by John Paul Jackson
The Bible says that God calls us by His name (Isaiah 43:7) and that He writes His name upon us (Revelation 3:12).
As we mature and the Holy Spirit flows through us, the name of the Father becomes more deeply imprinted on who we are. It is like taking the same path from the front door to the garden every day; each time you walk it, it becomes a little more compacted beneath your feet, a little more engraved in the surface of the earth.
That path is like a signature in the soil. The more we seek God, the deeper and richer and more noticeable His name becomes in our lives. We begin to grow out of the cerebral following of Him into the spiritual following of Him, which Jesus talks about in John 4: The Father seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth — He does not desire to be known from a distance.
This divine bond is an intimate Spirit-to-spirit connection, a fire to fire — a union that goes beyond that of a man and woman in marriage. It is a bonding in which the Spirit of God says, “You are in Me, and I am in You. Let Me breathe through you. Let Me use you. Let Me flow through you to others. You are flesh of My flesh and bone of My bone.”
Obviously, I am not saying that we can literally become God; however, we can be so close to Him, in every way, that He considers us to be “one flesh” with Him (Ephesians 5:30–32).
Be Sensitive to God
Each of us has the ability and opportunity to become one with the Lord. The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:17, “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” You have that. That is you.
The deeper His name is inscribed upon us, the more sensitive we are to the fire of His presence and the gentle whispers of His Spirit — the more sensitive we are to His beckoning and His direction. I do not ever want to take for granted the movement of the Holy Spirit upon me, the light of the Lord radiating from within me or the oneness with Him that He has afforded to me.
I never want to become calloused to Him, because callousness leads to death (Hebrews 6:4–6). It does not remove us from His love, but we lose our ability to feel the conviction of His Spirit; we relinquish our desire for Him
How do we keep ourselves from growing calloused toward God?
We know the Lord and His ways.
We pray and consistently spend time in His Word.
We live repentant lifestyles.
We spend time around other people who love God and are strong in heart.
These practices will sensitize us to God and His ways and will keep us sensitive so we do not resist Him; they will give us hunger for Him and a desire for His presence.
Be Aware of His Love
As a believer in Jesus, you are joined to the Father. You are one with Him. You bear His name.
Clearly, this is no small covenant He has made with you. It is not a position that can be blown away in a strong wind. Do you understand the depth of His love and compassion for you? Do you realize what awaits you here in this place of closeness and accessibility?
As soon as you can, take some time to deepen that path from the front door to the garden. Ask the Father to increase your sensitivity to His Spirit, and let Him etch out His name a little more deeply upon you.
Article Link: http://www.streamsministries.com/index.php?page=eletter&article_id=181#.Ty2uruS_lEM
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