Paul wrote in Ephesians chapter 3:
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—
19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
We need to focus on taking on all aspects of Jesus Christ, not just a few to fit our current needs. There are many who attempt to use their outward appearance of godliness to persuade others to meet their needs. They will use various means to get what they want without regard to others. They live their lives being deceived by their own blindness and are very persuasive and cunning in their methods. Saul in the New Testament was one such example. He “took no prisoners” as he attempted to exalt himself among his peers.
Jesus on the other hand made Himself of no reputation but went about giving of himself for Love seeks to give whereas lust seeks to extract from others. It is pure and simple to discern between those who walk in Love and those who walk in lust. People submitted to their lust and pride will attempt to project an illusion and perception that is false and misleading. They will attempt to convey a superiority over others which is a form of manipulation. King Saul provides us an example in the Old Testament and Samuel exposed the issue in 1 Samuel chapter 15:
22 So Samuel said:
“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
He also has rejected you from being king.”
The two “Saul’s” are examples which contrast the example of Jesus Christ. They were self-indulgent looking to forward their own agenda under the misperception that they were “anointed” by FATHER to carry out their own agenda, not HIS. In contrast, Jesus walked out the specific instructions of FATHER and was truly rooted and grounded in Love. He was able to discern the genuine from the counterfeit. We too should endeavor to walk in this fullness on a daily basis. Yes, we will need to be strengthened with might in our inner man as we deal with the adversaries who would attempt to mislead and misguide our steps. As we are able to see through their devices we will not be knocked off course but will continue on that narrow path of the Way, the Truth, and the Life which is only accessible when walking in Love. To be rooted and grounded denotes being firmly established so that when the storms and challenges arrive, you are not tossed to and fro but remain steadfast.
As you navigate through this life and grow in Spiritual maturity, you will take on the qualities of the Pattern Son- Jesus. There will come a day when you are able to see things pure and simple. The noise and complexities of chaos will not move you from the path of Christ. You will follow only Him.