In an interview Arthur was once asked why the Church saw so little of revival in the current age. His reply was both challenging and sobering. He said, “Because we have aborted the revelation of God, prostituted our calling and trampled our birthright into the mud!”
Let us examine his reply on a personal basis, asking the Holy Spirit to point to the areas in each of our lives where He requires change. This is holy ground, tread diligently. Number 1: “Because we have aborted the revelation of God”. How does that apply to me? God is a righteous and loving judge and will only judge a person by the measure of the light, (revelation by the Holy Spirit), that they have received. If I have received light, a godly understanding, then I have responsibility to walk in it. As a child of God, my portion in any circumstance is not to accept the world’s opinions and views as final. My allegiance is to Jesus who declared His kingdom ” was not of this world”, (John 18:36) and “His kingdom rules over ALL”, (Psalm 103:19). It is easy to quote scriptures to myself and others, thrilled by the revelation by which God has enlightened my understanding, but that is not enough. My responsibility is to walk in the light I have received, otherwise I am “enchanted but unchanged”, (a quote by Oswald Chambers). If I refuse to walk in that God given light, it will become darkness to me. Jesus warned, “Take heed therefore that the light that is in you be not darkness”, Luke 11:35.
Let me remember, in finality, to seek God’s perspective on everything, not the world’s. As this becomes a daily practice, I will be unmoved from the security of placing my trust in Christ alone. It can become my lifestyle. It is my birthright in Christ.
Proverbs 3:5-6 is a command with a promise. God’s word encourages us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths”. God wants to be wanted! When we do our part, God does His.
Number 2 of Arthur’s response was that we have “prostituted our calling”. One dictionary definition of prostitution is: “A person who misuses their talents, or behaves unworthily, for personal or financial gains”. The Holy Spirit comes to examine the motive of our heart in everything we do and say. We may deceive people and even ourselves, but when God points to something in our lives that is out of order, He requires repentance, truth and surrender of all that is not of Him. Why?……for our highest good, to enable Him to replace my rags with the riches of the life of His Son in me…..to God be all the glory!
The third response, number 3: “We have trampled our birthright into the mud!” The fullness of God, “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”, (Ephesians 4:13), demands all! It is not some rare, or to-be-hoped for experience. It is promised to us. It is offered to us, open to us. It is our birthright in Christ. Don’t settle for less by hanging on to yourself, your rights. If you are willing to lose your identity in the Holy Spirit, He will form and extend the image of the Son in you.
We trample roughshod over holy ground every time we refuse to walk in humility. Unconditional surrender is required on a daily altar. None of us are there yet. We are all at different stages with the Lord on our on-going journey. He is doing the same work in our hearts but using different circumstances with each of us. Don’t settle for less than God’s best by hanging onto the right to yourself. The fullness of God demands all of me in order for the fullness of the divine exchange.
The attitude of my heart governs God’s response.
Allow the Lord to do the work in us with the tools, (people/circumstances), He chooses.
I can have a personal revival on a daily basis if I walk humbly with my God. If this becomes my goal and lifestyle, surely there must be a place, in fullness, where the roller coaster of emotions becomes governed by the constancy of the resurrection life of the Indwelling Christ. God’s divine purpose for each of us – Christ in me – all for His glory! In this position, I “hold the Head, King Jesus”, in His rightful position and love, and esteem, every member of His Body, the Church.
