Summer 1992

The Submission of Our Rights
Wade E Taylor

"And a great multitude followed Him, because they
saw His miracles which He did upon them that were
diseased" John 6:2.

These came as observers. Jesus multiplied five loaves and two fishes until this entire multitude of more than five thousand men, women, and children had been fed to the full. They were looking to be blessed, and were therefore fed on the level of their interest.

Later, when they returned seeking another meal, Jesus spoke a word of correction to them. He said the "food" they should be seeking was on a higher level, and then left them. Later, He again responded to their need, but this time offered them that which was of eternal value.

"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
except you eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink His
blood, you have no life in you" John 6:53.

They had readily eaten the multiplied loaves and fishes and came back for more; yet when Jesus offered His very life to them, they rejected Him. They did not have a (spiritual) "ear" to hear or receive what He offered. Therefore, they nullified a choice opportunity for teaching, which would have "conditioned"(prepared) them to seek after the True Bread of Heaven.

Today, as then, there is an urgent need for foundational teaching concerning a deeper life commitment to the Lord.

"He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto
you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to
them it is not given" Matt 13:11.

The ability to "hear" the true message of the Kingdom requires our submission to a "conditioning" process. An upwardly directed "set of spirit" (a consuming desire for the "bread of heaven," rather than "loaves and fishes") is essential if there is to be receptivity and understanding on the deeper levels of spiritual life. Only a yieldedness to the work of the cross, vision, and a determination of heart can produce within us this quality of spiritual desire.

This "spiritual quality" can only be developed within the privacy of our heart relationship with the Lord. It may (and probably will) involve a wrestling, struggling, and a deeper submitting to the Lord within our heart of hearts. It is not expected at this point that we be fully able to keep this commitment, but only that we make it with a determination to unreservedly submit ourselves to His "conditioning" processes.

This heart determination will find its outworking through our submission to Jesus by unconditionally making Him "Lord" of our lives. At this time, we may feel defeated by lingering problems, or we may harbor an overblown concept as to our spirituality. All the Lord seeks at this time is entrance that He maybe come personally known to us. As we respond to Him, all these concepts will fade into a singular desire to know Him and be with Him. All else will proceed from this.

A lasting commitment of this depth can rarely be made while we are stirred by the emotions of an anointed ministry, or an intense altar call. Rather, it must be done when we are alone with the Lord, where we can search our heart's desires and intentions, and then submit the totality of our being to Jesus - all that we are, along with all that we ever hope to be - and lay it at His feet, making Him our Lord and placing Him in full control of our lives.

Once this has been done and established within us, there is a further step. We must give Him specific permission to change us, and then cooperate with Him as He accomplishes this. He will respond to a prayer of this level of commitment and initiate a set of circumstances which are intended to bring about the necessary changes that will equip us for His purposes, and make us conformable to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 8:29).

"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and
to do of His good pleasure" Phil 2:13.

The Lord will quietly continue this "life changing" work within us, causing us" both to will and to do of His good pleasure." If we begin to deviate in anyway from His intention for us, or from His workings within us, an inner voice will quietly say, "no." These "checks" of the Holy Spirit are to be greatly valued and explicitly obeyed.

"And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying,
This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right
hand, and when ye turn to the left" Isaiah 30:21.

Now we are beginning to feel the strength, security, and blessing of being under His control and protection. This requires of us a sensitivity of spirit along with a willingness to obey.

When we make Jesus "Lord" of our lives, we place ourselves on "Kingdom ground" where the Holy Spirit is free to either "quicken in confirmation" or to "check" us as we walk with Him. This ability to respond to His quickening presence for "guidance" will increase as we cultivate our sensitivity to His abiding presence. Only as we separate ourselves from things that could pull us down and hinder our spiritual walk, and discipline our lives to obey His voice will this be accomplished.

Television, for example, is a very real threat to our spiritual life because our eyes are gateways to our spirit.

"The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath
made both of them" Proverbs 20:12.

"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way
which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with
mine eye" Psalm 32:8.

"The light of the body is the eye: if therefore
thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full
of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body
shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light
that is in thee be darkness, how great is that
darkness! Matt 6:22-23.

Television "programs" the wrong things within us. These carnal intrusions will become a hindrance to us when the "eye of the Lord" seeks to guide us. All of these perverse, negative things must first be "washed" out of us so there will be room for Him when He comes to fellowship with us and work within us (Eph2:10).

As we cultivate a keen, perceptive sensitivity to His presence, we will increasingly become able to cooperate with Him. This sensitivity to His presence does not just happen. It must be developed within.

There is a cost, as it takes time for this level of spiritual maturity to develop. As our spiritual appetites are deepened, we will reach beyond the loaves and fishes, and in anticipation, respond to His offer to partake of His flesh and of His blood, becoming one with Him.