Gleannings from Art's message, "The Mystery of the Incarnation part 8".
There is a single great renunciation of everything in the earth. A committing of your life to death, trusting in the resurrection of Jesus Life. Your baptism should be that renunciation and from that all the other moment by moment deaths will follow. Paul's revelation of Christ and the sentence, “Lord, what would you have for me to do?” are his renunciation. Ananias is assured by God that God will show Paul what great things he must suffer for God's name. We do not seek God for instruction but for fellowship. Rise early and seek God for communion. The “fasting and prayer” that drives out the demon is the fellowship and communion with very God, we are not equipped with a formula, but with a reality.
Our union with Him is deepened by a process of devotion and obedience over time.
God speaks, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” and immediately Jesus is driven into the wilderness to face the temptation of the devil based around the question, “If You are the Son of God..?” (Do we recognize the subtle temptation to “prove” we are servants of God by 'doing'? The last of the 3 temptations was to perform a miraculous sign, in front of the people that would have proven He was the Son of God, the Messiah.)
Going down is the key to spiritual growth. Going into conditions voluntarily that are NOT conducive to our growth. (Speaking of Jesus returning to Nazareth with His parents after being found in the temple at 12 years old)
Our growth is growth in what we are by the life of Christ, not in what we will be through works."
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