Donald Wickham’s Blog

I’ve been continuing to work on my short and long term goals.  I’m finding that a great starting place is to focus on my life purpose or mission.  Mine is “Helping people unlock the magic God has put in them”.  As I’ve been working on this I’ve bumped up against a common theme in the church, “More of You, Jesus, and less of me”.  Let me explain why I say “I’ve bumped up against this.”

This teaching on “more of Him and less of me” sounds very pious.  Along with it is the theme of “Not my will but yours be done”.  However, these have, in my opinion, some very serious problems.  First, they are heart’s desires killers.  And they lead us to suppress and put down who we really are.

A couple of scriptures are frequently quoted to support these themes:  Gal 2:20 It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me” and Jesus’ telling us to “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”  Is the Lord telling us to just become empty shells (vessels)?  To become a clone of Jesus?  Is that what “being filled with Holy Spirit” means?  That certainly is something for each of us to prayerfully come to a position on.  It affects so much of how we live.

As I look at the whole scripture I’ve come to a different view.  Paul points out to us that we are flesh and spirit.  Our spirit, our true self, is joined with Holy Spirit.  We are to corral our flesh and strengthen our true self.  Note that we have a spirit ourselves.  It has come alive when we are accepted into God’s family thru faith in Jesus.  Holy Spirit joins with our spirit, He isn’t “our” spirit.   Jesus even has a new name for our true selves that he will give us when we join Him in Heaven.

So my call and challenge is to deny my flesh and let Jesus live in and thru my true self.

Here are a couple of illustrations that I’ve found helpful.

Clark Kent and Superman

In many ways this is much like me.  The true Donald, joined with Jesus, is just like Superman.  Look at all the power that Holy Spirit has flowing thru us.  Yet most of the time, all folks see is ordinary Donald, not supernatural Donald.  So I’m exhorted by scripture to let more of supernatural Donald (Christ living in me) be seen by others.

Light under a basket

Jesus tells us we are lights for the world and to not put them under a basket.  Again, our real selves, empowered by Holy Spirit can and is covered (under a basket) all too much.

Dirty Lantern

Picture an old fashion gas lantern, one whose panes are dirty and cloudy.  There is a flame inside (our true self) but it is tough for others to see.  Our call is to let God clean us so the flame can be seen.

Ps 37.4 talks about trusting God and He will give us the desires of our heart.  Ezekiel 36.26 tells us that “I (the Lord) will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you”.  It is our new heart (true self) whose desires God will give.  He certainly doesn’t say we are to kill our desires but to make sure they are in alignment with His.  This is quite different from “not my will but yours”.

My prayer is this, “Father, align my will and desires to Yours”.  Then I can live from my heart, which according to scripture, is a place of great strength.

Tags:   clark kent · Deny himself · dirty lantern · filled with spirit · Helping people unlock the magic God has put in them · light under a basket · More of You and Less of Me · superman · supernatural · true selfNo Comments