Much of what the born-again believer thinks about on a daily basis must never pass his lips. I speak today to the wise servant, the contemplative man whose face has been set like a flint to serve the Almighty, although those who have yet to become wise servants may gain knowledge as well.
The contemplative man is able to discern the difference, for the most parts, the old nature that lies within him still, and the attacks of the adversary, the mind for this man is the main battlefield, for we are learning by conscience submission to the Holy Spirit just how much power, and at the same time, how little control we have over our thoughts. Our actions in the outside world and in the spiritual are the determining factor of who we are in Christ, our mind shows us who we are to ourselves.
The man who strives to serve in all areas will of course seek out the weakest parts of himself so that they can either be strengthened or destroyed, that which is of little use is no use in retaining. But our mind, the conscience, decision making part of ourselves is akin to not only a wild beast that refuses to be caged, but also a cowering idiot who fears to be removed from the known. Both must be submitted to the Lord, for He is the Master Creator, but the wise servant does not sit back in these matters and wait to see when and in what way the Master will work, he is told to “keep under my body, and bring it into subjection,” (1 Cor. 9:27) and so responsibilities of his own making must be employed.
The righteous man does all that is in his power to keep the beast at bay, while at the same time to assist the fearful part of him to come into the light. The battle for these servants of the Most High is continuous, they know little rest, and the times between work and rest is fleeting at best. The knowledge rest within them that they will never attain to that which they are seeking in this life, and that is what drives them, the prize is Christ and all challenges that arrive are welcomed. The beast is the old nature that wants to dominate, not just the self, but every fiber of the being of this man of God. He has seen the power that is available to him, he knows the power in the world that is also at hand anytime he desires it, and yet he resists both for the glory of God. He knows that when he is weak, then he is strong, it is the finest terminology of meekness, it is power under control. “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.” (1 Cor. 10:23)
Every ounce of energy is used for the glory of God, if it is not, then the only place left for it to fall is upon self, and if that occurs, the cowering part will hide in fear, while the beast gains prideful power. Neither serve the Lord, and so it is this man’s responsibility, through much prayer and supplication, to seek help from the Lord while at the same time behaving himself in such a manner that is pleasing to Him. Our Lord does not just reward effort in those matters that are beyond what we have been called to do , (Luke 17:10) He rewards in these cases, the intentions of the man, but only when these intentions are acted upon within the mind, a conscience decision to employ the gifts of the Spirit internally. The outward exhibition of these fruits become easy for this man of God, his treasure and rewards are secure, and no one he meets, no matter who they are or their position in this world can be compared to the battle that rages within him at almost all times.
The contemplative man does not only think of the things of Christ, he contemplates Christ Himself, he does not shrug off anything that stands in his way to this goal, it either serves the Lord or it is extinguished within him, and therefore the battle will continue until the day he stands before his Maker, when the pleas of his heart will be answered, and the Lord will cast away the last vestiges of him that he has fought so long and hard against, on that day he will be free indeed, and then the pursuit can begin without boundaries.
A man who will not control his appetites, a man who will not face himself head-on and perform the task necessary to become profitable in the eyes of the Lord, a man who has no desire to set his face like a flint towards Christ with no other concern in his life but Jesus Christ, will never attain to the state that he should be in if he is to call himself, and be called by his Lord, a profitable servant. Self must die, and you must kill it.
