“reaching forth…”
Philippians 3:13
The phrase “reaching forth” should describe the normal Christian life. As Watchman Nee once said, “the average Christian life is not the normal Christian life.”
“…reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark…”
Philippians 3:13-14
Spiritual vision is the matrix of the pursuit of God. Hearts aflame know their intrinsic need to be active and pressed of spirit to apprehend the fullness of God for themselves. It is disconcerting when this holy fire is absent within His children. Many of the Greek words used of the Holy Spirit in Philippians 3, were terms used in the Olympic Games of the day.
Paul, pressed by the Spirit, directed this truth to the people of God at Corinth:
“Do you not know that those running in a stadium indeed all run,
but one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain.”
1 Corinthians 9:24 (LITV)
May we allow the Holy Spirit to pierce our hearts with this one precious truth!
“Do you not know…”
Do we know that the true Christian life is a race to apprehend God’s call? The language of Paul was one of “apprehending” in the Philippians epistle, “obtaining” in the Corinthian epistle.
Peter, in his epistle to the church of God (the whole Church), exhorted all:
“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,
and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For IF these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 1:5-8
Fruitfulness is the evidence of those who are making “every effort” to supplement their faith with the ever-growing virtues of Christ.
Peter exhorts us, “IF these qualities are yours and are increasing,” the development of these graces will keep us from “ineffective” living and “unfruitfulness.”
Barrenness is not the result of our circumstances; stagnation is. Whenever faith settles in complacency, whenever it ceases to grow from “faith unto (the) faith” (Romans 1:17), it withers and becomes detached from the Life and the press of the Author.
“At that time, I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
and I will punish the men who are complacent…”
Zephaniah 1:12 (ESV)
God beholds each life. His Spirit is ever searching for those who will respond to the promptings and intonations of His Will. Faith is the ability to respond to God; it is the privilege of His own to grow in our sensitivity to His movements.
When faith becomes a belief rather than the power of God moving within His people, they thwart the manifestation of His Life through them. The Christian life becomes one of being a spectator rather than a participant.
“To each person has been given the ability
to manifest the Spirit for the common good.”
1 Corinthians 12:7
“There are multitudes in our congregations who are just waiting while they ought to be acting. They must work if they would have God work in them. There can be no religion without obedience.”
— Ichabod Spencer.
Related Posts
Reaching Forth Series – Part One
Brian Troxel
Brian do you recall commenting on this vision back in February of 2023?
Complacency
Delilah is known as an anointing robbing spirit. Complacency is how it operates against the Ekklesia in the vision I saw.
I had a vision/ word, 02/28/2023, while driving. In the vision I saw an individual, representing the Ekklesia, with their head on the lap of a woman who was stroking their hair lulling them to sleep. The, “sleep”, here is the sleep of complacency and the woman is the spirit of Delilah. If you remember when Samson laid on Delilah’s lap he gave no thought of his Nazarite vow, willingly revealed the secret of his strength, i.e., anointing, and was subsequently robbed of it. When his enemy then attacked he “presumed” that everything was as it was but had not realized that the Spirit had left him thus allowing the enemy to bind and blind him.
We must guard our relationship with Jesus and never take for granted that His Holy Spirit will be with us if we, by becoming complacent, allow the fire  to go out.
Matthew 24:12 (TPT) 12 There will be such an increase of sin and lawlessness that those whose hearts once burned with passion for God and others will grow cold.
The Greek word for cold is (Olive Tree Enhanced Strong’s Dictionary)
psychō which means:
(Olive Tree Enhanced Strong’s Dictionary)
to breathe, blow, cool by blowingto be made or grow cool or coldmetaph. of waning love
Guard your relationship with Jesus well. Don’t take it for granted
Hello Tony – Sorry for the late reply
Complacency is the great thief that steals the affections, the pressings and the desire for God. Delilah is the perfect picture of the enemy’s work in this hour. Dead teachings coming from cold hearts render His people ineffective and stagnant.
Lord help us – the hour is late and the storm is about to break.
Blessings
BT
Delilah is an anointing robbing spirit. It is also persistent in wearing one down until the individual yields to its dedires.desires.
Daniel 7:25 (NKJV) 25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall persecute the saints of the Most High,
And shall intend to change times and law.
Then the saints shall be given into his hand
For a time and times and half a time.
The word persecute here means to wear away, wear out, to harass constantly.
Amen – God’s word to us…
“But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.”
2 Thessalonians 3:13-14
The disobedient draw down the strength and vitality of the faithful; they are another expression of the Delilah spirit who wore down Samson with her persistence.
It is a day to seek out wise God-fearing company.
Always appreciate the exhortations!
BT
Complacency is the enemy of faith. While faith is a surge, complacency is the obstacle it must pass over or through to continue to grow.
Great lesson brother.
Blessings
It is subtle and powerful. It is something that I keep a diligent watch over.
Blessings
BT
Amen!
🙏