Have you been longing for a deeper walk with God, being filled with the Holy Spirit and live a life of holiness and power?. After having been a Christian for almost 30 years now, I have come to realize that to have a deeper, Spirit-filled life, you have to be willing to pay the price for it! I have seen and also been through myself various stages of Christian life, which I would like to share with you first:
"Fence-sitting" Christians:
These Christians are 'neither cold nor hot' type. They are not willing to go all out for Christ, but at the same time they are afraid to go all out to the world too! They are 'sitting on a fence', with one foot in the kingdom of God, and the other foot in the world. This kind of Christians are very miserable, unhappy, critical, complaining and carnal. Once in a while they may experience spiritual 'highs', only to find themselves failing miserably the next moment!
"Thorn-bush Christians":
Jesus tells us about these Christians in Mark 4:18-19. These are Christians with wrong priorities. They know God, but gave more importance to worldly desires and pleasures, and are more interested in material things than in spiritual things. They want to be "practical", meaning that to them spiritual things are abstract and unreal. These Christians may talk a lot, but their lives are unfruitful and barren!
"Seasonal Christians"
These are depth-less, shallow Christians as described by Jesus in Mark 4:16-17. If the time is right, they will appear as most spiritual, talkative and full of life. But as they have no root, they will vanish as soon as difficulties and challenges come their way. They will normally appear during Easter, Christmas and perhaps during revival meetings!
The Fruitful Christians
These are true, Spirit-filled and productive Christians as told by Jesus in Mark 4:20. They know God and God knows them! They walk with God, and God walks with them! They are joined to the True Vine (John 15:5), not only filled but also led by the Holy Spirit, and they are children of God! (Rom 8:14). They are conquerors (Rom 8:37)and overcomers (1 John 5:5). They don't advertise themselves, but others are attracted to them. They live a life of power, love, freedom, humility and integrity. These are Christians with 'abundant life'!
Are you willing to pay the price?
Jesus said: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled". (Matt 5:6) Are you hungry and thirsty for a righteous life? Are you thirsty for God as the Psalmist? (Ps 42:1-2; 63:1)
Do you want Him, REALLY REALLY want Him above all else? Jesus said again in John 7:37, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink".
There are countless numbers of attractions and distractions in this world which fight for our attention. Are you willing to shut your eyes and ears to all those and single-mindedly 'seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness"? Satan's lie is that if you go all out for God, you will loose everything in the world. That's a complete lie! God says if you seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, He will add to you 'all these things', all that you will ever need in this world! (Matt 6:33) Our God is a generous God!
Are you tired of a half-hearted, luke-warm, barren and powerless Christian life? If you are, why not go all out for God, give all to Jesus? Seek Him until you find Him! Knock until it's opened! Ask until you are given! God wants to test your heart, your loyalty! He wants to see if you are really serious about Him! He said: "Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know". (Jer 33:3)Do not give up! Persevere!
If you are really determined and thirsty for God, you will find Him. This is what He said: "You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart".(Jer 29:13)
