The Lord Builds the House (Part 5)
Experiencing God
Let’s begin this portion of study by looking at a passage of scripture where God spoke to Elijah during the low point in his life. Elijah was discouraged, depressed and felt all alone. God sent him to the mountain to stand before the Lord and receive the word of God. Look at 1 Kings 19:11-12
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
I love this passage for it speaks so clearly to us as to how to hear God speak to us. If you look around the church today, there is so much noise and distraction that people no longer are able to stop and listen to the voice of God. We always hear about ‘the fire of God’; however, God doesn’t speak to you through the fire. We hear that God is shaking to walls to move the church, but God does not speak to you through earthshaking events. We hear about the winds of change and the mighty move of God that is blowing through the church where ‘God is doing something new’, but God is not calling you through the wind.
God did not move in Elijah’s life through the wind, fire or earthquake. God spoke to Elijah through a quiet voice. Once Elijah was listening to that still voice, the Lord revealed His word and instructions to Elijah. God has not changed. The Lord speaks to those who listen to His word. Getting excited and having times of rejoicing are fine; however, you must continuously set time aside in your life to stop and listen to the quiet voice of God. If you seek God through your methods, practices and mighty signs, you will never hear the word of the Lord speaking to you and revealing the instructions of His word to you.
Countless books, methods and spiritual practices have been developed over the years that supposedly teach us how to experience God. In our modern era many of those claiming to be Christian leaders have instituted pagan practices which promise the follower that they will encounter God through various rituals and practices.. These counterfeit spiritual events do provide various experiences that act as a drug to convince the ritualist that God is moving, but in the end spiritual collapse is the result. For thousands of years pagan practices have produced feelings of euphoria that convince the proselyte that they are experiencing a greater spiritual awakening.
The truth is that experiencing God is much deeper than a temporary feeling of euphoria. Like all altered states (whether it be drug induced or spiritually induced), when the feelings lose their impact, the addict must continuously look for new experiences or go deeper into pagan practices. The irony is that people who seek the experience must keep seeking more experiences but never find the true and lasting fulfillment that God gives, but the one who seeks the Lord and seeks first His kingdom finds righteousness, peace and lasting satisfaction. The secret to experiencing God is not found in methods, rituals and pagan practices. The secret to experiencing God is found in Jeremiah 29:13
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
The root of the problem is that people want a gospel that enriches their lives; they do not want a gospel that changes their lives. The reason few truly experience God is because few are willing to lay down their lives and follow the Lord. The counterfeit experience looks good because the church does not know what the authentic experience looks like. There is nothing more exciting than seeing God transform your life daily. When you see God changing and transforming your life from living according to the flesh to walking by the Spirit, you will no longer be drawn into an unbiblical experience because it truly pales in comparison to what it is to walk in fellowship with your Creator. Only when we are walking with the Lord will we have peace, joy, comfort, and experience the transforming power of the Holy Spirit within us.
You cannot experience God without submitting to His word. As He transforms your life into His image and conforms you to His character, you will then have the power to walk with Him and experience the Christian life in all its fullness. In order to experience God you MUST be a partaker with Him. This basic truth of scripture and foundational principle is overlooked by many Christians. We do not have our own righteousness, but are partakers of the righteousness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). It is not our righteousness but the righteousness of God that is imputed (or credited) to us. (Romans 4:22-25). This righteousness is only possible when we are abiding in Christ (John 15:3-6) and our justification is only complete when we are walking in fellowship with Jesus Christ (1 John 1:6-7). We do not come to the cross, become righteous and then go our way; no, we must abide in Christ and become partakers of His righteousness and His holiness. We never possess any good thing, instead we abide in fellowship with God and become partakers of His nature, holiness, promises and all good things that are found in Him.
Everything good belongs to God; we conform to His character and image so that we can become partakers of the spiritual things of God. Earlier we looked at the purpose of the commandments of God. God has given us His word so that we can conform to His character and nature so that we can also abide in Him and be partakers of the inheritance. Consider the passages that reiterate that we are partakers – not owners of God’s spiritual benefits:
1 Peter 5:1 We are partakers of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Corinthians 1:7 We are partakers of Christ’s sufferings so we can also be partakers of the consolation.
Ephesians 3:5-6 We are partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel.
Colossians 1:12 We are partakers of the inheritance of the saints.
1 Timothy 6:2 We are partakers of the benefit God has promised.
Hebrews 3:1 We are partakers of the heavenly calling.
Hebrews 3:14 We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.
Hebrews 6:4 We are partakers of the Holy Spirit
Hebrews 12:10 We are partakers of God’s holiness.
2 Peter 1:4 We are partakers of God’s divine nature.
Romans 11:17-18 We are partakers of the richness of Christ.
1 Corinthians 9:10 We are partakers of the hope promised through Christ.
This is why I continuously reiterate that we cannot follow a man-centered gospel or self-seeking doctrines. We inherit all things through an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ – and only through abiding in Christ. Once we depart from our relationship with God we have left all our promises and all our benefits behind. God is experienced through pursuing fellowship with Him. We are wasting our time if we are asking for God to bless us as we live life according to our own will for the blessings are found within the will of God. Consider the blessings foretold in Psalm 36:7-9
7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. 8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. 9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
Notice the one key point to the benefits of this promise – it is only to those who trust under the shadow of God’s wings. You cannot trust God and be under His shelter unless you are close to Him. In this abiding relationship we have the promise of being abundantly satisfied, having pleasure in this life, having the fountain of life and walking in the light. We know that the light of our path comes from the word of God (Psalm 119:105). All of these things agree with the principles of walking in the light of Christ that is taught throughout the New Testament. All of these things are built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. In fact, the Bible teaches that nothing can be laid on any other foundation. If our works are built on another foundation, all will be lost and there will be no eternal significance to any of our works. Look at 1 Corinthians 3:11-15
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Many Christians who follow erroneous doctrines or live their spiritual lives according to a self-centered gospel will see all their benefits be lost. It is a shame that those who do not know the word of God or do not live as partakers of the Lord will miss the true reward of experiencing the abundant life here on earth and they will see all works fail the test of fire when we stand before God in the life to come. Jesus said that if we abide in Him we will bear much fruit, but without Him we can do nothing (John 15:1-8). You cannot produce fruit – only the work of God in your life can produce fruit. Fruit is the work of God. The work of God is to make you a disciple in whom the fruit of the Spirit is revealed (Galatians 5:22-23). The fruit of good works is the fulfillment of God’s call for you to go and make disciples of others who will show this same fruit in their own lives (Matthew 28:19-20). If the Spirit of God is not producing fruit in your life, your works are worthless and has no eternal significance; however, if you are abiding in Christ and living according to His word, you will produce fruit because God works His righteousness through you. If you are trying to produce the fruit by your own efforts, you are missing the mark.
For so many years we have approached the Christian life from the opposite perspective than the Bible teaches. We are often taught that we please God by doing works and that our labors produce righteousness and please God. The truth is that we must first be established in our fellowship with God and then He stirs our hearts to do His will and His righteousness produces fruit through us as we abide in the vine of Jesus Christ. Since Jesus stated that He is the vine and we are the branches and without abiding in Him we can do nothing, it is clear that the abiding fellowship with our Savior must come before any true works can be produced. Look at Jesus’ statement in John 6:63
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
The Spirit of God quickens (or gives life) but the flesh cannot produce anything of eternal value. Jesus stated that in the last day many will come to Him and declare their good deeds done in His name, but He will call them workers of lawlessness (Matthew 7:22-23). How can good deeds done in Jesus’ name be counted as sin? Because we cannot produce righteousness – ever. Proverbs 21:4 says that the plowing of the wicked is sin. Plowing is to till the ground and produce fruit – but the fruit is not unto eternal life, but the works of the flesh. Those that are in the flesh cannot please God regardless of how sincere they are or how much sacrifice and effort they put into their deeds. Look at Romans 8:6-8
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
In the flesh you can’t please God. Labors done from the human perspective may appear good to mankind, but it cannot please God. Good works are not what you do for God, but what God produces through you. You must first be partakers of the Spirit and then the Spirit produces fruit in your life and through your life. This is not a man-centered gospel and this is why so many people struggle with the Christian life. Those who are carnally minded (which are those whose thoughts are based on living according the man’s ways of thinking) cannot be subject to the law of God.
I said earlier that most people want a gospel that enriches their lives and not a gospel that changes their lives. The abundant life is not a life that is filled with worldly pleasures, wealth and prosperity. The abundant life is the life that is partaking of the richness of God’s Spirit. Those who learn what it means to be a partaker of God’s holiness, righteousness, nature, promises, hope and conform to His image truly find the abundant life. Those who only want their life in this world to be enriched are dependent on circumstances and cannot be abundantly satisfied for their affections are on the things of the world. Consider 1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Many doctrines teach that the abundant life means that we gain what is in the world, but God has declared that we are not to love the world or the things that are in it. You cannot abide in Christ if your love is on the things of this life. This does not mean that we cannot have wealth; however, it does mean that our affections cannot be on wealth or the things of this life. Put this to the test. If you lost your car, would it shake your life? If you lost all your money or possessions, would it be devastating to your life? The scriptures instruct us to live life knowing that the world is passing away and all that is in it. The Bible tells us to rejoice when we are persecuted and go through fiery trials. If we are dependent on prosperity and comfort can we rejoice in these things? If you are living as a partaker of the promise you will have the abundant life even when the world forsakes you. Look at this well known passage from Psalm 23:1-6
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Only the partaker of Christ can rest at the table prepared in the presence of our enemies. Who can walk in confidence when the shadow of death looms overhead? Not the one who looks to the comfort of worldly prosperity. This promise is only to those who are shepherded by the Lord. Is the Lord your shepherd? You will know the answer when you examine John 10:27-28
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
If you are listening to His voice, you will follow Jesus and keep His word. Many claim to be followers of Jesus, but Jesus made it clear that if we truly follow Him, we will keep His word. Look at John 14:23-27
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. 25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Many claim that the Holy Spirit gives them revelations of what God is doing during this new era; however, Jesus made it clear that the Holy Spirit will testify of Jesus, will teach us the word, and bring to remembrance the commandments Jesus gave. If the Holy Spirit is not pointing to Christ and is not turning our hearts back to the word of God, it is a false spirit. Recently there was an up and rising television preacher that claimed that God told him not to preach Jesus but to preach the new revelation given to him by an angel. We know for a certainty that this is the spirit of the antichrist according to the scriptures. The Holy Spirit will testify of Christ (John 15:36). Those who are founded upon the word have the peace of God. We are not afraid because our comfort comes from the Spirit of God that is given to those who walk in obedience. Like all the benefits and promises of God, peace and comfort are found in that abiding relationship with Christ. You cannot have the peace of God without walking with God and you cannot walk with God without abiding in His word. Jesus said that we must abide in Him and His words must abide in us before we can ask and expect to receive.
The key to experiencing God is to seek Him and receive His instructions. Look at the testimony of King David in Psalm 16:5-8
5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. 6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. 7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. 8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
This also fits directly into what we have been examining in this portion of study. First David declares that the Lord is his portion and inheritance. This agrees with the New Testament that teaches us that the promises and benefits are found in the Lord. If you are abiding in Him, you have the inheritance. Is the Lord always before your face? Don’t have a Sunday morning faith, but make the Lord your life. The Bible promises that if you commit your works to the Lord, your thoughts will be established (Proverbs 16:3). This means that everything you do in your life is unto the Lord. This passage is speaking of the same topic found in Colossians 3:23-24 which tells us to do all things as unto the Lord and not to please men. Each time we are told to submit to authority or to fulfill our responsibilities, we are told not to grumble but to do all things as unto the Lord. When we live our life as unto the Lord, our thoughts will be established on Him and our motives and attitude will change. If we keep Him always before our face – or the focus of our life, He will be our strength and we will not be moved. Seeking God’s ways can only be understood by seeking Him through His word. Throughout the Bible, seeking the Lord is continuously stressed. I love the way this is explained in Psalm 27:8
When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
God is calling you to seek. If your desire is to know Him, your heart will respond and you will seek His face. If your desire is in the flesh and the things of this life, the value of seeking Him will be missing. The Lord is your portion if you are a partaker. Look at all the promises God gave Abraham, but the reward was the Lord Himself. God told Abraham, “I am your exceedingly great reward”. If the Lord is your reward, the promises follow. The promises have no value outside of an abiding fellowship with the Lord. God is calling out a people for Himself that will humble themselves, seek His face and pray.
The key to experiencing God is to seek His face and you will continuously feel His presence if you are walking with Him and keeping His word. We don’t need methods to experience God, we should experience him in our daily walk even as we do our normal, unspiritual tasks. We should always feel God’s presence and we shall if we have fellowship with Him. We must empty ourselves and lay down our lives in the flesh so that God can fill us. Jesus explained how to follow Him in Luke 9:23-26
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.
You must deny yourself, lay down your life, and take up your cross to follow Him. This goes back to the foolishness of the Christian life we examined in an earlier portion of study. Those who do not walk by faith cannot recognize the wisdom of God’s call. It is foolish to keep this saying of Jesus – unless you have faith. Faith is believing God. If you believe that the abundant life is in Him, you can forsake this world. If you believe His promises, you can lose your life. If you cling to this world and your life in the flesh, you will lose your life and suffer the loss of your inheritance; however, if you lose your life to live for Christ, you will gain all things. Who is the fool? The one who clings to what he cannot keep or the one who forsakes what he cannot keep to gain what cannot be lost?
There are no secret methods or practices that will teach us how to experience God – in fact, these things will cause us to miss what it truly means to experience Him. All we need to experience God is to follow the plainly stated truth of scripture. It is easy to understand but hard to live by. This is why Jesus often said, “Many are called but few are chosen”. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Without faith it is impossible to experience God, for we must believe that He will do what He has promised to do when we do as He has commanded us to do. Only those who believe God can forsake all and follow Him. You will never be a partaker until you first let go of the flesh. Faith is required before we can lay hold of the promise. You will feel the presence of God if you are walking with Him and you can only walk with Him when you die to your life in the flesh and trust God to raise you up by His Spirit. The word of God teaches us how to become partakers of the Spirit and only when God’s people experience God by becoming partakers of His holiness will we see the move of God in His church.
Eddie Snipes
Exchanged Life Outreach
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