[SERay]

I could sense much of what you said, and was extending myself to you in any manner possible. I too go through ups and downs, and here recently have a new hope growing as the Spirit is filing and polishing. I sometimes lose sight of the need for love as the Christian’s primarily directive, even after writing a long discourse on it, it doesn’t always sink in. If we are short tempered, easily angered, loathing, overcome by worry or have wandering eyes, we can be confident we are not walking in the Holy Spirit and He has been quenched from our experience. When we exude love, joy, peace, self-control, temperance, long suffering, patience, confidence in God, a gentle spirit… then we can witness from these fruits that the Spirit fully abides.

I have experienced the temporal peaks that come from a emotional church service, people being blessed from my writing, a personal word of acceptance or a sermon that pumps me for a time. Like a spark, it fizzles out almost instantly. Our success as Christians is fully dependant on us choosing to empty ourselves of our own self-serving interests and love of worldly allures. Apart from a deep study of the Word of God, which is the only book that uncovers our true human nature, we shall struggle at every step. The Word of God truly prunes, convicts, inspires, chastises, illuminates… apart from it we shall not have the proper cleansing to be filled with the Holy Spirit. When Moses had finished the tabernacle, he had to remove himself when the Shekinah Glory entered, whereas the flesh of man cannot abide in the presence of God, no more than the Holy Spirit can endow a person full of themselves. We must be emptied to be filled.

I say all this to confirm my relating to your words, whereas all I have to do is slip ONCE and the Spirit is instantly quenched and I find myself back to struggling to walk as a Christian. Pitting my efforts against the flesh is sure failure, only by being constantly filled with the Spirit can I have a genuine walk of victory. The preservation of the indwelling Spirit is so very precious. Somewhat like a very delicate, hand blown piece of glass, it can be broken very easily. Just one look of lust can smite the Spirit’s presence. We need to quickly seek immediate repair of the breach, but if we don’t give it quick attention, more compromise will come to bear and a couple days later, we find ourselves wandering in the flesh, feeling estranged to the things of God. We may stop listening to praise music, the bible remains closed, prayer is fleeting if at all… all marks of the departing.

There could be called two in dwellings of the presence of God. The seal of the Spirit that marks us as a regenerated child, something that does not change unless we forcefully turn our backs on the person of Christ. The second is the daily, moment by moment dwelling that REQUIRES our participation and submission. If we are a struggling prideful person, our disciplines and passions will easily be compromised. Since all souls are prideful due to the fallen nature, it is necessary for an aggressive submission on the part of the servant. As the saints of old, we need to fall to our knees in total awareness of our inability to succeed in our own efforts and seek the total control of the Holy Spirit.

Many people struggle in the Christian life because they don’t understand the proponents of the daily walk and the mechanisms entailed. And even those who have a grasp fail to retain what is true and find themselves wandering if not attentive. Also, we have to stop blaming our environment for our weaknesses. Some Christians are in the middle of godlessness, and they blame their compromise on their associates. You realize, the Corinthian church was located in the middle of rampant impurity that makes Mardi Gra seem tame. It certainly takes an extra measure of commitment when in the midst of impure hearts on a daily basis, but the Spirit will make it possible. I can recall when the Spirit lead me when I worked at one employer who’s inhabitants were ungodly. The Spirit’s presence through me would buffet that darkness, and people actually gave reverence to what they could not understand, but their spirits respected. It wasn’t about me, it was the Spirits dwelling. Sure, the mark of true Christian is persecution, and I was indeed ridiculed, but there are those who now claim the name of Christ and reflect on those days of persecution.

Finally, sometimes I find a greater sense of walking in the Spirit when I have taken time in lonely places. If Christ did, so must I. I have the greatest spiritual experiences in my prayer closet, as the Spirit is working and filling internally. All throughout the Synoptic Gospels, Christ constantly removed himself to go unto lonely places, to seek oneness with God, to recharge essentially. If we serve without intimate Holy communion with the Spirit, we will quickly find ourselves operating in the flesh trying to simulated the Spirit. I sometimes lose sight of this and find myself trying to operate outside of the confines of His will, and the results is often a cynicism, or cold intellectual ascent that may be accurate, but lacks the love of the Spirit. This religious spirit is prevalent in the church today. A sense of duty, function and activity void of the Holy Spirit marked by absence of the spiritual fruits. You probably have experienced these churches… no real joy, no real expression of love, compassion or empathy, but rather plastic smiles, tense communications and often a fear of judgment. God’s Spirit is not in this, whereas a prayer vigil and search of the Scripture with one genuine Christian is far more beneficial than trying to function in a body who lacks the Spirit.

Dwight L. Moody wrote a book in 1881 called "The Secret of Power" which was forwarded by R. A. Torrey, a contemporary of that time. Outstanding book and a must read for any Christian striving to succeed in the Christian life.