Fullness

<<completeness>>

Filled to capacity, having everything that is needed. “From the fullness of His grace have we all received one blessing after another” (Jn 1:16). Think about and praise Him for all He has done, rather than thinking about your perceived lack or the troubles of life. With a heart of thanksgiving, give praise to God (Ps 26:7, 69:30, 95:2, 107:22, 145:2). We can’t be in His presence and not be affected, “You will fill me with joy in your presence” (Ps 16:11).

Focusing on the positive qualities of life plus the spiritual treasures in Christ build up the store within, from which we are able to give out to those around us who are in desperate need of being impacted by the Saviour. By our level of self-emptying, we determine the degree of the fullness we can receive. We need continual replenishment of the Holy Spirit as, living in this sinful world, the negative forces drain this vital power and resource from us. From a heart overflowing with the multitude of blessings God has lavished on us there will be a spill-over with streams of living water flowing out to minister to those in need (Jn 7:38).

All of God’s fullness dwells in Christ and this is available to us (Col 1:15,19, 2:9,10). Jesus, who is the head of the church, fills everything in every way and Paul’s prayer was that we might experience the fullness of God’s love

Am I earnestly desiring more of Him?

(Eph 1:22,23, 3:19). We must co-operate and obey, coming to maturity by opening ourselves up to receive all the graces derived from Christ’s fullness (Eph 4:13).

Every Christian's goal should be to experience more of God, so His character, His attributes, and His love etc, define us, having replaced our selfish human qualities. Obviously, we can't achieve the fullness of God (the totality of who God is) in the sense of becoming equal with God. However, Jesus

Am I fill of self or Christ?

said the Godhead will come and make their home with those that love Him and obey His teaching and so be partakers of the divine nature enabling them to live more like Christ through being "filled with the Spirit" (Jn 14:23; 1 Cor 6:19; Eph 5:18-20; 2 Pet 1:4). John the Baptist expressed this as, "He must become greater, I must become less" (Jn 3:30). Jesus said, we can't have two masters (Mt 6:24). Do we want Him as Lord and so enter into more of His divine life, or remain in our own selfishness and have a stunted unfulfilled life? We choose.