Do you realize how terrible it is to live under a bondage, without even perceiving it? Is it possible that you have been under constant demonic pressure for so long that you almost accept it as being inevitable?
Does it seem that each morning you face the day, thinking, “Where’s the Lord? Here He is. Where’s the devil and his assault? Oh, here he is. Now I can go ahead with the day as usual.”
The limitations and problems that we have in our spirits can also come in such a minor, low-key way that we do not give these small foxes that spoil the vines the attention we should. We do not realize that they take the edge off the victory and the effectiveness of our life.
It can be tragic when you have a bondage and you do not see that you have a bondage. But it is even worse when you underestimate, or fail to recognize, the complete victory and the liberty that the Lord has already given you. Do you see the two pitfalls?
First of all, a limitation may become a bondage that you accept and decide to live with, instead of determining to be free from it. In fact, sometimes you are not even aware of the limitation.
For instance, on this earth we live with the force of gravity. The object of many competitions in sports is to see how much a person can overcome gravity—how high he can jump, for example.
Outer space presents problems to human beings who are accustomed to gravity. When the American astronauts were on the moon, they had to be weighted down so that they could move around somewhat normally. A little jump sent them much higher than a jump on the earth would have, because they were in a field where the pull of gravity was less.
We do not realize the subtle forces that pull down on us and work against us, spiritually, just as the earth’s gravity pulls us down. When we are set free, everything is different.
The other pitfall comes when God sets you free, and you underestimate that freedom and continue to function as though you were still bound. When you have been so conditioned in your thinking to accept a limitation, you do not fully accept the liberty when you receive it; in fact, you may not even know the full extent of that liberty. When we receive an experience from the Lord, I wonder if any of us ever walk in it as fully as its potential and availability warrant. For example, we have received the Holy Spirit, yet we still do not know how to walk fully in the Spirit of the Lord.
We still accept many limitations. In some ways we are like an old eagle. A fellow had captured this eagle earlier in its life and put it in a cage. One day the man left the cage door open, but the eagle would not leave. It had been a captive so long that it was conditioned to captivity.
Perhaps the eagle thought that the only purpose for the door was to provide an opening in the cage for its food to be thrown in. Now the door was gone, the hinges were gone, but still the bird never flew away. It never understood that it could have liberty if it wanted liberty.
In the wilderness, the Israelites were finally free from Egypt’s slavery. Instead of rejoicing in their freedom, they grumbled and complained. Their diet had changed. The Lord fed them manna, but they longed for the fleshpots of Egypt, the onions, the garlic, the leeks, and the melons. This was what they missed. They were so conditioned to life in Egypt that they were still carrying Egypt in their minds, in their hearts, and in their responses. They did not want to fully break out of that conditioning.
God wants to set us totally free, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness—not part of it, but all of it. I John 1:9 tells us, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. It is that cleansing from all unrighteousness that God really wants. According to Hebrews 7:25, Christ ever lives to make intercession for us so that He can save us to the uttermost.God wants us cleansed from all unrighteousness.
God does not want you to leave the job undone, and sometimes it is a little difficult for you to see how much unrighteousness still remains. Our faculties for natural and physical evaluation, as well as for spiritual evaluation, are not always accurate. We do not really insist on being wholly and totally cleansed from all unrighteousness. Remember the wonderful vision of Revelation 19:7b–8: For the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and (a little gray? a little off-white? No!) white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. Isaiah 1:16–19 promises, “I will make you as white as snow if you will just repent and seek My face.” This is what He wants.
Have you ever looked at the color cards in a paint store and noticed how many shades of white there are? The base of all the paint may be a pure white, but when other colors are added, the true white is altered just a little bit. God is trying to show you how just a little low-key infection—just a little carnal limitation—can be upon you, and you may not even realize it. You may not even have the eyes to see the different shades.
There is a way to find out what limitations are upon you; they are related to your dedication. Did you ever notice how an increase of dedication is followed by an increased perception? It haunts you. You may think that you are doing just fine, that you are becoming really dedicated to the Lord. Then that dedication to the Lord begins to unfold to you, and you receive a little more revelation. You realize that there is some more to attain. The more dedicated you are, the more revelation you will have. The more revelation of the Lord you have, the more revelation of yourself you will have. The more revelation of the Lord you have, the more you dedicate yourself to become a vessel that is sanctified for Him.
What is the difference between revelation and dedication? Revelation is what the Lord shows you; dedication is your response to it. Since this process almost always starts in reverse, you have to be a little dedicated before you receive any revelation. First of all God has to get your attention. Even when the Lord knocks you flat, the first thing you should say is, “Who art Thou, Lord? What would You have me to do?” Out of that response came the ministry of the apostle Paul (Acts 9:1–6). You have to start someplace with God. Tell Him, “I want to know who You are. After I know who You are, then I want to know what You want me to do.” Dedication and revelation go hand in hand.
Isaiah really knew the Lord. He had a revelation of the Lord high and lifted up, with His glory filling the Temple. Immediately that revelation did one thing for him: it pointed out to him areas where he was not yet pure. He said, “Woe is me. I am unclean. My lips are unclean. I dwell in the midst of an unclean people, for my eyes have seen the glory of the Lord.” Isaiah was a holy, righteous man, a close associate of King Uzziah, who did some good things during his reign. Isaiah sought the Lord and received a revelation; then more dedication was required of him. Next he said, “Here am I; send me.” In other words, “I am dedicated.” His revelation led to the deeper cleansing. The burning coal touched his lips and purged him (Isaiah 6:1–8).
The little things that are holding you back—the little things that you are not even aware of—should be taken care of. Therefore, the Lord has to give you a greater revelation of Himself. When He gives you a greater revelation of Himself, then you have a greater revelation of your own need, which causes you to respond with a greater dedication to the Lord.
When a person says that he has had all kinds of visions and revelation, and yet he is not walking in the light, he is lying. He is in a dangerous position. Every time you have a true revelation of the Lord, you start throwing more sandbags out of your balloon. Then you soar a little higher, reaching up to know Him.
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. Ecclesiastes 10:1.
A deeper sanctification has to be accomplished. God is preparing us to speak a true Living Word that will reach the nations. This Word is becoming a living force in our lives. Our hearts are set to walk with God.
Perhaps you want to spend your days just waiting on the Lord, hoping to receive a revelation of Him. But remember—if you really meet Him, you will still end up saying, like Isaiah, “Here am I. Send me.” You will beseech God, “Put that coal on my lips and sanctify me. Prepare me to speak Thy Living Word; then send me, Lord. I’m ready to go.” A revelation of the living works that you are to do will begin to burn in your heart.
There is a definite interrelationship between deception, revelation, dedication, and love. In a limited form any one of them affects the other. A little deception will affect your dedication. Obviously, a little deception will affect your revelation. A little defect in your revelation could lead to deception, and also to a limit on your dedication. When the Scriptures and the Living Word come to your heart, they give you a revelation of the Lord. They also constantly prod you to be dedicated, to be pure, to discard the old way of life, to walk with Him in the flow of His perfect will.
The little imperfections affect us deeply. James compares the human tongue to the little rudder that turns the whole ship. As a horse must be bridled, so must the tongue be bridled (James 3:2–5). What is God’s objective in us? The answer is found in Ephesians 5:25, 27. Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her, that He might present her to Himself as a Bride without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. She should be holy and without blemish before the Lord. Hebrews 12:1 tells us to lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us. Paul writes in II Corinthians 7:1: “Since we have such wonderful promises, brethren, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.” Remember that this includes the little things. We desire to serve God, but we should be aware that if we tolerate little sins in our life, then we are putting the brakes on our whole walk with God. Keep that sensitivity toward God. Visualize the inner conscience reacting like a little gauge. The needle of the gauge stops jiggling and goes dead the day that you willfully allow wrong things to remain in your heart, with no desire to see them changed.
Don’t you want to be pure before the Lord? You must have a real love for purity. That pursuit of purity must always follow the pursuit of a pure Living Word. Even if you regularly attend a church where marvelous Living Words from the Lord are being preached, it is doubtful whether you are hearing them in depth if you do not react with this pursuit after purity. If you want the Living Word that you speak to be pure, first you must pursue after the purity in yourself as the vessel. That, of course, is what will bring the pure witness to the world. The pure Word inspires the search for a pure heart, and a pure heart in turn proclaims a pure Word.
The door is being opened to end-time events of this dispensation which will happen in rapid succession. Paul wrote in I Thessalonians 5:23–24: Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely (cleansing the whole man); and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. Notice: He will bring it to pass.
We are to be presented to Him without blame—holy and sanctified in spirit, soul, and body. This means that there is an intensive effort on the part of the Holy Spirit to bring the people of God into a Living Word that will transform them. If our hearts are open to accept that Word, the Lord will say to us, “Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you. Now the impurity is taken care of” (John 15:3).
Do not respond wrongly to this teaching and revert to legalism or a pharisaism, nitpicking at others and at yourself, trying to impose an austere discipline upon your life. While thinking that you were walking in this message, you would actually be going the wrong direction. The more pharisaical and legalistic you become, the further away you are from this spiritual objective anyway. Purity has to be created by the Holy Spirit within your spirit, within your soul, and within your body. You are to be cleansed from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (II Corinthians 7:1).
II Corinthians 6 is a classic passage which has often been used wrongly as a text on holiness, sanctification, and the cleansing of your life. Although it does dwell on personal associations and separation from unbelievers, the main theme is walking with God and His dwelling within. In this end time, we emphasize the need of being delivered from the contaminating influences of the world, but we cannot dwell on that exclusively or we will become legalists. Our main emphasis is the fact that we will walk with God, abide in His presence, and live with Him. It is the day of His Parousia (“presence”).
With that in mind, let us see what Paul is really saying in II Corinthians 6:14–18. Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? Paul is showing the contrast between our relationship with the Lord and our relationship with the world. For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said (now note the emphasis), “I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” says the Lord Almighty.
This separation is necessary, because God will not coexist with corruption. But separation is not an end in itself. What value is there in making a religious effort to clean up our lives and make them honorable in every way, so that we have no bad habits or unpaid bills? Is it just so that we can say that we are good, moral people? If that is the only purpose, we will end up like the Pharisee whom Jesus quoted in Luke 18:11: “God, I thank You that I am not like other people are.” The Pharisee then continued his prayer by describing all the good things he did as part of his religious observances. Notice that he went down to his house condemned. But the publican, who simply said, “God be merciful to me, a sinner,” went down to his house justified. God looks at the heart. The person who humbles himself as that publican did will be cleansed and justified by God. But the very religious man becomes a Pharisee and he will miss the whole purpose of God: “I want you to be sons and daughters to Me. I want to dwell in you and to walk with you. I want you to be My temple with My glory filling you.”
God will not dwell in an unclean vessel. The Parousia requires preparation. If you have a hope of His appearing, you prepare yourself for it. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. I John 3:3. This believer with this blessed hope makes his vessel ready because the Lord is going to dwell in it. That is why he does it. Therefore, having these promises, beloved (what promises? “I will be a Father to you; you will be My sons and daughters; I will dwell in you and walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be My people”), let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. II Corinthians 7:1.
We need to be more dedicated. We need deeper revelation, because that will show us the little things that hold us back from a greater dedication. Were you expecting a scale or a slide rule to help you figure out all the little things that are wrong with you? They are beyond comprehension, but God will let you see them one by one as you stand in His presence and worship Him. One of the greatest prophets in the Old Testament was Isaiah. Imagine that mighty man of God, a mighty prophet, saying, “I am a man of unclean lips.” Only a revelation greater than he already had would show him a need that he had not perceived. Seek therefore a greater revelation of the Lord.
There can be a tremendous element of impartation for everyone in this Word. If it reaches your heart, it is a revelation of the Lord for you. Any time the Word unfolds by revelation to your heart, it is a revelation of the Lord. Jesus said, Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. John 5:39. He was speaking of the witness and the revelation of the Lord that comes to your heart through His Word. The Lord Jesus Christ can meet you and be revealed to you. Take the Word as an impartation from the Lord Himself.
Do not make the mistake of thinking that since you took a step, therefore you have finally arrived. You must continue to walk forward in this Word, because it will work somewhat like a seesaw. A little revelation will point out something that you need in your dedication. As you advance in dedication, this opens the door to a little more revelation, and then comes the need for deeper dedication. If you continue to follow this process, the Word will be worked in you.
Perceive your own limitation. You must say, “I am getting the Word, I am moving in it, and I want to keep moving and pressing on into more.” There is nothing worse than being arrogant in the appraisal of yourself, unless it is being thoroughly unappreciative of what Christ has done in you. The first, this arrogance, causes you to fail to understand your own need, and this will limit you. The lack of appreciating His grace puts you back in a place of unbelief, because you do not even recognize what God has done in you, and therefore you are not encouraged and do not move forward. May God give us a more balanced view of ourselves in Christ.
By God’s grace we have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. It is not good to preen around before God, saying, “I’m one of the saints in good taste.” God wants saints that taste good, Charlie. We are called to be God’s living bread to the whole world.
We are living in the day of the living works. Only as we follow a pure Living Word will we do the pure living works in the earth. As we are cleansed by the Living Word, it is inevitable that we will work the living works to His praise and glory.