Summer 1994

Brokenness
Steven Porter
PC Graduate

In the "School of the Holy Spirit" is a class in which few enroll, and even fewer graduate. The drop-out rate for this class exceeds all others, even though the instructor exercises infinite patience. There are no written tests because the classes are strictly experiential. Students enrolled in this class excel only as they are brought to a place helplessness and dependency, to an abiding state of "brokenness."

Brokenness cannot be given or imparted, but is wrought within us through a processing which crushes all desires of the self life. As we yield ourselves to these "crushings," the indwelling Christ will bring us to spiritual fruition. Brokenness comes only through much pain, but the outcome of a broken vessel is an altered life style that results in much gain.

This change comes from the inside out, and only when it is sought after with a heart full of love and desire towards God. This crushing process is the Lord's tool to develop us for His service.

The pathway to brokenness begins where we allow the Lord to break into areas of our lives which we have carefully guarded. This Divine invasion may hurt, but it is necessary that He might fill us with Himself.

A student in the school of the Spirit will appear by earthly standards to be weak; but by heavenly standards, our brokenness is our strength. Those who once knew us will not recognize us after we allow the Lord to break us. Our lives will reflect His love and compassion. There will be an increase of authority because we have been proven trustworthy.

At age forty, Moses is seen as being confident of his own ability. At age eighty, he is seen as a broken man, the meekest man who ever lived. His self will and confidence was broken in the wilderness. He became inwardly transformed and developed a contrite heart.

Out of his brokenness, David wrote many psalms that have become a healing balm to the brokenhearted of all ages. David was anointed king by Samuel, but did not walk into the lineage of royalty until he had first passed through the school of brokenness.

Many saints of old have passed through this process of brokenness. These were altered by God as all resistance was taken out of them. John the Baptist went through this school in the desert. Paul learned in Arabia. If we yield, we too will learn through our circumstances.

The Lord wishes to break our self will so we may be inwardly changed and thereby give Him glory. Then He will be able to use us in new and higher ways. Again, classes for this school of brokenness are always open for enrollment.

Will you allow yourself, in spite of the pain, to enter into this school and be forever changed?