“God became a person. God indwelling his own creation! He who made us, walking around as one of us — amazing! Since we could not unite with him — born dead by Adam’s fall — he constricted himself to our realm to be discovered.” Taken from “Adoration” by Martha Kilpatrick.
It was on a Thursday and I was driving to Houston to meet with the women at the jail for Women Rising. As I was about a mile from Houston, I felt a strong leading of the Spirit to stop and check with a friend who lives just inside the city limits to see if she would go with me to help with Women Rising. I had some misgivings about just showing up at her door without texting her first but the Spirit was quite insistent and I don’t text and drive. When Carol came to the door, I just stated “Spirit says to see if you will come to the jail with me today?” Of course, she was surprised but pleasantly. She told me that she was supposed to be in Springfield to meet someone who was flying in but that had all been unexpectedly changed that morning. Carol is a responsive disciple about listening to the leadings of the Spirit so she quickly said “yes” and went to get ready. As I waited for her, I noticed a book lying on a small table in the room. It was “Adoration” written by Martha Kilpatrick. I opened it up right to the page with the phrase about God constricting himself to our realm to be discovered. Suddenly, here it was, the next part of the chapter I was working on. I had what I thought was writer’s block working on “There Is a River” but then I knew, it wasn’t writer’s block after all. What we do for God, is never really about us, but the ministry of the Spirit he can bring about through us. I just had to trust and respond that Thursday morning to be open to this discovery and to experience the degree of the Spirit we all enjoyed that morning at Women Rising. The following is a quote from Evidence for God Website:
Jesus said, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive.” John 7:37-9.
Thirst is an imperative need which must be satisfied. A man racked by thirst will give anything to be able to quench it. Fullness, life through the Spirit, is given only to those who truly thirst, to those who are prepared to pay the price, to abandon all if necessary to receive it. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.’ Matthew 5:6.
Have we such a thirst for sanctification, victory and plenty, for radiance and power? Do we desire a Christian life which is free from constant vicissitudes and repeated falls, unencumbered by weakness and continual sorrow? In short do we thirst after the Spirit’s fullness? Then let us draw near to the Savior for His promise is to us.. God desires to fill us with the Holy Spirit. Frequently, we close off areas of our life, our beings, from the Spirit. We yield in areas of convenience, yet resist His indwelling the secret chambers and closets of our hearts. Some, perhaps, will say: I would willingly yield all into God’s hands and empty my heart that He might fill it, but there are many things which keep me bound and which I am unable to root out of my life. But, of course, God does not expect us to purify ourselves or to expel first by our own efforts, that which hinders His work in us. We would not accomplish this. All He asks is our consent — to let Him enter into every part that He may transform and purify all. All He desires is the complete submission of our will contrary to which He will not act, since He created us free beings. But once full command has been placed in His hands, He will no longer be hindered from filling us and glorifying Himself in us. According to His promise, He will produce in us both the will and the ability to act and will make all things possible. “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Philippians 2:13.
Listen to the exhortation of the apostle Paul, who gives us the key to sanctification: “Present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, I urge you therefore to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.’ Romans 6:12-13; 12:1.
May we present ourselves unto God saying to Him, “Lord, I yield myself completely to Thee as I am; I am willing to pay the price (of) what it may (be), and to be filled with thy Spirit.” From Evidence for God website, chapter 5: the Holy Spirit.
The main point here is our consent is all that is needed to change our spiritual life. “God does not expect us to purify ourselves or to expel first by our own efforts, that which hinders His work in us. We would not accomplish this. All He asks is our consent — to let Him enter into every part that He may transform and purify all.”