Pastor's Blog

 

"Two Ways"

Wade E Taylor

“And it came to pass, that as the people pressed upon Him to hear the word of God, He stood by the lake of Gennesaret, and saw two ships standing by the lake….”Luke 5:1-2

Notice that the people were “pressing upon Jesus to hear the word of God.”Whenever we take a step toward the Lord, He will respond and begin to draw us closer to Himself.

There will always be “two ships” (two possibilities) in our spiritual life experience.These are placed in our path by the Lord to cause us to make a choice.Jesus will never enter the ship that relates to our self-life (our being in control of all that we say and do).When we make the right choice, Jesus will enter the ship that relates to His will and purpose for us, and become active in our spiritual life experience.

“And He entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And He sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.”Luke 5:3

The “land” speaks of our self-life, in which we are in control and can do as we please.The “water” represents the realm of the Spirit, where the Lord is in control.For us to be “thrust out a little from the land” speaks of giving up the right to do as we please, so Jesus can bring us into a submissive, cooperative relationship with Him.

Here, we will be “made ready” to function in the deeper realms of the Spirit (He sat down and taught the people).As we continue to make the right choices, the “water” will gradually become deeper and deeper until our feet can no longer reach the bottom.

“…At the noise of Your waterspouts, all Your waves and Your billows are gone over me.”Psalm 42:7

This tells us that the Lord is in control (All your waves and billows are gone over me).Only now could Jesus say the following:

“Now when He had left speaking, he said to Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.”Luke 5:4

The heart consecration that we make by choosing to be obedient will prompt (release) Jesus to step into our “boat” (our life experience).

Our “willing obedience” is the determining factor in our becoming an overcomer.Being an “overcomer” is not the result of, or the reward for something that we do.Rather, it relates to the intent and issues of our heart, which determines our actions.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”Matthew 5:3

Our being “poor in spirit” means that we have come to the end of our “self-life.”We have placed ourselves and all that relates to us, under the headship of Jesus.We are now subject to the government of God, and as long as we walk in submission and obedience, it can be said that we are an “overcomer.”