I know the feeling of being empty. Devastated by life with no meaning...empty...void...a heart ache that had no reason. I was once the Empty Tomb. When I was younger, I had a photography class where we hand processed our own 35mm film. One feeling I remember so vividly is the feeling of being in the darkroom, while removing the film from the canister. For those who have never done this, when you remove the film from the canister, absolutely NO light can reach the film, or it will be destroyed. When in absolute darkness, darkness is over-powering. You feel the darkness closing in on you as if the walls were moving close to you: Your heart pumps sounds into your ears; Your breath goes nowhere feeling as if you can not breathe. You want to scream or burst out of your skin, but afraid it will go nowhere. Luckily, when you remove the film from the canister, you act quickly and this feeling is short. Relief comes when light fills the room. But this same feeling can take place in our being. When we are empty people. In the midst of family problems, sinful nature, sins against you and sins you've committed, emtpyness takes control. 12:43 But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and findeth it not. 12:44 Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this evil generation. The parable in Matthew 12 "is applicable to all those who hear the word of God, and are in part reformed, but not truly converted. The unclean spirit leaves for a time, but when he returns, he finds Christ is not there to shut him out; the heart is swept by outward reformation, but garnished by preparation to comply with evil suggestions, and the man becomes a more decided enemy of the truth. Every heart is the residence of unclean spirits, except those which are temples of the Holy Ghost, by faith in Christ." - from a commentary on Matthew 12:43-45 at www.biblegateway.com When we are empty, we cry out...many times, not knowing to whom to cry out. I CRIED OUT! But I had heard the word of God, so I cried out to God. I never felt ashamed for yelling and screaming at God. I felt that answers should come from God. Afterall, when I read the Bible, I learn of Abraham yelling at God, I learn of Job yelling at God, I learn of Moses yelling at God, I learn of David yelling at God, and I'm sure I will continue reading of other great men of God yelling at God. Being angry is not a sin. 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 4:27 neither give place to the devil. But anger without resolve can open yourself to be filled with evil spirits, and give place to Satan. I know, because it took many many years before I resolved my anger. How do we resolve our anger? We resolve this anger by looking at how our life is directed, and committing ourselves to being filled with the Holy Spirit. The "Holy Spirit Booklet" by Global Media Outreach, says that the Bible tells us of 3 types of people. 1) THE NATURAL MAN
One who has not received Christ (1 Corinthians 2:14) 2) THE SPIRITUAL MAN
One who is directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:15) 3) THE CARNAL MAN
One who has recieved Christ but lives in defeat because he is trying to live the Christian life in his own strength (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) We can be Christians, but still not be filled with the Holy Spirit. As with the photography darkroom, we need to let the light in and be filled with the fulness of God...the Holy Spirit. 3:19 and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God. Dr. A. B. Simpson explained being filled with the Holy Spirit is like a bottle in the ocean. "Being filled with the fullness of God is like a bottle in the ocean. You take the cork out of the bottle and sink it in the ocean, and you have the bottle completely full of ocean. The bottle is in the ocean, and the ocean is in the bottle. The ocean contains the bottle, but the bottle contains only a little bit of the ocean. So it is with the Christian." When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are no longer the Empty Tomb. So I pray, please dear LORD, come fill me with Your Light...The Word...The Holy Spirit. Let my self move off the center seat and make room for You to take center stage and direct my life, so I may never feel the emptyness of the tomb again. Direct my life to live as you intended my life to be lived...with Your Will over-riding mine. LORD...Come Fill Me!
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