Extract of the book “Abolute Surrender ”
Their first goal was to uncover the lie that a carnal Christian life is all that is possible. Nothing does more harm in the body of Christ than the underlying thought that obedience is impossible. Until believers see the error of this and honestly view their life of continual failure as sinful and inexcusable, no amount of preaching will help. To walk after the flesh, continually yielding to self-will, is contrary to what God requires of us.
My first clarification regarding being filled with the Spirit is that it does not mean a state of high emotion. Nor does it mean absolute perfection or a level at which there can be no more growth. Being filled with the Spirit is simply this: The whole personality is yielded to His power. When the soul is yielded to the Holy Spirit, God himself will fill it.
For us too, this is the first step in the way to the baptism of the Holy Spirit: We must forsake all to follow Christ. I am not speaking here about forsaking sin—that you do when you first come to Christ and are converted. But there is something more for us as His children. Many believers think that when they receive Jesus, He saves them and then helps them in times of trouble. Then they all but deny Him as their Master! They think they have a right to have their own will and their own way in a thousand things. They say what they want to say, do whatever they like to do, and use their property and possessions as they wish; they are their own masters and would never dream of saying, “Jesus, I forsake all to follow you.”
Each of us must examine our own heart. Some have never thought it a necessity to do so. Some have never understood what it meant when Jesus said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). Or when He said, “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” Our love for God must be greater than all of these. Surely our lack of victory over sin and the reason the Holy Spirit does not fill us is because we have not forsaken all to follow Christ.
Believer, this is the beginning of the deeper blessing. Some people would forsake everything for the sake of their religion. Even for a false religion multitudes have given up all. Some would forsake all for their church. Some would give up all for the sake of their family or friends. But that is not what is asked of us. We must forsake all for the sake of Jesus, let Him come into our life and take possession of our heart. Is your life one of tender personal attachment to Jesus and of joy in Him? I am not asking if your love is perfect. I am asking if you can say honestly, “It is what I am striving after, what I have yielded myself to, what I long for above everything. Jesus Christ must have all of me every day and all the day.”..
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