By THE SPIRIT, Paul wrote in Ephesians chapter 3:
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.
The most basic principle to ascending in Christ is to focus on the revelation of Love yet I find this is the one area most people are unwilling to attempt to plumb its depths. Why? There will be a new level of responsibility and accountability to walk in and man’s ego knows it therefore it redirects your focus elsewhere. Let’s face it, “self” just doesn’t want to give up its throne in one’s heart and its survival instincts kick in when there is a challenge to its position.
Being rooted and grounded means that you are on firm ground as your walk is challenged by the circumstances of life. The winds of adversity will blow causing you to bend but you will not break for your roots run deep in the revelation of Divine Love. As you are presented with challenges to Love, you are better able to comprehend the fact that Love exceeds the bounds you originally thought. Each and every opportunity to choose Love over the alternatives broadens your “tent” and creates more room for others to seek comfort.
Can Love be fully measured? It exceeds all of the boundaries of width, length, depth, and height. When we were totally self-absorbed with ourselves, Love seemed much smaller but as we have grown in our revelation of Love so has the vastness of Love. FATHER exceeds our comprehension thus HIS Divine Love follows suit.
My goal is to be filled with the fullness of FATHER and I trust it is your goal as well. In order to reach this goal we must be persistent and focused on the prize of this high calling. Many people make a short-lived emotional attempt to change only to find themselves sliding back into their rut in search of satisfaction of the temporal. I find that in my pursuit of HIS fullness the temporal has less value to the point of no value.
What will happen when we arrive at the fullness of FATHER? We will be fully capable and empowered to change people’s lives for the better. As we ascend toward the fullness we begin to see the fruit associated with this path. No longer do we enter into strife and contention with others but simply seek whatever unity can be achieved. Sometimes it means keeping your words to yourself knowing that the other person has yet to have ears to hear the Good News. The Holy Spirit directs you to speak only words of encouragement.
Barnabas in Acts 11 was one such example:
22 Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.
23 When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.
24 For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
As we continue in what appears to be chaos ahead, let us encourage those around us to continue with FATHER and redirect their attention to what is really important in life. They will be in need of examples to follow, replacing the perversity they are being faced with now by the world. As we are rooted and grounded in Love, we will be filled with FATHER’S fullness and will expand our ministry toward others thus changing their lives for the better. That is what life is all about.