the message of the hour. God is at this very moment preparing a Body of believers which He intends to bring into the fulness of Himself. They will experience the fullness of Christ's resurrection life and power and be used to fulfill His glorious purposes in the restoration of all things now at the consummation of the age (Acts 3:21). For those who are unfamiliar with this great truth we suggest a reading at this point of some of the more significant passages dealing with the deeper life: Matthew 5-7; 20:25-28; Mark 11:22-24; Luke 9:57-62; 14:25f.; Romans 8; 12:1-2; Galatians 2:20; 5:16-25; 6:14; Ephesians 3:1-19; 4:7-16; Philippians 2:5-8; 3:10; Colossians 3: If.; I Peter 2:19-23; 4:1-16; Revelation 2-3.
The Need For The Deeper Life.
The present age is characterized by two evils affecting both the secular and religious areas of life. One concerns moral discernment; the other involves moral authority. The spiritual and moral character of the present age indicates that conditions have deteriorated to such a point that the only ultimate solution, as well as the greatest need of Christianity at this time, is the restoration of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church. This is not to be construed to mean some sort of mystical empowering of the present religious institution, whereby its current programs, organization and methods are made more effective, but the need is for a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit by individual Christians in an experience identical with that received by the disciples at Pentecost.
To compensate for its lack of power and effectiveness against the present-day flood of wickedness and unbelief, the Church has turned to such substitutes as increased religious activity, new methods and dynamic programs, as well as the merger of denominations in order to multiply its membership and increase its outreach. However sincere the effort may be on the part of some, all such attempts are destined to fail, just as they have in the past; for man cannot restore life to the body by means of artificial respiration when the spirit has departed, "for . . . the body without the spirit is dead" (Jam. 2:26). Only an effusion of power from on high within the lives of Christians themselves can deliver the contemporary Laodicean Church from the moral and spiritual chaos affecting the whole of mankind in this hour. The imperative need of the restoration of the sovereign operation and ministry of the Holy Spirit once more in the Church will be seen, we believe, from the following discussion of the two moral and spiritual characteristics of the age in which we live.
It is an age without moral and spiritual discernment.
Although the present age has been described by some observers as an age of scientific progress, human achievement, and tremendous advancements into new frontiers of technology, it may, from a moral standpoint at least, be more accurately described as an age of moral and spiritual crisis, reflected in such things as the phenomenal increase in crime, war, and drug addiction, the almost universal preoccupation with sex, the general disregard for authority, the great social upheavals and racial strife, and the almost abysmal lack of moral understanding and concern on every hand. We find ourselves living in an age analogous to the dark ages of the Judges in which "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judg. 21:25). The great apostasy of our day and the perilous times in which we live were foretold by the Apostle Paul as characterizing the last days:
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof (2 Tim 3:1-5).
Truly it is an age when men and women, in many respects, seem to have lost the capacity for moral discernment, calling darkness light and evil good, as was true of Israel in Isaiah's time when he declared, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter" (Isa. 5:20).
As in the period of the Judges, young and old alike consider themselves adequate authorities in spiritual and moral matters, judging what is right and wrong, scorning all attempts at instruction or restraint as outmoded "authoritarianism." The carefree moral philosophy of today is conformity and compromise. It is a time when, even among professing Christians, being "accepted" by the group seems to be more important than being accepted by God. The distinction between the sacred and the secular is rapidly becoming more difficult to discern; there is a loss of a sense of reverence toward God and sacred things; the concept of holiness in the life and character of the Christian is for the most part a thing of the past; and a lack of respect for parents and authority by the younger generation is reflected in a lack of respect for and fear of God.
Within Christendom itself the Church and family as the center of interest has been largely replaced with secular interests, and the once quiet Christian home is now monopolized by TV and rock music. Two global conflicts in this century, together with the constant turmoil, world-wide unrest, confusion, and uncertainty about the future have taken their toll, resulting in moral decay, increased drunkenness, divorce, juvenile delinquency and crime, as well as a loss in spiritual concern. Modern scientific achievements and technological improvements have, in spite of their beneficial results, only added to the problem by putting at our disposal hundreds of improvements to save time and make life easier, but providing thereby more time for development of the secular life, leisure, pleasure and sin.
It is an age without moral and spiritual authority.
The prevailing moral philosophy of this age can be characterized by three words: everything is relative. Morals are relative to time, place, and circumstance. Conduct is largely determined by the principle "when in Rome do as the Romans do." It is an age in which that which is popular and acceptable by the majority is right. The erroneous notion that "the end justifies the means" frequently prevails within, as well as without, the confines of Christendom. "Truth" and "right" are whatever produce results and work; failure is wrong and cannot be tolerated. Conscience is explained as merely the childhood memory of the "do" and "don't" of one's parents; so-called sins are, in reality, "mistakes" or "errors in judgment" in our evolution to a higher morality; and pleasure and happiness, as good ends in themselves, are to be pursued for their own sake.
What is responsible for such moral and spiritual confusion? It is because, for the majority at least, there is no longer an objective moral authority to guide their lives and conduct... to teach them truth ... to indicate the difference between right and wrong ... or to establish a standard. In a word, it is because, in this age of materialism and skepticism, men have lost faith in the integrity of the Holy Scriptures, and there remains, therefore, no reliable, unchanging standard of right to measure conduct and character by. Moral conduct is largely determined by the principle of expediency. Without an infallible objective moral standard (the Word of God) the principle of expediency reigns. If it works, if it relieves pain or displeasure, and if it promotes one's welfare and happiness, then it is right.
Too often the contemporary Church, denying the inerrancy of Scripture and influenced by the principle of expediency, asks but one question in conducting its affairs, in securing its funds, or in promoting its programs and institutions— "Will it work?" As a result, the Church has, more and more, come to resemble the secular community in which it exists, reflecting its customs, attitudes and mores, rather than being seen as the moral and spiritual influence upon the community. Moreover, it has become increasingly indifferent to the moral declension, decay, and spiritual shallowness within its own confines, and as a consequence, can speak with little moral and spiritual authority to the community at large.
What is the solution in an age without spiritual discernment and authority for those who, possessing a measure of spiritual awareness and concern, desire to walk in the ways of truth and faithfulness? God Himself has provided the answer to the dilemma, enabling, thereby, the sincere Christian to rediscover the distinctiveness of his calling to be the "salt of the earth" and "light of the world." The present move of the Spirit of God today throughout the world, as God pours out His Spirit in fulfillment of Joel's prophecy, is Heaven's answer to man's spiritual need now at the end of the age.
The significance of the present-day moving of the Holy Spirit upon believers in all denominations throughout the world may be summarized as (1) God's answer to Jesus' prayer in John 17 "that they may all be one." This is not an organizational oneness promoted by ecclesiastical leaders, but a oneness of love and purpose in the Spirit. Through the experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit God is gathering the divided, scattered members of His Body, separated by doctrine, traditions, misunderstanding, fear and distrust, and uniting them once more in a bond of love. What the religious leaders are attempting to do by organizational mergers, God is doing by His Holy Spirit. When the Church lost the reality of the experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, it lost its one true unifying force, and the Body of Christ, as an inevitable consequence, became divided.
It is the testimony of those who are receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit that the immediate effect in their lives is the restoration of a spirit of love and true oneness with all saints everywhere. (2) The present outpouring of the Holy Spirit is also God's answer for the contemporary Laodicean state of the Church, a Church which has the "form of godliness, but denies the power thereof." Where the Holy Spirit has been invited to return, a charismatic revival is taking place—the gifts of the Spirit are being restored (1 Cor. 12), the signs are following the preaching of the Word once again (Mk. 16:17f.), and the supernatural character of the Gospel is once more being demonstrated. (3) The great moving of the Spirit of God over the world in this hour is also God's reply to the great demonic flood sweeping throughout the world in preparation for the reign of Antichrist. We are witnessing a fantastic increase in Satanic wickedness and influence in the form of crime, sexual perversions, suicide, wars, fear, anxiety, divorce, physical and mental illnesses, drug and alcohol addiction, racial strife, hate, deceit, skepticism, and moral decay, as well as the spread of spiritualism and a phenomenal increase in occultism of all forms.
As the Apostle Paul has shown, the believer's warfare is not against flesh and blood, nor is he contending merely with the secular and materialistic philosophies of our day, but against the spirit of this world (Eph. 6:10f.). This is the precise reason men and their methods of reform have failed and will fail to promote world peace, check the increase in crime and moral decay, or stem the tide of social unrest. The need of the hour is for Christians to experience once more a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit, and to rediscover His blessed ministry in their lives. Only He can bring the believer into a place of total consecration and the deeper life, so that he may be able to overcome the spirit of this age, and withstand in the evil day and, having done all, to stand. Never before in history has the Church needed a baptism of power from on high more than at present, in an age without moral discernment or spiritual authority. Edited. Shared.
May God grant you a full understanding of His plans and purposes in your life with a sincere desire to please Him in all things.
Ephesians 5:27. That He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Lord willing, more will be posted soon. All glory to Jesus alone.
The Nature Of The Deeper Life.
What exactly is meant by the Deeper Life in the Spirit? Astonishingly few Christians have the remotest idea, nor is the subject familiar to most of the believers who have received the experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Thousands of believers today are discovering that there is a deeper experience with God after salvation; namely, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, as God in this present hour is pouring out His Spirit upon all flesh as foretold by the Prophet Joel (2:28f.). Countless thousands in all denominations are experiencing the reality of the promise in Acts 2:38-39. However, it comes as a surprise to most of these to learn, after they have received this experience, that they still have not attained God's highest purpose for them, but that the baptism in the Holy Spirit was, in reality, the "means" to a greater spiritual experience—the fullness of God Himself (Eph. 3:19). The deeper life in the Spirit is the Spirit-led life (Rom. 8; Gal. 5:16-25); it is the crucified life (Gal. 2:20); it is a life of total faith in and dependence upon God (Mt. 6:33); and it is the Spirit-filled believer's growth "unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13).
How is this deeper life in the Spirit to be attained?
The message of the deeper life is basically the message of the cross. The way into the deeper life in the Spirit is the way of the cross. It means to take up the cross and follow Jesus. It is, in a word, the death of the self-life. God, in this hour, is calling a people to walk on a higher spiritual level than they have ever experienced before and He is offering them nothing less than the fulness of Himself! The deeper life is walking in the Spirit in total commitment as disciples—the future goal is the fullness of God.
More and more disciples who have entered into the glorious experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit are now being brought by the Spirit into a place of the crucifixion and death of "self" as the essential condition to receiving the fullness of God. To the extent one is filled with "self," he is, of necessity, to that extent not filled with the presence of God. The deeper life in the Spirit is not some mere doctrine to be studied with the intellect, discussed, and then forgotten; but it is a real experience with Christ, as the Holy Spirit brings us into conformity to the death of Christ, so that His resurrection life and power may be manifested fully in us. This is the message of the hour. God is at this very moment preparing a Body of believers which He intends to bring into the fulness of Himself. They will experience the fullness of Christ's resurrection life and power and be used to fulfill His glorious purposes in the restoration of all things now at the consummation of the age (Acts 3:21). For those who are unfamiliar with this great truth we suggest a reading at this point of some of the more significant passages dealing with the deeper life: Matthew 5-7; 20:25-28; Mark 11:22-24; Luke 9:57-62; 14:25f.; Romans 8; 12:1-2; Galatians 2:20; 5:16-25; 6:14; Ephesians 3:1-19; 4:7-16; Philippians 2:5-8; 3:10; Colossians 3: If.; I Peter 2:19-23; 4:1-16; Revelation 2-3.
The Need For The Deeper Life.
The present age is characterized by two evils affecting both the secular and religious areas of life. One concerns moral discernment; the other involves moral authority. The spiritual and moral character of the present age indicates that conditions have deteriorated to such a point that the only ultimate solution, as well as the greatest need of Christianity at this time, is the restoration of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church. This is not to be construed to mean some sort of mystical empowering of the present religious institution, whereby its current programs, organization and methods are made more effective, but the need is for a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit by individual Christians in an experience identical with that received by the disciples at Pentecost.
To compensate for its lack of power and effectiveness against the present-day flood of wickedness and unbelief, the Church has turned to such substitutes as increased religious activity, new methods and dynamic programs, as well as the merger of denominations in order to multiply its membership and increase its outreach. However sincere the effort may be on the part of some, all such attempts are destined to fail, just as they have in the past; for man cannot restore life to the body by means of artificial respiration when the spirit has departed, "for . . . the body without the spirit is dead" (Jam. 2:26). Only an effusion of power from on high within the lives of Christians themselves can deliver the contemporary Laodicean Church from the moral and spiritual chaos affecting the whole of mankind in this hour. The imperative need of the restoration of the sovereign operation and ministry of the Holy Spirit once more in the Church will be seen, we believe, from the following discussion of the two moral and spiritual characteristics of the age in which we live.
It is an age without moral and spiritual discernment.
Although the present age has been described by some observers as an age of scientific progress, human achievement, and tremendous advancements into new frontiers of technology, it may, from a moral standpoint at least, be more accurately described as an age of moral and spiritual crisis, reflected in such things as the phenomenal increase in crime, war, and drug addiction, the almost universal preoccupation with sex, the general disregard for authority, the great social upheavals and racial strife, and the almost abysmal lack of moral understanding and concern on every hand. We find ourselves living in an age analogous to the dark ages of the Judges in which "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judg. 21:25). The great apostasy of our day and the perilous times in which we live were foretold by the Apostle Paul as characterizing the last days:
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof (2 Tim 3:1-5).
Truly it is an age when men and women, in many respects, seem to have lost the capacity for moral discernment, calling darkness light and evil good, as was true of Israel in Isaiah's time when he declared, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter" (Isa. 5:20).
As in the period of the Judges, young and old alike consider themselves adequate authorities in spiritual and moral matters, judging what is right and wrong, scorning all attempts at instruction or restraint as outmoded "authoritarianism." The carefree moral philosophy of today is conformity and compromise. It is a time when, even among professing Christians, being "accepted" by the group seems to be more important than being accepted by God. The distinction between the sacred and the secular is rapidly becoming more difficult to discern; there is a loss of a sense of reverence toward God and sacred things; the concept of holiness in the life and character of the Christian is for the most part a thing of the past; and a lack of respect for parents and authority by the younger generation is reflected in a lack of respect for and fear of God.
Within Christendom itself the Church and family as the center of interest has been largely replaced with secular interests, and the once quiet Christian home is now monopolized by TV and rock music. Two global conflicts in this century, together with the constant turmoil, world-wide unrest, confusion, and uncertainty about the future have taken their toll, resulting in moral decay, increased drunkenness, divorce, juvenile delinquency and crime, as well as a loss in spiritual concern. Modern scientific achievements and technological improvements have, in spite of their beneficial results, only added to the problem by putting at our disposal hundreds of improvements to save time and make life easier, but providing thereby more time for development of the secular life, leisure, pleasure and sin.
It is an age without moral and spiritual authority.
The prevailing moral philosophy of this age can be characterized by three words: everything is relative. Morals are relative to time, place, and circumstance. Conduct is largely determined by the principle "when in Rome do as the Romans do." It is an age in which that which is popular and acceptable by the majority is right. The erroneous notion that "the end justifies the means" frequently prevails within, as well as without, the confines of Christendom. "Truth" and "right" are whatever produce results and work; failure is wrong and cannot be tolerated. Conscience is explained as merely the childhood memory of the "do" and "don't" of one's parents; so-called sins are, in reality, "mistakes" or "errors in judgment" in our evolution to a higher morality; and pleasure and happiness, as good ends in themselves, are to be pursued for their own sake.
What is responsible for such moral and spiritual confusion? It is because, for the majority at least, there is no longer an objective moral authority to guide their lives and conduct... to teach them truth ... to indicate the difference between right and wrong ... or to establish a standard. In a word, it is because, in this age of materialism and skepticism, men have lost faith in the integrity of the Holy Scriptures, and there remains, therefore, no reliable, unchanging standard of right to measure conduct and character by. Moral conduct is largely determined by the principle of expediency. Without an infallible objective moral standard (the Word of God) the principle of expediency reigns. If it works, if it relieves pain or displeasure, and if it promotes one's welfare and happiness, then it is right.
Too often the contemporary Church, denying the inerrancy of Scripture and influenced by the principle of expediency, asks but one question in conducting its affairs, in securing its funds, or in promoting its programs and institutions— "Will it work?" As a result, the Church has, more and more, come to resemble the secular community in which it exists, reflecting its customs, attitudes and mores, rather than being seen as the moral and spiritual influence upon the community. Moreover, it has become increasingly indifferent to the moral declension, decay, and spiritual shallowness within its own confines, and as a consequence, can speak with little moral and spiritual authority to the community at large.
What is the solution in an age without spiritual discernment and authority for those who, possessing a measure of spiritual awareness and concern, desire to walk in the ways of truth and faithfulness? God Himself has provided the answer to the dilemma, enabling, thereby, the sincere Christian to rediscover the distinctiveness of his calling to be the "salt of the earth" and "light of the world." The present move of the Spirit of God today throughout the world, as God pours out His Spirit in fulfillment of Joel's prophecy, is Heaven's answer to man's spiritual need now at the end of the age.
The significance of the present-day moving of the Holy Spirit upon believers in all denominations throughout the world may be summarized as (1) God's answer to Jesus' prayer in John 17 "that they may all be one." This is not an organizational oneness promoted by ecclesiastical leaders, but a oneness of love and purpose in the Spirit. Through the experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit God is gathering the divided, scattered members of His Body, separated by doctrine, traditions, misunderstanding, fear and distrust, and uniting them once more in a bond of love. What the religious leaders are attempting to do by organizational mergers, God is doing by His Holy Spirit. When the Church lost the reality of the experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, it lost its one true unifying force, and the Body of Christ, as an inevitable consequence, became divided.
It is the testimony of those who are receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit that the immediate effect in their lives is the restoration of a spirit of love and true oneness with all saints everywhere. (2) The present outpouring of the Holy Spirit is also God's answer for the contemporary Laodicean state of the Church, a Church which has the "form of godliness, but denies the power thereof." Where the Holy Spirit has been invited to return, a charismatic revival is taking place—the gifts of the Spirit are being restored (1 Cor. 12), the signs are following the preaching of the Word once again (Mk. 16:17f.), and the supernatural character of the Gospel is once more being demonstrated. (3) The great moving of the Spirit of God over the world in this hour is also God's reply to the great demonic flood sweeping throughout the world in preparation for the reign of Antichrist. We are witnessing a fantastic increase in Satanic wickedness and influence in the form of crime, sexual perversions, suicide, wars, fear, anxiety, divorce, physical and mental illnesses, drug and alcohol addiction, racial strife, hate, deceit, skepticism, and moral decay, as well as the spread of spiritualism and a phenomenal increase in occultism of all forms.
As the Apostle Paul has shown, the believer's warfare is not against flesh and blood, nor is he contending merely with the secular and materialistic philosophies of our day, but against the spirit of this world (Eph. 6:10f.). This is the precise reason men and their methods of reform have failed and will fail to promote world peace, check the increase in crime and moral decay, or stem the tide of social unrest. The need of the hour is for Christians to experience once more a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit, and to rediscover His blessed ministry in their lives. Only He can bring the believer into a place of total consecration and the deeper life, so that he may be able to overcome the spirit of this age, and withstand in the evil day and, having done all, to stand. Never before in history has the Church needed a baptism of power from on high more than at present, in an age without moral discernment or spiritual authority. Edited. Shared.
May God grant you a full understanding of His plans and purposes in your life with a sincere desire to please Him in all things.
Ephesians 5:27. That He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Lord willing, more will be posted soon. All glory to Jesus alone.
❤️A CALL TO GO DEEPER WITH GOD
The Nature Of The Deeper Life.
What exactly is meant by the Deeper Life in the Spirit? Astonishingly few Christians have the remotest idea, nor is the subject familiar to most of the believers who have received the experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Thousands of believers today are discovering that there is a deeper experience with God after salvation; namely, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, as God in this present hour is pouring out His Spirit upon all flesh as foretold by the Prophet Joel (2:28f.). Countless thousands in all denominations are experiencing the reality of the promise in Acts 2:38-39. However, it comes as a surprise to most of these to learn, after they have received this experience, that they still have not attained God's highest purpose for them, but that the baptism in the Holy Spirit was, in reality, the "means" to a greater spiritual experience—the fullness of God Himself (Eph. 3:19). The deeper life in the Spirit is the Spirit-led life (Rom. 8; Gal. 5:16-25); it is the crucified life (Gal. 2:20); it is a life of total faith in and dependence upon God (Mt. 6:33); and it is the Spirit-filled believer's growth "unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13).
How is this deeper life in the Spirit to be attained?
The message of the deeper life is basically the message of the cross. The way into the deeper life in the Spirit is the way of the cross. It means to take up the cross and follow Jesus. It is, in a word, the death of the self-life. God, in this hour, is calling a people to walk on a higher spiritual level than they have ever experienced before and He is offering them nothing less than the fulness of Himself! The deeper life is walking in the Spirit in total commitment as disciples—the future goal is the fullness of God.
More and more disciples who have entered into the glorious experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit are now being brought by the Spirit into a place of the crucifixion and death of "self" as the essential condition to receiving the fullness of God. To the extent one is filled with "self," he is, of necessity, to that extent not filled with the presence of God. The deeper life in the Spirit is not some mere doctrine to be studied with the intellect, discussed, and then forgotten; but it is a real experience with Christ, as the Holy Spirit brings us into conformity to the death of Christ, so that His resurrection life and power may be manifested fully in us. This is the message of the hour. God is at this very moment preparing a Body of believers which He intends to bring into the fulness of Himself. They will experience the fullness of Christ's resurrection life and power and be used to fulfill His glorious purposes in the restoration of all things now at the consummation of the age (Acts 3:21). For those who are unfamiliar with this great truth we suggest a reading at this point of some of the more significant passages dealing with the deeper life: Matthew 5-7; 20:25-28; Mark 11:22-24; Luke 9:57-62; 14:25f.; Romans 8; 12:1-2; Galatians 2:20; 5:16-25; 6:14; Ephesians 3:1-19; 4:7-16; Philippians 2:5-8; 3:10; Colossians 3: If.; I Peter 2:19-23; 4:1-16; Revelation 2-3.
The Need For The Deeper Life.
The present age is characterized by two evils affecting both the secular and religious areas of life. One concerns moral discernment; the other involves moral authority. The spiritual and moral character of the present age indicates that conditions have deteriorated to such a point that the only ultimate solution, as well as the greatest need of Christianity at this time, is the restoration of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church. This is not to be construed to mean some sort of mystical empowering of the present religious institution, whereby its current programs, organization and methods are made more effective, but the need is for a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit by individual Christians in an experience identical with that received by the disciples at Pentecost.
To compensate for its lack of power and effectiveness against the present-day flood of wickedness and unbelief, the Church has turned to such substitutes as increased religious activity, new methods and dynamic programs, as well as the merger of denominations in order to multiply its membership and increase its outreach. However sincere the effort may be on the part of some, all such attempts are destined to fail, just as they have in the past; for man cannot restore life to the body by means of artificial respiration when the spirit has departed, "for . . . the body without the spirit is dead" (Jam. 2:26). Only an effusion of power from on high within the lives of Christians themselves can deliver the contemporary Laodicean Church from the moral and spiritual chaos affecting the whole of mankind in this hour. The imperative need of the restoration of the sovereign operation and ministry of the Holy Spirit once more in the Church will be seen, we believe, from the following discussion of the two moral and spiritual characteristics of the age in which we live.
It is an age without moral and spiritual discernment.
Although the present age has been described by some observers as an age of scientific progress, human achievement, and tremendous advancements into new frontiers of technology, it may, from a moral standpoint at least, be more accurately described as an age of moral and spiritual crisis, reflected in such things as the phenomenal increase in crime, war, and drug addiction, the almost universal preoccupation with sex, the general disregard for authority, the great social upheavals and racial strife, and the almost abysmal lack of moral understanding and concern on every hand. We find ourselves living in an age analogous to the dark ages of the Judges in which "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judg. 21:25). The great apostasy of our day and the perilous times in which we live were foretold by the Apostle Paul as characterizing the last days:
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof (2 Tim 3:1-5).
Truly it is an age when men and women, in many respects, seem to have lost the capacity for moral discernment, calling darkness light and evil good, as was true of Israel in Isaiah's time when he declared, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter" (Isa. 5:20).
As in the period of the Judges, young and old alike consider themselves adequate authorities in spiritual and moral matters, judging what is right and wrong, scorning all attempts at instruction or restraint as outmoded "authoritarianism." The carefree moral philosophy of today is conformity and compromise. It is a time when, even among professing Christians, being "accepted" by the group seems to be more important than being accepted by God. The distinction between the sacred and the secular is rapidly becoming more difficult to discern; there is a loss of a sense of reverence toward God and sacred things; the concept of holiness in the life and character of the Christian is for the most part a thing of the past; and a lack of respect for parents and authority by the younger generation is reflected in a lack of respect for and fear of God.
Within Christendom itself the Church and family as the center of interest has been largely replaced with secular interests, and the once quiet Christian home is now monopolized by TV and rock music. Two global conflicts in this century, together with the constant turmoil, world-wide unrest, confusion, and uncertainty about the future have taken their toll, resulting in moral decay, increased drunkenness, divorce, juvenile delinquency and crime, as well as a loss in spiritual concern. Modern scientific achievements and technological improvements have, in spite of their beneficial results, only added to the problem by putting at our disposal hundreds of improvements to save time and make life easier, but providing thereby more time for development of the secular life, leisure, pleasure and sin.
It is an age without moral and spiritual authority.
The prevailing moral philosophy of this age can be characterized by three words: everything is relative. Morals are relative to time, place, and circumstance. Conduct is largely determined by the principle "when in Rome do as the Romans do." It is an age in which that which is popular and acceptable by the majority is right. The erroneous notion that "the end justifies the means" frequently prevails within, as well as without, the confines of Christendom. "Truth" and "right" are whatever produce results and work; failure is wrong and cannot be tolerated. Conscience is explained as merely the childhood memory of the "do" and "don't" of one's parents; so-called sins are, in reality, "mistakes" or "errors in judgment" in our evolution to a higher morality; and pleasure and happiness, as good ends in themselves, are to be pursued for their own sake.
What is responsible for such moral and spiritual confusion? It is because, for the majority at least, there is no longer an objective moral authority to guide their lives and conduct... to teach them truth ... to indicate the difference between right and wrong ... or to establish a standard. In a word, it is because, in this age of materialism and skepticism, men have lost faith in the integrity of the Holy Scriptures, and there remains, therefore, no reliable, unchanging standard of right to measure conduct and character by. Moral conduct is largely determined by the principle of expediency. Without an infallible objective moral standard (the Word of God) the principle of expediency reigns. If it works, if it relieves pain or displeasure, and if it promotes one's welfare and happiness, then it is right.
Too often the contemporary Church, denying the inerrancy of Scripture and influenced by the principle of expediency, asks but one question in conducting its affairs, in securing its funds, or in promoting its programs and institutions— "Will it work?" As a result, the Church has, more and more, come to resemble the secular community in which it exists, reflecting its customs, attitudes and mores, rather than being seen as the moral and spiritual influence upon the community. Moreover, it has become increasingly indifferent to the moral declension, decay, and spiritual shallowness within its own confines, and as a consequence, can speak with little moral and spiritual authority to the community at large.
What is the solution in an age without spiritual discernment and authority for those who, possessing a measure of spiritual awareness and concern, desire to walk in the ways of truth and faithfulness? God Himself has provided the answer to the dilemma, enabling, thereby, the sincere Christian to rediscover the distinctiveness of his calling to be the "salt of the earth" and "light of the world." The present move of the Spirit of God today throughout the world, as God pours out His Spirit in fulfillment of Joel's prophecy, is Heaven's answer to man's spiritual need now at the end of the age.
The significance of the present-day moving of the Holy Spirit upon believers in all denominations throughout the world may be summarized as (1) God's answer to Jesus' prayer in John 17 "that they may all be one." This is not an organizational oneness promoted by ecclesiastical leaders, but a oneness of love and purpose in the Spirit. Through the experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit God is gathering the divided, scattered members of His Body, separated by doctrine, traditions, misunderstanding, fear and distrust, and uniting them once more in a bond of love. What the religious leaders are attempting to do by organizational mergers, God is doing by His Holy Spirit. When the Church lost the reality of the experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, it lost its one true unifying force, and the Body of Christ, as an inevitable consequence, became divided.
It is the testimony of those who are receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit that the immediate effect in their lives is the restoration of a spirit of love and true oneness with all saints everywhere. (2) The present outpouring of the Holy Spirit is also God's answer for the contemporary Laodicean state of the Church, a Church which has the "form of godliness, but denies the power thereof." Where the Holy Spirit has been invited to return, a charismatic revival is taking place—the gifts of the Spirit are being restored (1 Cor. 12), the signs are following the preaching of the Word once again (Mk. 16:17f.), and the supernatural character of the Gospel is once more being demonstrated. (3) The great moving of the Spirit of God over the world in this hour is also God's reply to the great demonic flood sweeping throughout the world in preparation for the reign of Antichrist. We are witnessing a fantastic increase in Satanic wickedness and influence in the form of crime, sexual perversions, suicide, wars, fear, anxiety, divorce, physical and mental illnesses, drug and alcohol addiction, racial strife, hate, deceit, skepticism, and moral decay, as well as the spread of spiritualism and a phenomenal increase in occultism of all forms.
As the Apostle Paul has shown, the believer's warfare is not against flesh and blood, nor is he contending merely with the secular and materialistic philosophies of our day, but against the spirit of this world (Eph. 6:10f.). This is the precise reason men and their methods of reform have failed and will fail to promote world peace, check the increase in crime and moral decay, or stem the tide of social unrest. The need of the hour is for Christians to experience once more a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit, and to rediscover His blessed ministry in their lives. Only He can bring the believer into a place of total consecration and the deeper life, so that he may be able to overcome the spirit of this age, and withstand in the evil day and, having done all, to stand. Never before in history has the Church needed a baptism of power from on high more than at present, in an age without moral discernment or spiritual authority. Edited. Shared.
May God grant you a full understanding of His plans and purposes in your life with a sincere desire to please Him in all things.
Ephesians 5:27. That He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
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Lord willing, more will be posted soon. All glory to Jesus alone.
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