Only the mature vacate themselves so that God can occupy and rest
Book reflections: Foundational Truths for Christian Living by Derek Prince
It is essential to have a good foundation since if we do not have it, our growth will be limited. Understanding that the enemy's attacks are fierce against the believer and we are not exempt from life crises, not having a solid foundation where our spiritual life can mature, grow, and sustain itself highlights our foolishness and lack of spiritual understanding in the face of the times. From the beginning of the book, Prince establishes the believer's proper foundation. His statement, fully supported by the sacred scriptures, is the following: "Thus Old Testament and New Testament alike agree in this vital fact: The true foundation of the Christian life is Jesus Christ Himself–nothing else, and no one else" (Prince, p. 2). The Foundational Truths for Christian Living was written to ensure the believer's triumph in his journey to know Christ and experience the power that raised him from the dead (Philippians 3:10). And I can conclude that he achieved this goal. “A weak foundation can support only a small building. A strong foundation can support a large building. There is a fixed relationship between the foundation and the building" (Prince, p.1).
Many Christians establish the foundation of their lives in different things and people outside of the Jesus of the Bible. As a result, they find themselves stagnant and dying spiritually. Our life, represented by that building that needs a foundation, cannot rest on the temporary, but the only person who can sustain the weight of the Christian life is the one in whom the pact of redemption was established. Christ established the Christian life and is only made to be upheld by him as the great eternal immovable rock (Isaiah 26:4). This is also confirmed by the ApostlePaul: "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 3: 11) Prince lays out the keys to having Christ as your foundation, as this must encapsulate the believer's entire reality.
It all begins with the confrontation of our lives with the reality and absolute truth of the person of Christ; this will cause us to make a decision: do I accept the fact and absolute truth that is Jesus and build my trust in Him, or do I refuse to change the way I lead my life? He who proceeds along the path of eternal life will recognize the essence of Christ that will lead him to make a personal and complete confession so that the Son of God reigns over hislife. This will cause our lives to be founded on the rock and make ourselves available and readyfor the Lord to dwell and rest, sealing us with His Spirit and guiding us into all truth andrighteousness (John 16:13).
What comes out of the mouth of Christ must be our breath and daily bread. The author leads us to make this our greatest goal. Jesus tells us that whoever listens to His words will be like a man who built his house on the rock. What is the Christian life without a true foundation? It could be seen as a simple leaf carried by the wind without knowing where it will go. Knowing your foundation also gives you a sense of direction. If you are in Him; you’ll go to Him; He is your destiny. If your focus and direction are not on Him…you should evaluate your foundation. An essential aspect of Christ as the rock is that rocks are immovable, which tells us about His faithfulness to our lives. He is not unstable but always remains. The author helps us understand that just as heavenly blessings and God's grace are divine promises, so is tribulation:
"Christianity has never offered anyone a storm-free passage to heaven. On the contrary, we are warned that "we must go through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14: 22). Any road sign posted "To Heaven" which bypasses tribulation is a deception. It will not lead to the promised destination" (Prince, p.9).
The key is not to long for a crisis-free reality but to build solidly on Christ and the revealed truth of Scripture in order to be preserved in the face of stormy times. So, anyone who wants to be solid in the faith cannot omit Bible study. There is no separation between God and his word, and according to the author, our relationship with the scriptures reflects our relationship with God. "The Bible is the Word of God, and Christ is the Word of God. Each alike is a divine, authoritative, perfect revelation of God" (Prince, p.11). It is also important to emphasize that God relates the love that a believer has for Him with keeping His word, and this establishes it as the true mark of His disciples: "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:23). "Your attitude toward God's Word is your attitude toward God Himself. You do not love God more than You love His Word. You do not obey God more than you obey His Word. You do not honor God more than you honor His Word" (Prince, p.13).
I found it very interesting how he explained the relationship of the Holy Spirit with the believer and how He never occupies the role of dictator, given that Jesus spoke of the Spirit as Helper, Comforter, Guide, or Teacher. "The Holy Spirit always keeps Himself within these limits. He never usurps the will or the personality of the believer. He never compels the believer to do anything against the believer's own will or choice" (Prince, p.249). He does not force with the believer but chivalrously waits for access. The key to receiving the Spirit of God, as Prince masterfully explains, lies in our ability to make space within ourselves to receive Him.
"The measure is not in God's giving; the measure is in our receiving. We may have as much of the Holy Spirit as we want. But in order to receive Him, we must voluntarily yield to Him and accept His control" (Prince, p. 250).
Then, we can conclude that the measure of God that we receive over our lives depends on the performance of our will and the capacity we have to empty ourselves to be filled with Him. Only the mature vacate themselves so that God can occupy and rest.
Works cited:
Prince, Derek. Foundational Truths For Christian Living. DPM-UK, 2017. Kindle file.
