The lyrics of a classic worship song go, "More love, more power, more of You in my life." Often this is an echo of my own soul to God. As much as I desire this request to be satisfied, this occurs in a way not addressed in the song. When a person is born again, the Holy Spirit spiritually regenerates the one dead in sins and begins to reside within. We do not receive only a fraction of God, but the Holy Spirit in overflowing fullness. As we mature, we recognise our natural poverty of soul and our God-given supernatural hunger for more of Him grows.
To ask more of God's love, power, or presence insinuates He has not given us all, or He is in some way "holding out" on us. This is not the case. The fact is, it is always we who are holding out on Him. It is useless for us to beg God to dole out more love toward us from His infinite stores. We must submit more of ourselves to receiving and walking in His love obediently by loving others. God has not only given us a fraction of His divine power or unction, for the power which raised Jesus from the dead is working in us through the Holy Spirit. It is we who have refused to trust and commit our lives to Him completely. God gives the Holy Spirit without measure, and the Spirit pours God's love into us. It says in Romans 5:5, "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." To ask for God to supply more of Himself is not really the point: we are the ones who must draw near to Him in faith, for the scripture says if we will draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.
The core issue behind our lack of surrender, disobedience, and waning desire for God is because we busy ourselves seeking satisfaction in anything but God every day. In Authentic by James MacDonald, a quote from Wilbur Reese's book made an impact upon me: "I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please. Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I want ecstasy, not transformation. I want the warmth of the womb, not a new birth. I want a pound of the eternal in a paper sack, please. I would like to buy $3 worth of God." (Reese, $3.00 Worth of God, 1971) We only lack love, power, and presence of God because we are not willing to cultivate it. We do not want our lives to be disturbed or changed. We hold onto our sins and are not broken in sorrow and humble repentance. We want power for living a life we want, and we want it as conveniently and easily as possible. God is wise to make life hard for it is in the hard, trying times when men and women of faith cry out to God in earnest.
One last thought: when Jesus sent out the disciples two by two, He told them to bring the clothes on their back, a staff in their hand, and shoes on their feet. They were not to load themselves with food, money, and supplies. He was teaching them to live by faith for their day to day necessities. When it comes to spiritual blessings, we are happy to have feelings of love and power beyond our needs for the day. We too must learn to trust God for our daily bread and seek Him for a supply of love, power, and grace moment by moment. Our stores of comfort and joy can be immediately exhausted in this life, and it is only through intentionally seeking God with empty hands and a humble heart in faith that we can be filled again and again. To have more love, power, and the presence of God, He must have more of us. He will not demand; He will not force. Let us draw near to God with a true heart in full assurance of faith, seeking His perfect will by surrendering our own will to His. We will find it is in Him alone we are satisfied and complete.
To ask more of God's love, power, or presence insinuates He has not given us all, or He is in some way "holding out" on us. This is not the case. The fact is, it is always we who are holding out on Him. It is useless for us to beg God to dole out more love toward us from His infinite stores. We must submit more of ourselves to receiving and walking in His love obediently by loving others. God has not only given us a fraction of His divine power or unction, for the power which raised Jesus from the dead is working in us through the Holy Spirit. It is we who have refused to trust and commit our lives to Him completely. God gives the Holy Spirit without measure, and the Spirit pours God's love into us. It says in Romans 5:5, "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." To ask for God to supply more of Himself is not really the point: we are the ones who must draw near to Him in faith, for the scripture says if we will draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.
The core issue behind our lack of surrender, disobedience, and waning desire for God is because we busy ourselves seeking satisfaction in anything but God every day. In Authentic by James MacDonald, a quote from Wilbur Reese's book made an impact upon me: "I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please. Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I want ecstasy, not transformation. I want the warmth of the womb, not a new birth. I want a pound of the eternal in a paper sack, please. I would like to buy $3 worth of God." (Reese, $3.00 Worth of God, 1971) We only lack love, power, and presence of God because we are not willing to cultivate it. We do not want our lives to be disturbed or changed. We hold onto our sins and are not broken in sorrow and humble repentance. We want power for living a life we want, and we want it as conveniently and easily as possible. God is wise to make life hard for it is in the hard, trying times when men and women of faith cry out to God in earnest.
One last thought: when Jesus sent out the disciples two by two, He told them to bring the clothes on their back, a staff in their hand, and shoes on their feet. They were not to load themselves with food, money, and supplies. He was teaching them to live by faith for their day to day necessities. When it comes to spiritual blessings, we are happy to have feelings of love and power beyond our needs for the day. We too must learn to trust God for our daily bread and seek Him for a supply of love, power, and grace moment by moment. Our stores of comfort and joy can be immediately exhausted in this life, and it is only through intentionally seeking God with empty hands and a humble heart in faith that we can be filled again and again. To have more love, power, and the presence of God, He must have more of us. He will not demand; He will not force. Let us draw near to God with a true heart in full assurance of faith, seeking His perfect will by surrendering our own will to His. We will find it is in Him alone we are satisfied and complete.
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