11th May 2020
In the last resource, we looked at incorporating Jesus into our lives, or having Christ as our life. We shared about the difference between them and that followers of the temple have only incorporated Jesus into their lives, as opposed to followers of the wilderness, where Jesus has become their very life.
These are two positions and because they are two, there is not spiritual oneness occurring between these followers, which means these followers live for different things. They can look very similar to the natural eye, but in reality, they are as far apart from one another as North is from South.
This doesn’t mean God doesn’t love both groups of followers, but the difference between the two groups, causes them to be living for different things. As mentioned the deception is in the fact that they can look like they are the same but in the heart, the place of life and understanding, they are completely opposite. The temple follower is still ultimately living for self, and the operating systems of self, while looking like they are living for God, and genuinely believing they are. The wilderness follower on the other hand has died with Christ and their life is hidden in God, they are only interested in the Father’s will, period.
This difference ultimately causes completely different lifestyles which can be the cause of division between these two groups. The difference can cause persecution, jealousy, bitterness, hurt, offence, resentment, anger, insecurity, and ultimately division by the temple followers towards the wilderness followers, because they have no understanding of the ‘why’, they are the way they are.
Why is this the case?
Because those of the wilderness can’t go back to being a temple follower and living from the temple ways. They have to pursue the One who is a type of wilderness, because they have become one with Him. This causes them to make decisions and prioritise life in a way that becomes offensive to the temple follower. They are not trying to offend anyone but be faithful to the One they are one with. In fact, they desire all of the temple followers to surrender up and lose the temple heart and mind set and come and be one with them and the Christ.
Conformity is the opposite of spiritual oneness and it is conformity that the temple follower lives from and towards.
Temple followers attempt to make God and His words conform to their reality. Conformity is the counterfeit to spiritual oneness and it is the demonic version of oneness. Conformity tries to achieve spiritual oneness through function.
Conformity comes up with a worthy common goal, which it can achieve through spiritual and natural gifting's and abilities, and gets everyone on board, by getting everyone to work together for the good of the common goal.
Now there is nothing wrong with achieving a common goal when the Holy Spirit has led and is empowering this work, but this is not oneness of Spirit nor does it produce oneness of Spirit. It just produces the success of a common goal.
Only the Word of God and the receiving of the Word of God which is Spirit, engraved on the human heart by the Spirit, causes spiritual oneness or fellowship. Unfortunately, this is why these two groups exist. For the followers of the wilderness this is a very regular occurrence and forms spiritual oneness between God and themselves, while for temple followers, they are still to come into this operating system of the Spirit, through relinquishing their fleshly ways, and so remain as temple followers, which is not supposed to be the case.
Jesus prayed for spiritual oneness in John 17. John speaks and invites us to have this spiritual oneness with him and the triune God. Can you give testimony to this oneness with Him and others? It is the promise of your Heavenly Father for His body?
Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Q. What has stood out the most for you in this resource?
Q. What position do you resonate with the most - oneness of spirit or conformity?
Q. Why is conformity so dangerous in the body of Christ?
Q. Which posture do you relate to the most and why?