Spiritual Violence

Our pastor has been talking lately about the difference between natural zeal and spiritual violence. He came last night to talk to our youth and it was powerful!

Natural zeal is excitement about God as long as people are watching. It doesn't last or exist in your secret place with God. I'm guilty! I think most people, if they are really honest with themselves, would say the same thing. Obviously we don't consciously get excited about God because it makes us look good. The question is: Do we look, act, and talk the same in our quiet times with the Lord? Probably not. For me, when I pray in a corporate prayer meeting, I'm passionate! But I don't usually pray like that at home. No, in front of God I'm myself - boring. I talk in my normal tone of voice, and don't even try to put the right words together to make them sound deep and meaningful.

Spiritual violence, however, is excitement about certain things. Things that don't sound cool or make us look good. Spiritual violence is going after God with all that you are, choosing to deny your flesh and not caring about what you might be missing out on. It's being excited about self-denial. You fast, pray, sit in silence and solitude. You are alone, hungry, thirsty, desperate for the secret place. No one sees you. You do not get distracted. You are alone with God (Matt 6:6).

God is calling us into the deep with Him. I've settled for less than the intimacy I could have with God. I don't walk in the power He says I should be walking in. I'm missing out on something big.

How do you get it? Through suffering, you get hungry and then you get desperate. You hurt bad enough and get mad enough at Satan that you fight for it. I know I can't muster this up on my own or I would be back to natural zeal. God must do this work in me and I will be patient in letting him do so.

Lord, whatever it takes, make me hungry and desperate for deep intimacy with you. Cause me to burn for the secret place. May I only ever live for the audience of One.