Insights from T.D. Jakes

I have been reading Naked and not ashamed by T.D. Jakes. Just wanted to share some of his insights.

Our God has put so much in so little.

"Don't ask God to remove what He wants us to endure. There is a great deal of power released through the friction of the holy graces of God grating against the dry, gritty surface of human incapacities and limitations. We sharpen our testimonies whenever we press His glory against our struggles. Although Paul sought diligently for the removal of his thorn, the reality is that Paul's thorn was as much in God's plan for the apostle's life as any other trial, victory or accomplishment in ministry.

God's sovereignty allocates the grace necessary for us to know Him in "the fellowship of His sufferings (Phil. 3:10)" We are not really literally suffering for the gospel. "The problem is that while we are changed in our spirit by the new birth, our old corruptible body and fleshly desires are not. They are spirit-controlled, but not spirit-destroyed! The Holy Spirit is living with us in a stinking clay pot--a putrid, decaying, clay-covered, vile body. Its stench is so bad that we must continually wash and perfume it just to endure living there ourselves. Yet God Himself, the epitome of purity has forsaken the rich, robust pavilions of His holy domain to live in a failing, decaying, deteriorating, collapsing, and corroding shell."

"God inhabits an old house. The Holy Ghost Himself resides in our substandard accommodations. This Divine occupation is not an act of a desperate guest who, having no place else to stay, chose this impoverished place to 'ride out' the storm of some deplorable situation. No, God Himself has--of is own free will and predetermined purpose--put us in the embarrassing situation of entertaining a Guest whose lofty stature so far exceed us that we hardly know how to serve Him!"

We camouflage the worst in us, when we should confess that "we have earnestly pursued a place in God that we have not attained."

"Our struggle continues to feed the ravenous appetite of our holy Guest, whose divine hunger requires us to perpetually feed Him a sacrificial life. He daily consumes, and continually requires, that which we alone know God wants from us. Paul battled to bring into submission the hidden things in his life that could bring destruction. Perhaps they were putrid thoughts, or vain imaginations, or pride; but whatever they were, he declared war on them if they resisted change. He says, in essence, that as he waits for the change, he keeps his body in chains, beating back the forces if evil. But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (1 Cor. 9:27)...The renewal of the old man is a daily exercise of the heart. It progressively strengthens the character day by day, not overnight!"

"Inside that old house is still a death trap; it's still infested with rodents. A legion of thoughts and pesky memories crawl around in our heads like roaches that come out in the night and boldly parade around the house. Add to this pestilence an occasional groaning in the dungeon, and you will have a picturesque view of the inner workings of a Christian! That should not negate our joy, though; it merely confesses our struggles.

What do I mean by 'groaning'? The occasional groaning you hear is not demonic. Rather, it is a painful groan that pierces our nights like the whelping cry of a wounded animal. We have not been taught about the crying of the Spirit, but I tell you that the Holy Spirit can be grieved. He has the capacity and ability to groan within us until His groaning emerges as conviction in the heart of the humble. Yes, it is bad news, but the Guest we entertain desires more of us that what we have in us. He enjoys neither the house nor the clothing we offer Him. He just suffers it like a lover suffers adversity to be in the company of the one he loves."

"The good news is that the bad news won't last long! Jesus said "...every city or house divided against itself shall not stand" (Mt. 12:25). Ever since we were saved, there has been a division in the house. Eventually the old house will have to yield to the new one! Yes, we are constantly renovating through the Word of God, but the truth is that God will eventually recycle what you and I have been trying to renovate. It is then that the groaning of the regenerated spirit within us will transform into sheer glory! 1Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Cor 5:1-5)"