I would like to preface this article by saying this article has been written after much soul searching and inward reflection of my greater need to be more like Jesus in this area and many others. But, in 2009 the Lord again taught me again to keep my eyes on Him. The goal is to be more like Jesus, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) I know this all sounds simplistic, but that is God’s style of teaching. Jesus was a master of deep teaching by using such examples as: wine, bread, light and darkness, and seeds. We think we have made it when God opens our eyes to some unsearchable truth of Scriptures, yet we pale in comparison to the deep truths of life and relationship. Do you know God is more concerned about the maturity of our character than the maturity of our spiritual ability to teach and even know all truth. Now please do not get me wrong here, we must go towards truth and we must even speak the truth in love as Paul taught, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:15-16) This is something most Christians have a hard time doing and is the biggest reason why most Christians; do not “grow up in him” and why “the whole body” (what we call the church) is not “fitly joined together.” This and of course the wrong teaching in this area that comes with it and because of the grand push in the church for denominationalism. But, knowing the truth and possessing a deep revelation of God must never over ride the maturity and development of our character.
Back in 2009 two great men of God that I have known for many many years, men I have looked to as mentors, men who I have read and studied their books, teachings, and lives, men in some ways I have idolized well let’s just say were exposed in their ministries and in my eyes for who they really were. This is a very scary place for all of us to come. And when we arrive at the place of knowing who we really are we refuse to agree with God what He is trying to reveal to us. We ignore and dispute what we see blaming everyone else or most often we through up some bogus teaching we have been preaching, but all of this will not work in our lives if we truly desire to walk in the truth and grow up and come to maturity in our character. Now if you willfully put yourself under someone make no mistake that person, unless they have truly dealt with and been humbled by God, will take that position in your life and even expect certain things from you. I have seen and even experienced this for many many years, but here is the problem. It is not you being a servant to someone, God desires us all to serve one another, but the problem is when someone thinks they are better than someone because of their message, revelation, or deeper teaching. At the heart of this thinking is: ambition, arrogance, and pride. Our human nature goes towards this in a great way. I have caught myself doing this, maybe that is why I can see it clearly when someone things they are better than me because of their understanding of God and His ways. Well here is a spiritual revelation my friend, no one is greater than the other. It does not matter how deep your knowledge, revelation, or teaching of the Scriptures is these do not qualify someone for being a leader of being over someone. The standard Jesus taught was, “But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: 44And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 45For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Luke 10:43-45) True greatness, true spiritual leadership is achieved not by reducing men to one’s service, but in giving oneself in selfless service to them. And this is never done without a cost. At the same measure you can become a servant you will be great in God. At the same measure you can become a servant at that same measure you will be able to walk, not just teach, in the revelation God has given you. It is one thing to teach something (no matter how deep in God), but is it a different matter to walk in the revelation of the words we speak. I have seen it for years. It is funny how people really know the truth. Words often are cheap. It has been said, the way up is down and this is true, but let us not forget deep in God is also down.
Charles Haun (my teacher) addresses this issue in his four tape teaching series on “Truth.” Here Charles shares the importance of knowing the truth, by allowing the truth to develop our character so that we can come to greater levels of maturity not only spiritually, but also personally where God also desires us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us never forget truth is heavy to carry. Truth often can be too much for us to handle, especially if it is about us. In Daniel we read, “And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. 27And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.” (Daniel 8:26-27) I cannot think of anyone in the Bible that has received more truth than Daniel. Here we see Daniel’s response was “I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days.” It weakened him and caused him to lay sick for some time. Have you ever approached to know so much the things of the kingdom that it simply drains your strength? Again it takes strength to carry truth and the more truth you carry the more strength you must have. The more you know in the spiritual realm the more grace and strength you will have to have in order to live. And this is why men in God progress and the grace of God is upon them, they gain and gain in their knowledge and revelation until they are staggering under the load and to add to that load a claim to fame that comes with all that and some men neglect the other critical elements in their lives such as grace, mercy, and judgment which are necessary to grow in to sustain them under that heavy load and they fall. Most men in work of the Gospel have risen to an apex and then at some point they begins to decline and fall away because they have not cultivated and sought the grace and strength to develop their character to help bear up under the load. As the armor of God is not for children it takes strength it is not made for babes, those who are weak, so too we must develop our character so that we can develop strength to be able to bear up under truth. We can get too much truth and it will drown us and someone will haul up our body and say (what I said after I handled the ungodly things of these two men) I would have never expected that of him, nor did anyone expect the great loss to their ministry that follows their fall. For us to be developed correctly with truth we must be continually exercised in truth that is not to be selective, but receive whatsoever truth God gives to us and from whomever God brings our way.
Let us not think we are greater than what we really are. Take heed my friend, going after revelation and a deep teaching will lead you down that road and if you do not develop others abilities and skills in God you will find yourself being pulled out of the water wondering what happened. “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” (Romans 12:3-5) This is the place of unity where the “whole body” can grow and come to maturity and spiritual development. Let us take heed to our selves.
