How can you escape the lowlands of your flesh?
You do it by denying its claim on you, reckoning yourself dead to it, and responding instead to God’s upward call.
One practical way to do that is by restoring to your life the spiritual disciplines that help you draw near to Him. We must discipline ourselves spiritually not to attain righteousness but to express the righteousness that is already ours in Christ. We must do it not to impress the Lord and thereby gain spiritual promotion, but to give Him the opportunity to leave His impression more fully upon us and thereby equip us for the promotion He already longs to give.
When I say spiritual disciplines, I’m referring to such activities as meditating and studying (not just reading) the scriptures; separating one’s self from the busyness of life to spend designated times in worship and prayer. I’m even talking about fasting a meal or two to help subdue your flesh and focus your attention on the Lord.
One inspiring book that might encourage you in this area is Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard Foster. (It was written before some of the things we know about faith were generally understood. So read it with care, taking what’s helpful and leaving what’s not.) I especially like the chapter, “The Spiritual Disciplines: the Door to Liberation.” It beautifully explains that although God’s grace is offered freely to all of us who believe, once we have received it by faith, we have an active part to play.1
We can’t just sit around idly waiting for that grace to produce godly fruit in our lives. We must roll up our spiritual sleeves and “work out” our salvation (Phil. 2:12) by employing the spiritual disciplines outlined in the Bible. We must do our part to cooperate with God so that He can transform us.
Think of it this way: grace is free, but it is not cheap. Paid for by the precious blood of Jesus, its cost is beyond measure and it can never be earned by our good works. It is a gift of God, pure and priceless. Yet once we have taken that gift from His hand, there are things we must do to grow in it. We must take purposeful action and walk the path of spiritual discipline in order to enjoy the full benefits of God’s grace in our lives.
If you’re tired of the lowlands and longing for a higher place, step onto the path of discipline’s grace.
Scripture Reading: Romans 6:1 – 18
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”