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Is Something Missing In Your?
by
Joyce Meyer
Many
Christians follow all the “right” rules and carefully live “the Christian
life,” but inside they are wondering: Is this it? Is this all there is? I
experienced that same emptiness in 1976 when as a young Christian I realized
that doing the right things brought temporary happiness but not deep, satisfying
joy.
In those
early days of my walk with God, I could only see Him from a distance. Even
though I was doing what I thought He required of me, I still felt that I needed
change in my life. I was searching, but I didn’t know what I was searching
for.
One Friday
morning in February, I was driving to work and feeling particularly discouraged.
My husband and I had argued before we left home, something that happened quite
often. I felt I couldn’t go on any longer with the way things were. Out of
sheer desperation, I called out to God. I remember crying out: “God, something
is missing. I don’t know what it is, but something is missing.”
To my
surprise, I heard the audible voice of God that morning in my car. He called my
name and spoke to me about patience.
From that
moment, I knew with certainty that God was going to do something about my
situation. I didn’t know what He would do or when, but I knew that He was
about to move in my life. Only a few short hours later Jesus filled me with the
presence of the Holy Spirit in a way that I had never before experienced.
More than
likely, you can reflect on an encounter with God that was more satisfying than
any other event in your life. But if that moment was years ago, or even
yesterday, then you are missing out on the rich pleasure that comes from daily
fellowship with the Father through His Holy Spirit. The Lord says, “I love
those who love Me, and those who seek Me early and diligently shall find Me” (Prov.
8:17, The Amplified Bible).
There are
too many unhappy born-again and so-called Spirit-filled believers who are
without knowledge of what to do about their dry, unfulfilled lives. I say
“so-called” because to be filled is to remain full of the Spirit of God by
acknowledging him and pursuing His ways daily.
It is
possible to fill a glass with water without filling it to full capacity.
Likewise, when we are born again we have the Holy Spirit in us, but we may not
yet be totally filled with the Spirit. In Acts 1:8 Jesus promises that the Holy
Spirit will also come upon us, giving us power (ability, efficiency and might)
to be Christ’s witnesses to the ends of the earth. Acts 4:31 reports that when
people were filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke the Word of God “with
freedom and boldness and courage.”
Before I
was immersed in the Holy Spirit, I was very busy doing things for God, yet I did
not have enough power in my everyday life to be what God wanted. I desired to be
like Jesus, but I had no power to successfully handle the ordinary events of my
life. Although I was born again, I needed something more.
It does not
please God when people leave Him out of their daily lives and then work
religious formulas to try to appease Him. I regret all the years I wasted being
religious, just going through the motions, following formulas, and not having
the revelation that Jesus was alive in me through the power of the Holy Spirit.
I urge you
to begin taking full advantage of your blood-bought relationship with God,
through Jesus. Don’t tuck God away for emergencies and Sunday mornings. Allow
Him to work freely in every area of your life through the power of the Holy
Spirit.
Above all,
don’t be afraid of new things – just make sure they are Biblical. I believe
that God desires to take you to new heights in Him. He is knocking at the door
of your heart. Will you open it wide and welcome Him? If you have not been
providing a good home for the Holy Spirit, He has been missing you – and
whether you know it or not, you have been missing Him.
Reprinted
with permission from Charisma, (April
2003). © Strang Communications Co., USA. All rights reserved. www.charismamag.com
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