I have often wonder why people get so close to the Lord but then just stop. As if nothing else needs to be done. They just start acting different and their walk starts to change. Their speech, mannerisms, view just changes and they have no clue that this is happening. They get saved then forget about the Lord. Things start to happen in their life. They think Abba has left them. They start compromising their walk as if to test the Lord to see if he cares and then either walk away or stay defeated and become bitter. This remindes me of Israel in Isaiah ch 9.
Isaiah 9:1-16 "The people living in darkness have seen a great light; upon those living in the land that lies in the shadow of death, light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice in your presence as if rejoicing at harvest time, the way men rejoice when dividing up the spoil. For the yoke that weighed them down, the bar across their shoulders, and their driver’s goad you have broken as on the day of Midyan’s defeat. For all the boots of soldiers marching and every cloak rolled in blood is destined for burning, fuel for the fire. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on his shoulders, and he will be given the name Pele-Yo‘etz El GibborAvi-‘Ad Sar-Shalom (Wonder of a Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace) in order to extend the dominion and perpetuate the peace of the throne and kingdom of David, to secure it and sustainit through justice and righteousness henceforth and forever. The zeal of Adonai-Tzva’ot will accomplish this. Adonai sent a word to Ya‘akov, and it has fallen on Isra’el. All the people know it, Efrayim and the inhabitants of Shomron. But they say in pride, in the arrogance of their hearts, “The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with cut stone; the sycamore-fig trees have been chopped down, but we will replace them with cedars.” So Adonai has raised up Retzin’s foes against him and spurred on his enemies Aram from the east, P’lishtim from the west; and they devour Isra’el with an open mouth. Even after all this, his anger remains, his upraised hand still threatens. Yet the people do not turn to the one striking them, they don’t seek Adonai-Tzva’ot. Therefore Adonai will cut off Isra’el’s head and tail, tall palm frond and lowly reed in a single day. The old and the honored are the head, while prophets teaching lies are the tail. For those leading this people lead them astray, and those led by them are destroyed. Therefore Adonai takes no joy in their young men and has no compassion on their orphans and widows; for everyone is ungodly and does evil, every mouth speaks foolishly."
What did Israel do? Why is Abba so mad? As true believers, what do we really see Abba is doing to His own? What does He want to see His child do? What He wants, is for His kids to forsake their ways and to turn back to Him, getting closer and more intimate.
For Israel, serving Him became a chore. The same old same old. No growth, just going through the motions following the rules and regulations. Started relying on their own means, their own desires walking away from Abba. Fighting with their brother & sisters in the Lord and with the world.
So who does this sound like? What do you think has happened? This can be not only be applied to us but The Church in general. Has Abba created division or unity? What happened to the Early Church? The same as Isreal but worse because we have the Holy Spirit in us now doing the work of Christ. More and more believers were added daily in the beginning but what started to happen? Intimacy started to go away. The "church" was taken out of us and started to become an institution, a replacement for Abba. The Holy Spirit was quench. People were relying on their own means to get to God. A glass ceiling of sorts was developed. The Holy Spirit was pushed away and their intimacy with the father became nonexistent.
Fast forwarding to today, what do we see in "The Church"? The pastor replacing Abba, the Holy Spirit being quenched, rules and regulations to control. People getting to a level in their "walk" and they hit the "glass ceiling" and become stagnant. The growth has stopped. Being a believer now becomes a chore, the same old same old, no life flowing thru them. They have learned everything the institutional church has given them and say now what? Where is God? What do I do now? They have no peace. They start to find other means to fill that "void" How do I grow now? I need to start a church, go on a mission, read more books on how to know God, start a new job, etc, etc. or just start falling away. Changing the way they preach, indifference to God, having an affair, stop believing & walking away from Him.
Sound familiar? What has to change? Our intimacy with the Father. Abba wants us to hear Him. Walk in His ways, following His Spirit, learning of His love just as a true father would. We need to humble our spirit so His Spirit can bring us Life. Pride will always quench His Spirit. Abba will never force His kids to follow Him but will always get our attention! It is up to us to have intimacy with Him and grow. Break that glass ceiling the institutional church has put up and seek the Father. Walking in His true love, hearing His Spirit, having Yeshua in us as His life.
Hebrews 10:22-23 Therefore, let us approach the Holiest Place with a sincere heart, in the full assurance that comes from trusting — with our hearts sprinkled clean from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us continue holding fast to the hope we acknowledge, without wavering; for the One who made the promise is trustworthy.
Galatians 5:24-26 Moreover, those who belong to the Messiah Yeshua have put their old nature to death on the stake, along with its passions and desires. Since it is through the Spirit that we have Life, let it also be through the Spirit that we order our lives day by day. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
