Those who are fruitful and content as they are being pruned (John 15) are the maturing Christians. The newborn Christians do not have the spiritual wisdom, discernment, patience, and stability to endure the fires of sanctification at the level the mature believer does.

14 As obedient children, not being conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your conduct; 16 because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” 1 Peter 1:14-16 (LSB) 

Much of the spiritual bankruptcy of the Church in our day can be attributed to the dire lack of Biblical discipleship within the Body of Christ. It seems that little is heard of the necessity of being separate from the world and not be conformed to it. That, combined with most professing believers having a very shallow Bible knowledge, creates an environment with very little spiritual discernment and wisdom.

I used to have a prayer requests page on Possessing the Treasure. I had to take it off line. Why? It was receiving hundreds of “requests” a week from people wanting prayer so they could be rich, that they would not be convicted of some crime, that someone on which they had a crush would love them, et cetera. It was as if the prayer requests page had been hijacked by disciples of Benny Hinn. 

Through this I did become cognizant of the dearth of spiritual maturity running rampant in the visible Church. Prayer seems to be understood to be like a vending machine. It appears to be more superstition than genuine Christianity. Of course, there were some legitimate requests from those seeking intercessory prayer for the salvation of a loved one or courage to share the Gospel or for God to convict the Church of how far it has drifted from where it should be and for all believers to repent and seek personal holiness as we are commanded. I had some requests to pray that the one asking for prayer could repent of some sin and put it to death. I had no problem praying for these things my brethren.

What has personal holiness to do with intercessory prayer? First let’s define what personal holiness is. When a believer is saved, they are regenerated. They are quickened. What was spiritually dead  and separate from God is now spiritually alive and knit with Him. The new believer is washed clean through regeneration. He or she now has faith which accords with God’s grace. Obedience to God is now possible, whereas, before this, the best the lost person can do  is as filthy rags in God’s sight. Even though the new believer is now alive in Christ, their remains the flesh and a years of bad habits which seek fulfillment through it.

We must never forget that God created us to be fulfilled in Him alone. However, the lost person has no ability to know God so there is no possibility for this fulfillment. Therefore, we all grow up seeking fulfillment from what we do have. What is that? It is the flesh my brethren. Why do we seek entertainment so assiduously?

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