◄ ►

Spiritual Enlargement

God places the lonely in families. (Psalm 68:6 NLT)

The higher position of "Ephesians" is this that now, being quickened and raised together with Christ and seated in the heavenlies is a matter of relatedness to other believers, and in that relatedness, you are going to find your fullness. You are never going to find spiritual enlargement just as an isolated, separate individual, but in relation with other believers. "God setteth the solitary in families" (Ps. 68:6), and there is no doubt about it, whether or not you understand or accept the doctrine of it, you can prove very quickly in experience that our spiritual enlargement does come by way of true spiritual and heavenly relatedness with other believers. That is proved by the fact that it is not always easy for Christians to live together for very long. It sounds a terrible thing to say, but you have a lot of other factors to reckon with. If you were ordinary people in this world, you might get on very well, but being Christians you have to meet the whole force of Satan working upon any little bit of natural life he can find. So he makes for difficulty between Christians that they would not find if they were not in a heavenly position. They are meeting forces in the heavenlies. There are the rub and friction and all the cross currents that try to divide Christians but which do not try to divide other people, because there is so much bound up with true spiritual oneness amongst the Lord's people so much for the Lord, and so much against Satan. Satan is going to break up that spiritual oneness if he can. He knows what that means for him, and the Lord knows what that means for Himself and hence the special and extra difficulties when it is a case of Christians living together, especially for a long time.

Now what is the upshot? When these difficulties arise we must say, "It is evidently necessary for me to get a new spiritual position, to get on top of this. If I am not going to give it up and leave, I must come to some spiritual enlargement; I have to know the Lord in a new way, to have more grace, love and patience." That is spiritual enlargement, and it comes by relatedness. (Of course, that is only one way; there are many others by which spiritual enlargement comes by relatedness.) If only we can keep together in prayer, there is spiritual enlargement.

Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.

Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; though they join forces, none will go unpunished.

O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand. Do not be furious, O Lord, nor remember iniquity forever; indeed, please look—we all are Your people! § You have chastised me, and I was chastised, like an untrained bull; restore me, and I will return, for You are the Lord my God. Surely, after my turning, I repented; and after I was instructed, I struck myself on the thigh; I was ashamed, yes, even humiliated, because I bore the reproach of my youth. § It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth.

Affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble spring from the ground; yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

1 Peter 5:6;  Prov. 16:5;  Isa. 64:8,9;  Jer. 31:18,19;  Lam. 3:27;  Job 5:6,7

Has God indeed said . . . ?

When the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God …” He answered and said, “It is written … It is written … It is written … ” Then the devil left Him.

“I cannot return with you. For I have been told by the word of the Lord, ‘You shall not eat bread nor drink water there …  ’” He said to him, “I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (He was lying to him.) So he went back with him … The man of God … was disobedient to the word of the Lord. Therefore the Lord has delivered him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word of the Lord. § If we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. § Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.

Gen. 3:1;  Matt. 4:3 4,  Matt. 4:7;  Matt. 4:10,11;  1 Kings 13:16,17;  1 Kings 13:18,19;  1 Kings 12:26;  Gal. 1:8;  Ps. 119:11

Support, Not Relief

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thess. 5:18).

Relief from pressure may seem merciful, but support in the pressure produces growth and maturity.

""There is a greater blessing for us than relief; there is the Father's support, for it imparts to you an acquaintance with Himself which relief does not. Relief makes one more satisfied with things here. I have known some who could tell you of a long list of mercies, most touching, truly proof of the tenderness of God.

""Thank God, we all know something of His tenderness. But then there is a greater blessing, namely, that He does not remove the pressure, but raises you above it, so that, though you are not relieved, you are better off than if you were merely relieved, because you know His heart who supports you in the pressure. You have made a deep acquaintance with your Father, and your heart is more attached to Him."" -J.B.S.

""It is not getting away from our circumstances, our environment, our associations, that we need, but the Lord Jesus' likeness where we are. The Father placed us there, permitted the trials for a purpose, and He stands ready to bring us out into a life of liberty, if we will stand with Him in trust and endurance while He works it out.""

""Have you asked to be made like your Lord; that it might be not I, but Christ'? Have you longed for the fruit of the Spirit, and have you prayed for patience and love? Then fear not the stormy tempest that is at this moment sweeping through your life. A blessing is in the storm, and there will be a rich fruitage in the afterward.'""

"The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deut. 33:27)."

Salvation By Grace Through Faith

A True Witness