Holiness

Holiness is not a myth. It is real and it is the most beautiful thing The Spirit of God could work in us.

Today, after my quiet time with Him, I wanted to post my blog as fast as I could so that I could continue to write my next book. Even though I already posted my blog, I felt relentless and the Holy Spirit kept telling me to post on holiness. He reminded me the work He has done in me. It felt as if He was telling me to share it, now. Then I reasoned how can I share this when I am keeping it for a book that I intend to write a few years down the road? So I tried to ignore Him.  (You think by now I would know better?)

I made myself a beverage and sat down to write my book, all of the sudden I was sobbing uncontrollably. (this sobbing is the result of my prayer: Lord break my heart with what breaks your heart)  The pain I was feeling, was for those who are going about their lives without having a clue how important it is to go on with Him through the sanctification process that brings Holiness. At one point it also felt like I was sobbing because the pain that led to holiness is still so vivid within me. In a way it is a bittersweet memory.  It was a time in the wilderness where I thought I was going to die. All my bones were being wasted away. Anyone who would look at me would have said that on the outside I looked like hell. (pardon my language)

One morning I wake up still feeling like I was one with the death sentence that was on me. I did not even come out of bed yet, when I had one of the most beautiful experiences with the Holy Spirit when He told me that I was now holy and showed me the holiness inside me. Without Him saying anything, I knew the holiness inside me was the same as God's Holiness because He showed me God's Holiness which was so  bright it penetrated the darkness. But, not only that, the beauty of the light was mesmerizing  like nothing on earth can be compare to it. Then I said to myself, Oh! there is no such thing as "nights" where God lives, because His presence penetrate the darkness more ways than one. 

Somehow, I had the same light inside me from my stomach all the way up. I could not help feeling worthless, and so undeserving and in my mind, I kept saying how can that be possible? Two reasons I felt this way. First, because of the teaching I was exposed to and second, I knew I was too much of a sinner to be holy. Somehow, in my mind I recalled my previous teaching and I expected to be holy only after I die. So, I had a hard time to reconcile man's teaching with the Holy Spirit's. 

 I even rejected the idea that I could be made holy now on earth and thought to myself, maybe it is Satan dressing as an angel of light playing tricks on me. Even though I was sure the experience was of God. Then I was so ashamed I did not want to talk about it. Once again, it was the teaching that I was exposed to, that has become a stumbling block for me. But God is good. The Holy Spirit knew of my ignorance and He kept working with me. He knew I was not trying to defy Him. It was sheer ignorance of His word at a spiritual level. One of the things He did to help me get used to the idea, was to keep this light with me for three days. The light was so bright that I tried to avoid going out because I was so sure I was leaking light and other people would see it coming out of me. This happened around my fourth years in the wilderness.

Later on, I learned that God had so much He needs to work in me and I have such a long way to go. I learned to understand with His help what holiness means and the importance of it. I realized as we become holy, it is just the beginning of our walk. so, If you do not want to go forward with Him to die to self, then you are making a mistake. Christianity is serious business. Brethren, we need to Let go of the niceties we call Christianity. Holiness is not imaginary. It is not done in us just because we said the sinner's prayer, got baptized, read our Bible. It cuts deep through us. It is a path that hurts very much in your soul as you experience what God means in Hebrews 4:12.

Yesterday I was reading a pastor who has a very popular blog, he said “those who believe in the higher life, ends up finding out that it is an illusion.” It was sad to read that from him, because he understands the word of God. What this pastor does not realize is that he is the one who is limited, blind and ignorant. the limitation has been put there, with his own understanding, that is flawed, because he is relying on his intellect. He does not know what it means spiritually to die to self and he has not put into practice in his life to accept God's invitation in James 4:8 to "draw near to God and He will draw near to you". As you accept this invitation, you will find out two things for sure. First, He keeps inviting you to come up higher. 

The second thing is that He removes the limitation of the path before you which looks like a wall. As time went by, I learned there will always be more walls behind the wall I can see with my spiritual eyes.  The invitation to come up higher and higher with Him, simply means, a life of abandonment at His feet, total devotion,  obedience and willingness to be His at any cost, and to live out His will for your life. These things cannot be negotiated if you want to know the higher life. Yes, it is grace, as the Holy Spirit gives you that yearning to want to go higher. Like the deer panteth for the water, your soul longs after Him too.  And, as you get to know Him deeper, you have that disposition in you, to want to go where He is. It is only through the higher life you get to experience the reality of John 7:38 "Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them."  After awhile  all I could say to the Holy Spirit was " Are you serious? You mean even this verse is available to me now, not when I am dead?"

I am not saying you will experience Him in the same way I did. God is God, He alone decides that. What I know for sure is that I am not the only one experiencing Him so much, nor that I will be the last. I know, the Holy Spirit has the power to show all of us this life. We need to pray for Him to put a hunger within that compel us forward. We need to stop letting man put a limit on how far you can go with God. Eight years ago, if you had told me there was a higher life, I would have called you a dreamer too. In fact I learned from my last Church that most of what is written in the Bible will be mine, after I die. Little did I know I could go on with Him, to experience most of the Bible now, and even go as far as taking a peek behind the veil and see what is awaiting me in this marvelous life. It is something to look forward to. It is something that is worth giving up this worldly life behind and cling onto Him. No man on earth will ever be able to contain me. I give this right to my God alone.

Please go to Him, do not delay any longer. Do not let someone else rob you of your true inheritance. Do not be impressed by anyone but be impressed with Him. and like Peter said in Acts 5:29 “We must obey God rather than human being!”

Brethren, you have a choice to make, you could die now or later, choose wisely!

Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

 I am sorry about the length of the post.

I love you guys!

I will leave you with J. C. Ryle

(1816-1900)

You may say, “It was never meant that all Christians should be holy, and that holiness, such as I have described, is only for great saints, and people of uncommon gifts.” I answer, “I cannot see that in Scripture. I read that every man who hath hope in Christ purifieth himself.” (1 John 3:3)—“Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.”

You may say, “It is impossible to be so holy and to do our duty in this life at the same time: the thing cannot be done.” I answer, “You are mistaken. It can be done. With Christ on your side nothing is impossible. It has been done by many. David, and Obadiah, and Daniel, and the servants of Nero’s household, are all examples that go to prove it.”

You may say, “If I were so holy I would be unlike other people.” I answer, “I know it well. It is just what you ought to be. Christ’s true servants always were unlike the world around them—a separate nation, a peculiar people;—and you must be so too, if you would be saved!”

You may say, “At this rate very few will be saved.” I answer, “I know it. It is precisely what we are told in the Sermon on the Mount.” The Lord Jesus said so 1,900 years ago. “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:14.) Few will be saved, because few will take the trouble to seek salvation. Men will not deny themselves the pleasures of sin and their own way for a little season. They turn their backs on an “inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away.” “Ye will not come unto Me,” says Jesus, “that ye might have life.” (John 5:40.)

You may say, “These are hard sayings: the way is very narrow.” I answer, “I know it. So says the Sermon on the Mount.” The Lord Jesus said so 1,900 years ago. He always said that men must take up the cross daily, and that they must be ready to cut off hand or foot, if they would be His disciples. It is in religion as it is in other things, “there are no gains without pains.” That which costs nothing is worth nothing.

Whatever we may think fit to say, we must be holy, if we would see the Lord. Where is our Christianity if we are not? We must not merely have a Christian name, and Christian knowledge, we must have a Christian character also. We must be saints on earth, if ever we mean to be saints in heaven. God has said it, and He will not go back: “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.”..............................................

Other foundation of holiness can no man lay, than that which Paul laid — even Christ Jesus. Without Christ we can do nothing (John 15:5). It is a strong but true saying of Traill's: 
"Wisdom out of Christ is damning folly; 
righteousness out of Christ is guilt and condemnation; 
sanctification out of Christ is filth and sin; 
redemption out of Christ is bondage and slavery!"

Do you want to attain holiness? Do you feel this day a real hearty desire to be holy? Would you be a partaker of the divine nature? Then go to Christ! Wait for nothing. Wait for nobody. Linger not. Do not think to make yourself ready. Go and say to Him, 
in the words of that beautiful hymn,
"Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Your cross I cling;
Naked, flee to You for dress;
Helpless, look to You for grace."

There is not a brick nor a stone laid in the work of our sanctification — until we go to Christ. Holiness is His special gift to His believing people. Holiness is the work He carries on in their hearts by the Spirit whom He puts within them. He is appointed a "Prince and a Savior, to give repentance" as well as remission of sins. To as many as receive Him, He gives power to become sons of God (Acts 5:31; John 9:12, 13). Holiness comes not by blood — parents cannot give it to their children; nor of the will of the flesh — man cannot produce it in himself; nor of the will of man — ministers cannot give it to you by baptism. Holiness comes from Christ. It is the result of vital union with Him. It is the fruit of being a living branch of the true Vine. Go then to Christ and say, "Lord, not only save me from the guilt of sin — but send the Spirit, whom You promised, and save me from its power. Make me holy. Teach me to do Your will."

Would you continue holy? Then abide in Christ. (John 15:4, 5). It pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell — a full supply for all a believer's needs. He is the Physician to whom you must daily go — if you would keep well. He is the Manna which you must daily eat, and the Rock from which you must daily drink. His arm is the arm on which you must daily lean, as you come up out of the wilderness of this world. You must not only be rooted — you must also be built up in Him.

Paul was a man of God indeed, a holy man, a growing thriving Christian — and what was the secret of it all? He was one to whom Christ was all in all. He was ever looking unto Jesus. "I can do all things," he says, "through Christ who strengthens me." "I live; yet not I — but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live, I live by the faith in the Son of God." Let us go and do likewise (Hebrews 12:2; Philippians 4:13; Galatians 2:20).

May all who read these pages, know these things by experience — and not by hearsay only! May we all feel the importance of holiness far more than we have ever done yet! May our years be holy years with our souls — and then they will be happy ones! Whether we live — may we live unto the Lord; or whether we die — may we die unto the Lord. And if He comes for us — may we be found in peace, without spot, and blameless!