In Pursuit If God: The Mind Of Christ: Holy Spirit Driven
Philippians 2:5-8 (Amplified Bible)
5Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:] 6Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, 7But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being. 8And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!
1 Corinthians 2:10-16 (Amplified Bible)
10Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man's scrutiny]. 11For what person perceives (knows and understands) what passes through a man's thoughts except the man's own spirit within him? Just so no one discerns (comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God. 13And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit]. 14But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. 15But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him]. 16For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart.
When I lived in Japan, there was a dynamic that was detested by the Okinawans that the American Military Personnel used to exhibit while in their country. They came into a foreign country with the expectation that they should adapt to us being their instead us adapting to being in their country. I cannot tell you how many times I heard Americans in Okinawa say they should have to learn to speak English, or that the signs on their roads should be in English as well as Japanese. I use to think “how arrogant of us to think that we have the right to come into a country, no matter whether by force or by invitation and think that we should have things made easy for us and that our way was the best way; or in fact that we were owed something, because we were there.” We have a tendency to think that how we view things is the way it is. But when I took the time as many others did to learn some of the language and to learn about the culture and my surrendering’s through the eyes and instruction of those who are residence, it made my understanding and experience totally different and it caused me to have a real understanding for some things that I would have only had a surface knowledge of, or no real understanding and appreciation at all.
We have a tendency to do the same thing with God. We pursue Him, learn him and want to know Him on our terms. We think that He should adapt to what we think, what we want and how we operate, just because we have decided to read His word, or go to church or even come to Him on any level. It is our fleshly arrogance and mindsets that gives birth to these thoughts, processes and habits. But until we understand that we cannot come to God on our terms, that we have to come to Him on His, we are going to miss it and miss Him as well. I can recall times in my life when I thought I could live a life that pleased my flesh and still understand God and who He was and what He wanted from my life. But little did I understand at that point and time in my life I was double minded, I was trying to serve two Master, which were God and my flesh. I was trying to adapt the word of God and how God wanted things done in my life to my terms, so that I would not have to change to accept Him the way He required things done. I soon found out that I was going to be unfulfilled and that I would never have the fullness of God, the fullness of understanding for His word and the abundant peace and blessings upon my life until I allowed the Holy Spirit access to my life and to convict, illuminate and change me to conform to the will of God. It was in this season in my life that my life changed and that transformation took place. The Word of God became life to me and understanding for who God is and His divine order became clear!
Many of us are trying to get God to come down to us, without the understanding that He is High and lifted up and we must be the one to come up to Him. But we cannot do it thinking, acting and perceiving things on the level in which we abide in and through the flesh. We have to allow the Holy Spirit to come in and do the transforming work that He is charged to do. If we really desire and are pursuing God we will get to the place that we want Him by any means necessary and we won’t be looking to obtain Him or what we need from Him on our terms, but we will be willing to come up to the High place through the Holy Spirit to meet Him there!
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