Quote from Forum Archives on June 1, 1998, 4:57 pm

Posted by: root <root@...>

Standing Shoulder To Shoulder in the Trenches,
Encouraging One Another as we "Fight the Good Fight"

Title: WALKING IN THE SPIRIT -- POSITIONAL OR ACTUAL?

Dear Co-laborer:

That greeting seems so impersonal! Wish there was a way to greet you by
name instead of a "generic" title. I wonder if Paul ever went through
that when he wrote to his believer friends throughout the Roman Empire?

As I am writing you, it is about 2:00 a.m. Monday morning back home in
Missouri. However, at 10:00 a.m. here in Croatia, I am rushing to finish
before a meeting one hour from now with the staff from the Life Center.
Looking out the office window, I am struck (everytime I come here the
same thing happens) with the idea that I am spending time ministering to
people in a setting that, in all probability, Paul's young pastor friend
Titus also enjoyed ---- the Dalmatian Coast of present-day Croatia on the
Adriatic Sea. Italy is less than 100 miles away to the northwest, and
Slovenia about 50.

This is our fifth trip to this incredible country in the past three
years. Everytime Jo Ann and I come, the same thought hits me ---- "I
wonder if Titus was here? Is it even possible that Paul came this far
north when he went to Ilystra?" Every step I take on the rocky beaches
of the Rijeka Bay protected by Krk Island is one that makes me ask, "I
wonder if Titus' feet walked on this rock?"

I have been intrigued by the fact that, while I have never had a driving
ambition to go to Israel (I guess I figured I'll eventually go there
anyhow, so why bother now?), I am absolutely captured, body, soul, and
spirit, by the setting, the people, and the need of this part of the
world. Even last night, as I lay down in "our" room, I felt like I was
falling into my own bed ---- it seems to just "fit".

The Balkan Peninsula is known as "the powder keg of Europe". More wars
have been started, waged, or traveled to on this piece of the globe more
than any other place in the world. Of the some fourteen various
Crusades, at least six made major land routing through this region, some
right along the coast near where I am presently sitting. Originally
inhabited by the descendants of Gomer, grandson of Noah, the Romans were
the first of many nations and empires to swallow up these lands. There
have been very few centuries when these people were not inhabited by a
foreign power. Their history reads like a bad and bloody novel. Romans,
Greeks, Austrians, Hungarians, Turks, ---- all came here, conquered, and
controlled, and left their influence. That is why you can get European
bread, Itilian pizza, and Turkish coffee while sitting at the same table
in a home or in a restaurant. Two major world wars included primary
campaigns in this territory. Roman Catholicism, Serbian Orthodoxy, and
the Muslim religion can all be found here.

While I am tempted to go on, I cannot today. Since I'll be here for at
least two more Sundays, maybe I can add a few tidbits of information in
those letters.

IN THE MEANTIME, . . .

It seems there was a great interest in some on my previous comments ----
so maybe one more letter on the subject of Walking in the Spirit. This
one is being prompted by a letter I received from a long-time friend whom
I shall identify (for anonymity's sake) as "Bryan". He and his wife,
"Sue", walked into the flow of revival (towhich I have referred several
times already) about the same time Jo Ann and I were moving to another
ministry. We have enjoyed a 30 + year friendship and have had the
opportunity of ministering together on various occasions.

His letter, I felt, was important for you to read, so I am using some of
it as a basis to make a few responses about the subject of what it really
means to walk in the power and control of the Holy Spirit, understanding
our real identity in Christ, and coming to grips with just how much of
our present Christian walk is only "positional" and how much of it is
"experiencial".

It is my suspicion that we live our Christian lives satisfied with more
of it being "positional" than God intended, and far less "experiencial"
than we should expect. There is no doubt that we live far below our
privilege and grasp far less of our possessions than the Lord Jesus
Christ ever intended. We are like the Texas rancher during the Great
Depression who lived in abject proverty while the great oil reserves of
Teapot Dome lay below his feet. All he needed to do was allow somebody
to drill.

Maybe you and I need to allow some fresh "drilling" in our lives.

BREAKING OUT OF THE GRAVE:

One of Jesus' most exciting miracles, in my opinion, is the raising of
Lazarus from the dead. Just imagine being there!

Jesus has intentionally delayed his entry into the death crisis of Mary
and Martha ---- in order to prove the "deadness of death" and the
"aliveness of genuine Life". After four "stinking" days, He shows up.

"It's about time!" the people probably rebuked. "Some friend Jesus is!"
others must have whispered into the itching ears. "Frankly, I don't see
how He has the nerve to show His face after letting this family down the
way He did." others may have retorted.

"Master, if you had just come earlier!" Mary's grief blurted out.

What an opportunity! I can almost sense His thoughts: "Thank You,
Father, for such an opportunity as this. I just wish they really
understood what's going on; I just wish the really understood what I've
been teaching them about life and death. I just wish they knew who I
Really am ---- REALLY am!"

Then, as He stood there ---- in front of that tomb.............

Can you imagine the scene?

All silence ---- save the happy chirp of the birds and the soft brush of
the breeze through the field flowers. No other sounds than the
occasional whisper of rebuke and uncertain expctancy ---- and the distant
trusting sound of a lamb.

Then Life speaks! ...................

And Life breaks out! .................

And Life breaks free! ...................

And people see for themselves..................

Life and Death cannot cohabitate! They cannot be mixed together.

It is one or the other ---- but not both together.

You and I are either walking in life, or we're walking in death, but you
can be certain that we are not simultaneously walking in both ---- no
matter what lies the enemy used to convince us otherwise.

This is what "Bryan" is dealing with in his comments below. Here's some
of what he wrote:

** "What a wonderful realization it was/is to just let go and believe
that God means what He says in His Word. Simply focus on the Spirit and
fulfilling His desires, and we won't fulfill the lusts of the flesh, and
be prey to the one who would exploit the weaknesses resident therein.

** "This is much like what Jesus said in John 8:51 ....... 'if anyone
observes My teaching ....... he will by no means ever see and experience
death.' (Amplified without some of the amplification).

** "I struggled a long time with Needham's book you quote. Not
struggling to Understand or Believe it, but rather in sharing what he
said. In fact, some of the worst arguments I've ever had were over what
I thought would be welcome truth.

** "The problem is we've made the flesh the scape goat for all our
failure when, in fact, we've been provided victory.

(Bob's thoughts) Not only have we, like "Geraldine" declared "The Devil
made me do it", but we've also declared, "Well, that's just basic human
nature."

** "This gets awfully close to sounding like a Christian should never
have a problem. Not so, but I firmly believe no problem should ever have
a Christian! I've had my share.

[Bob's thoughts: Read that one again! "No problem should ever Have a
Christian!" ---- NO problem!]

** "I've also been on the Victorious side ---- because I CHOSE to receive
the provision of victory offered with grace from God. I've also blown it
on numberous occasions; however, the grace never stopped and eventually,
victory Provided was again victory I Received.

** "Also, NOT fulfilling the lusts of the flesh can (actually) become
kind of a habit. I know that sounds silly, but it's true. We [can] get
into a habit of NOT doing certain things, and before long the flesh
[actually] yields to that habit and it isn't a 'problem' any more.

** "What happens to people who get as old as we are [watch it Bryan!] and
have made a habit of doing the right things but still we aren't centered
on the Holy Spirit? Well, we have found OTHER lusts of the flesh ----
like self gratification, etc.

** "[Earlier], I mentioned struggling with Needham's book. I had a hard
time explaining or sharing it, because so many people already had it
figured out the other way. Finally, I believe the Lord gave me a little
insight that helped a great deal.

IDENTITY:

** "First, Needham's perspective was primarily IDENTITY. He was most
interested in our NOT believing that our behavior neither Determines who
we are, nor accurately Portrays who we are. His theme (and I believe it
to be true) was that a proper Perspective of our identity will Determine
and be Protrayed by proper Behavior. [Maybe something like this, Bryan:
---- Proper Perspective + Proper Behavior = Picture of Proper Identity?]

** "But I remembered John 8:51, and I think a little revelation came with
it.

** "The old man, the flesh, self, the carnal man IS dead. Death,
however, is MORE than [just] the absence of physical life. Death is also
the state of the Entire System (World System) in which we must exist and
operate. The old nature is IN an environment of death, only RESPONDS to
death, and only PRODUCES death. Some of it smells better than other
varieties, but it is ALL death and will, given enough time, smell alike.

** "Life, the Life of the Holy Spirt, on the other hand, does NOT respond
to death.

[Bob's thoughts: Say it again, Bryan ---- "...the Life of the Holy
Spirit ..... does NOT respond to death!"]

** "We choose Daily which existence (experience) will be ours ---- Life
or death. We can DO all the same things, but NOT by 'walking in the
Spirit', and become lifeless and depressed.

** "For months now my schedule has been building up to the point that the
only way I've been able to 'stay ahead' (at least so I thought) was to
work harder and longer.

** "What suffered? My listening room hasn't been visited as regularly.
My reliance has been shifted from what I believe God has promised to
provide, to what I can do by working harder. Deadline! What a
descriptive word! No one ever called a point in time when some project
must be completed a 'Lifeline'. Always, 'Deadline'!

[Bob's thoughts: Boy, can I ever identify with that! And to imagine how
easy it for all of us, but especially those of us in ministry, to live
under the demands and constraints of deadlines. Incredible thought ----
"Living under the domination of "Dead-lines!" Life Principles by
restraints and constraints of Death principles! And yet ---- ithappens
every day.]

** "How do we make a 'Deadline' into a 'Lifeline'? Perhaps I should
write you in a few weeks and tell you how it turned out, but I already
know the end from the beginning.

** "Walk in the Spirit! He has already met My 'dDeadline' and has risen
victorious over it and provided Resurrection Power for me to enter where
He is ---- into Life.

** "I keep forgetting that Resurrection power has Practical applications
as well as spiritual. Anyway, thanks for this week's epistle. It came
at a good time.

** "Bryan"

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:

I hope you see the signifance and profundity of "Bryan's" insights. When
I first read his letter, the most significant thought that caught my eye
was the "I firmly believe no problem should ever have a Christian."
However, the more I read and re-read, the more I began to comprehend the
enormity and significance of the principle he was talking about.

So, I hope you are also blessed.

LAUGH A LITTLE:

This was sent to me recently:

TWELVE WAYS TO EFFECTIVELY USE DEAD HORSES.
>From Don Simmons, Director of Continuing Education at Golden Gate
Seminary, Mill Valley, CA.

Dakota tribal wisdom says tht when you discover you are riding a dead
horse, the best stragegy is to dismount.

However, in business (churches and service organizations) we often try
other strategies with dead horses, including the following:

1. Buy a stronger whip.
2. Change riders.
3. Say things like "this is the way we always have ridden this horse."
4. Appoint a committee to study the horse.
5. Arrange to visit other sites to see how they ride dead horses.
6. Create a training session to increase our riding ability.
7. Harness several dead horses together for increased speed.
8. Declare that "no dead horse is too dead to beat."
9. Provide additional funding to increase the horse's performance.
10. declae the horse is "better, faster, and cheaper" dead.
11. Study alternative uses for dead horses.
12. Promote the dead horse to a supervisory position.

FINALLY:

Please pray for us (16 of us) as we minister to Croatian refugees from
the Slavonia region and the city of Vukovar. Vukovar was almost totally
destroyed during the war. Only a few thousand have returned. These
people still have no homes, to resources, and no hope. Also pray for us
as we minister to the "children of Chernobyl" who suffer from many
serious physical illnesses because of the pollution of the entire food
chain. Finally, pray for us as we do renovation and construction work at
the Hope Center in Fuzine.

Forgive the probable delays in my letters for the next two or three weeks
---- getting to the computer will be difficult with all the preparation
and teaching ---- three times daily, six days a week. I'll try hard to
get to you on Monday if at all possible.

Thanks for your prayer support!

In Christ's Bond,

Bob Tolliver
Copyright May, 1998. All rights reserved.

LIFE UNLIMITED MINISTRIES
ADDRESS: Route 1, Box 87AB, Collins, MO 64738
Ph: 417-275-4854
Fax: 417-27504855
E-mail: lifeunlimited@juno.com