The Day of New Beginnings

Learning to Appropriate

 

Re 3:7-8. 
 
7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:
8 I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
 
Lu 13:24. "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
 
The open door that the Lord has set before us is the realm of spirit. The access to God is through our own spirits appropriating Him. All fulfillment is contingent upon learning how to draw the Lord. In essence, "appropriating" Him with our spirits. 
 
Why is it that so many promises and prophecies never seem to get fulfilled? Is it because God doesn't want us to have them? Is it because He deliberately holds things back? No. It's because we have not learned how to appropriate the Lord with our spirits. This is why many will seek to enter and not be able. 
 
This is a great truth. I spent the first 26 years of my Christian life in much frustration. In all those years there was revelation that came, but not much real spiritual growth. Maturity came very slowly and real progress into His presence was at a minimum. That was my experience despite having a rich diet of a Living Word to feed on. My heart was full of His Word and there was much revelation. The frustration, however, was in not seeing that Word and revelation translated into more of a living experience.
 
Experiencing fulfillment only comes through understanding how to appropriate Jesus Christ with our spirits. Part of that understanding is grasping this one fact: 
 
Heb 11:3. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.
 
It's a great mystery how something tangible in the physical realm can be manifested through a means which is not visible. It comes in a way that can't be held, tasted or touched with the natural senses. We know the Lord is Spirit. Inherit within Him, within His life and presence, is fulfillment of every word and promise He has given us. As we learn to just appropriate Him, we will find inherent in that transfer of spirit (His life into us), even the tangible things in this physical realm we need and were promised. This is the principle behind the Scripture, “Seek first the Kingdom, and all these other things will be added to you.” Tangible, physical things are manifested in our lives by the appropriation of Spirit into us. Just as the worlds were formed out of things not visible, so too the promises God has made us, the things He has indicated we are to move in, are manifested out of a realm not visible. 
 
1Co 1:30. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption...
 
Christ becomes to us these things. He doesn't just manifest them in our lives, He IS those things! He is our fulfillment! By that I mean as we focus to appropriate Him, out of that appropriation will come tangible things even in the physical realm. The worlds came forth out of the essence of spirit, and so will everything God has spoken to us in this hour. All we need do is focus upon Jesus Christ, appropriating Him with our spirits, and so much will spring forth in our lives without having to make an issue of it. For example, I want a different job. I want to see some fulfillment of things God has made real to my heart in that area. Do I focus upon that, waiting for God to produce what He has spoken? Or, do I just reach in and appropriate the Lord? As I appropriate Him, it will result in a manifestation even in the physical realm. But the focus never strays from being on Him. 
 
I think this is the key to ending frustration and despair within us. We don't want to continually be told we have everything provided for us, but are never able to “hold it in our hand.” It used to drive me crazy when I was told God had given me a certain thing, or He wanted such and such for me. "Well, where is it?" I always asked. I never seemed to grasp or understand how to "make the thing happen.” But this Word God is speaking to us about appropriation is the answer.