Out Of And Into
Or
That He Might Bring Us In
While the Bible should be our constantly repeated text, with the inerrancy of God our guide, God recently provided opportunity to read Andrew Murray’s The Deeper Christian Life, with a central theme of the fullness of the Spirit. The text for Chapter 4, Out of and Into, has become a calling;
Deuteronomy 6:23 And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.
Brother Murray (1828 – 1917), called by some a forerunner of Pentecostalism, wrote that we are not brought out that we might live in carnality or failure, but it is our blessed privilege to be filled with the Spirit. The clarity of this path continues to increase and bless with each reading of what he wrote.
The week following, God opened a door to attend part of Camp Meeting in Doniphan, with the topics also on the fullness of the Spirit. On Wednesday night, September 12, 2012, Brother Hayes preached that we are not full of the Spirit, and do not see the possible miracles, because of our unbelief.
On Thursday morning, Brother Buckner gave a tremendous object lesson on receiving deliverance from the oppression of the enemy. Brother Buckner had one man represent the prosecution as the “accuser of the brethren”, satan, and another represent the defense. Oral argument and accusation will continue indefinitely as long as we continue to listen to the accuser, but if we rest our case and take it to the Judge, the God of mercy, all argument can end as He resolves the case! Allowing God to resolve the conflict will allow us to be brought further into the will and purpose and fullness of Almighty God.
The morning service then was on letting our sound be heard, and as Brother Graham preached, God led that we must be full of the Spirit and anointing for our sound to be truly and fully heard. God continued to lead that we must find a greater walk with Him than we have ever known. Part of a scripture on their sound being heard in all the earth was recalled, and later found after some very familiar scriptures in Romans 10:14 – 17;
Romans 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Brother Wallis then preached in the afternoon on not being able to give what we don’t have. This led to consider that Brother Murray, for all his purpose to walk in relationship with God through fullness of the Spirit and holiness, could only describe, and lead people to, the fullness of the Spirit that he knew. God is calling us to a walk in the Spirit we have never known! God does not want us seeking and limiting Him by what someone else has told us, but earnestly seek Him for the best gifts! God gives us the earnest of the Spirit (Ephesians 1:14, II Corinthians 1:20 – 22) that we might know of the kingdom! The following scripture resonated in many of the messages, and blessed many who had taken their case to the Judge of Mercy;
Romans 14:17 For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
The knowledge of the kingdom, our inheritance, is in our earnest, the Spirit! During these services God reminded of the river from the throne in Ezekiel’s vision, where there was water to the ankles, then knees, loins, and finally waters to swim in, and led that we should stop wading in the Spirit and get in deeper water. Brother Meyers then preached the night service and closed with discussing the water from the throne with peace like a river! If we will find the fulness of the Spirit, God will let the rivers of living water flow from His throne in our heart! Others will see the earnest of the Spirit, by the anointing of the Spirit your sound will be heard, and they will begin wading!
Consider Brother Murray’s text; when God brought the children of Israel out there were over 600,000 men, plus the women and children; Exodus 12:38 calls it a mixed multitude. There has been much speculation that there were nearly three million people that came out. When God brought them out He let them find favor with the Egyptians, and they spoiled them when they left (Exodus 12:35, 36). This wealth God brought them out with, and the condition of the people, is remembered in Psalm 105;
Psalm 105:37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble among their tribes.
God brought them out with health and wealth! He provided the cloud by day and fire by night to guide them! He gave them manna to sustain them, and water from the rock for their thirst! God did not bring them out in a limited way! In Deuteronomy 6:23 above Moses is reminding them that God brought them out in order to bring them into the land promised to their fathers.
In a discussion of God bringing them in, we could review examples like the walls of Jericho falling miraculously. But the example of Numbers 31 is such a great account of the provision of God if He is obeyed completely. God sent the children of Israel to avenge Him against the Midianites, for the wickedness the Midianites had led the children into. Each tribe sent 1,000 men, for a total army of 12,000 men. Numbers 31:32 – 35 describes the booty, or spoils, they returned with: 675,000 sheep, 72,000 cattle, 61,000 asses, and 32,000 virgin girls. It is again only speculation of the number of men, women, and sons that were destroyed in the battle, but only the virgin daughters totaled 32,000! In spite of the vast numbers of the Midianites, Numbers 31:49 records that not one man of the children of Israel was lost in the battle! This is the fullness of promise God had for them in entering the land if they would only follow Him completely!
However, in disobedience, complacency, and satisfaction with what God did provide them, the children of Israel did not obtain the fullness of the land God promised to Abraham. In Joshua 13:1 – 6 the Lord told Joshua of all the land they had not yet possessed from Egypt through Lebanon; His promise for them was much greater than they were prepared to receive!
What is the spiritual example for us? If we were truly repentant, Jesus, the Lord, the Lamb of God, delivered us from our sin and the oppression of the enemy, and did not do it in a limited way: we were miraculously given a cleanness and newness of life. But He brought you out that He might bring you in! The King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Lamb of God, the God of mercy, the Judge if you will, does not intend for you to stop short of the depth of the Spirit He has provided, due to your disobedience, complacency, and satisfaction with what God did provide. He wants to bring us into the fullness of the Spirit in a depth none of us have ever known. On the day of Pentecost the 120 in the Upper Room were obeying and tarrying for something they had never known! Recognize and cast aside your disobedience and the flesh; overcome your complacency; find dissatisfaction with the level of your current walk, and desire and pray that God will give you the greater promise! He will meet you and provide the love and blessing and rest of promise: and will bring you to the kingdom; righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost!
The accord, or unity, of Acts 2 was not collectively with a man or with men, but with the Almighty God. We do not necessarily have to have this corporately or collectively. But if any man will humbly find, by sanctification of the Spirit, the purity, righteousness, and holiness, and the mind of Christ, and will but ask, God will start a revival through that individual. ASK GOD FOR THAT WHICH YOU HAVE NEVER KNOWN!