Caught Up In The Static
Posted on February 22, 2017 by America's Keswick in Freedom Fighters
“You were running so well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?” – Galatians 5:7 (NASB)
In his book “The Crucified Life” A.W. Tozer covers what is called the “Static Condition” and what needs to be done to break out of it. Apparently, it was something the Apostle Paul covered as well in his epistle to the Galatians. Martin Luther would make this comment about the first part of today’s verse; “The words, “Ye did run well,” are encouraging indeed. Often our lives seem to creep rather than to run. But if we abide in the true doctrine and walk in the spirit, we have nothing to worry about. God judges our lives differently. What may seem to us a life slow in Christian development may seem to God a life of rapid progression in grace.”
That is certainly encouraging stuff to read, but this verse doesn’t end with encouragement. On the contrary, it asks the question, “who hindered you from obeying the truth?” To quote Tozer, “Along with this is the lack of moral dynamics, which every Christian ought to know.” Something happened, didn’t it? Now if you look at Galatians, the 5th chapter, you’ll see the word’s circumcision and obligation (other translations may use the debtor.) Guess even the early church had taken a step backwards thinking it was going to get them further along in their quest to live as children of God.
But Paul tells them pretty bluntly, “For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace” (Galatians 5:4 NLT). Ouch, dude!! So, what is a boy to do to get from this static state and back onto the narrow path? Well Tozer drops this verse on us, “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. Every place your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses” (Joshua 1:2-3 NASB).
Now, if you have an ear to hear what the Spirit says to the churches (Rev. 2:7), you may be able to catch what lies in these verses from Joshua: “Let us go on to perfection.” For the children of Israel, it was to the promised land, but once we run this through the Cross of Christ we can see it times for us to move beyond our own personal Egypts. Tozer put’s it like this: “Let us go beyond repentance from past sins, let us get beyond forgiveness and cleansing, let us go beyond the impartation of divine life. Let us first be sure we get things settled to the point of absolute assurance.”
WHAT???? That’s a tall order and almost an impossibility to achieve… but is it really? It’s the absolute assurance that is the key. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) Here’s your starting point. You need only be assured that you have been given a new life IN Christ Jesus, and the rest will come along the way. If you stay still where you are with a new life…you’ll get nothing but static.
Tozer says there are two things that “are necessary for a Christian who wants to go on and break the static condition of his life and become a growing, moving, progressive, dynamic Christian.” I am one of them and I’ll be covering what they are the next time I join you. Maybe you have been like me lately, nothing going wrong but nothing really going right either. Yes, you realize you’re blessed in many ways and acknowledge them in your everyday prayer life but God’s got you in a valley and He needs to deal with you…kinda like I feel I am right now. Well friend, be assured of this one thing… “And the LORD, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8). In that may you, like me, be reassured. Amen?
Written by Chris Hughes: Chris, a graduate of The Colony of Mercy (11-2003) is married (Kathy) with two adult children (Kevin and Karen) and has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008.
The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 18-20 | You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here
Daily Quote: “All the efforts toward a deeper life, the crucified life, will only bring disappointment unless we have settled the matters of repentance from dead works, the forgiveness of sins and the impartation of divine light and conversion.” — A.W. Tozer
This Week’s Verse to Memorize:
My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, And my soul, which You have redeemed. Psalm 71:23
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