DAY 11 – THE SECRET OF VIOLENCE
Spiritual violence is the zeal with which the generation of the last days will pursue God, denying themselves and casting off all entangling sins in order to run the race with passion, purity, and perseverance. This is the hour to seek God with violent abandon, as Christ’s return is approaching and the Spirit is calling us to awaken from our slumber and pursue God’s kingdom like never before.
With Genuine faith, we seek God fervently believing that He exists and rewards those who seek Him diligently. God chasers demonstrate their faith through their running, believing that God will reward their pursuit and that they are correct.
Spiritual violence begins in the secret place, where one applies oneself to the disciplines of prayer, adoration, gazing, fasting, reading, study, meditation, listening, and absorption of truth. One of the most violent things you can do is wrestle competing elements from your calendar and carve out time to shut yourself away in the secret place. During the busy season, it may appear that a thousand other voices are vying for your attention, but which voice will triumph, the voice of unfinished tasks or the gentle voice that invites you to the secret place? Swing your sword against the encroaching tentacles that seek to overthrow your secret and find solitude with God.
It is also critical to replace natural zeal for God with genuine spiritual fervency, which is fueled by an inward, holy fire that burns even when no one is looking. When alone with God, everyone has their turn at falling asleep, but the man of violence and wisdom will take whatever steps are necessary to stay alert and engaged on a regular basis. When combined with prayer, fasting is a powerful tool designed by God to intensify the violence of our pursuit. It is an under-appreciated, under-utilized, and misunderstood grace gift, but it does tenderize the spirit, sharpen the hearing, and quicken the pace of divine flow in and through life. Fasting is a true friend to those who are committed to exploring spiritual violence.
As evidenced in His treatment of the Twelve Disciples, Jesus reacts differently to those who seek more earnestly. Although the others remained silent, Peter, James, and John were invited into some of Jesus’ most intimate and spectacular moments. Even after the resurrection, some of the disciples doubted Jesus, depriving them of the deepest levels of connection. Those with more got more. The Lord does not regard individuals and rewards those who seek Him earnestly. He considers the modest enthusiasm with which they seek Him to be a violation of all those who have sought Him with greater zeal. We should not compare our accomplishments to those of others in a carnal way, but rather allow the speed of other runners to encourage us to greater heights in God.
