Recently in my life God has brought me back to the simplicity of trusting in Jesus. You can read more about that here. But one source that has been used by God to do this work in my life is a small book by Andrew Murray entitled: “The Deeper Christian Life”.
In about 100 pages Murray does an exceptional job at explaining why so many Chrstians today live in a lethargic dry state of life and gives the Bible approved way out of it. For me personally it helped remove so much of the complication that I have brought to the Christian life and take me back to the roots of Christ and walking by faith in Him.
Overview
To start the book, Murray defines what the deeper christian life is all about. A life belonging to Christ in an intimate relationship of trust and love. Nearness to God at a moment-by-moment, every day basis. He starts by saying: “The first and chief need of our Christian life is fellowship with God.” He then goes on to use 3 main Biblical examples to show this life in action.
3 Biblical Examples
The first example is the parable of the prodigal son. But rather than focusing on this son he focuses on the other son. You know, the son that was bitterly outside of the house when his brother came home to be received so lovingly by his father. Murray uses Luke 15:31 as his launching point to show what a privilege this bitter son had all along. The point is that many Christians don’t realize what a privilege they have as the very children of God and instead are found outside of the house complaining about something that they have always had.
The second example is Peter’s denial of Christ. Murray uses this to divide between the difference of a “Carnal” Christian and a “Spiritual” Christian. The idea is that in Peter’s “carnal” state he still had a love for Jesus and a desire to serve him but in his own effort it only ended in him denying Jesus 3 times and even using blasphemy to do so. This, in effect, was Peter coming to the end of himself. That is shown in the verse: Luke 22:62. So in order to move from Carnal to Spiritual, Murray states, “It must come with us to a conviction of sin; it must come with us to a real downright earnest repentance, or we never can get into the better life”.
The third example is the people of Israel. In particular their journey in the wilderness for 40 years to finally enter into the promised land. In short this example goes to show that many Christians are still stuck in their own “wilderness”. Wandering around, still being cared for by God, but not in the fullness of the promises that are given to them. There is a “fullness of the Holy Spirit” that awaits all of us in the promised land but we must cross over the Jordan. And how do we do that? Murray says, which I will sum up with a lyric, Trust and Obey – for there’s no other way – to be happy in Jesus – but to Trust and Obey.
Conclusion
There’s much more in this small book that I did not cover but that is to the intent that you would go purchase it and read it for your own soul. There is a deeper life ready to be experienced by all Christians. A life that God promises and wants us all to have. It is attainable by faith. Faith alone. A wholly surrender and giving oneself to God and asking to be filled with His Holy Spirit every moment of every day. There is no secret. Don’t make it complicated. Just Trust & Obey.
Quotes
As a creature it is your blessedness to be nothing that God may be all in you.
A man who is not spiritual, though he may read his Bible, though he may study God’s word, cannot conquer sin, because he is not living the life of the Holy Spirit.
…when the Holy Spirit comes upon a man he becomes a spiritual man, and instead of denying his Lord he denies himself…
The one need of the Christian life day by day and hour by hour is this: the presence of the Son of God.
If you want to live to the glory of God, seek one thing: to claim, to believe that the presence of Jesus can be with you every moment of your life.
Oh beloved, let us write that down – the presence of Jesus lost is the cause of all our wretchedness and failure.
…as long as your want to have a little of the world and a little of self-will, do not expect to have the presence of Christ.
There is only one thing that can enable you to live it – you must have the Lord Jesus hold your hand every minute of every day.
Let every failure teach you to cling afresh to Christ, and He will prove Himself a mighty and a loving Helper.
Beloved, for God’s sake, be content with nothing less than full health and full spiritual life. “Be filled with the Spirit”.