From Shallow Waters Into The Depths

By Traci Carson

Ezekiel 47:1-12

One of the responsibilities of the Ascension Gift Ministries (Ephesians 4:11) is to equip God's people beyond elementary teachings. To release the Lord's inheritance in each member of “His" Body. In other words as my husband has explained, "Ascension Gifts should minister ascension 'realities' to the ascended ones. All of the gifts of the Spirit are given to bless, especially to sensitize God’s people to the spiritual / Kingdom life, mind of Christ and realm of heaven now." (Ephesians 2:4-10) Here’s something to know. In the game of war from antiquity to this present day, in order to stop Christians from progressing, there's a strategy known as preemptive strikes. For example, the enemy of the Kingdom of God strikes with twisted truth. He is the father of lies and knows the word of God more than all of us put together. If someone wants to destroy truth, they must come out with half truths to damage whatever the other person is doing. The deceiver has been running ahead of God’s people since the beginning of time. He throws out false signs, wonders, revelations and teachings while the Church falls into fear and casts stones at those who have entered “The Way." (John 10:1) Everything the deceiver does is with the attempt to mimic God, for he has no revelation. The only thing he can do is take the revelation of the Church and operate as the thief he is. His works are deceptive and rob fearful and complacent Christians of the way, the truth, and the life in Christ (John 14:6). He is the thief that has come to steal, kill and destroy abundant life (John 10:10). FEAR AND UNBELIEF Sadly much of the Church is fearful and unbelieving in the greater dimensions of God. Those who come to church for an answer have received little to nothing but pablum. Many have walked away with an inner knowing, a hunger for something greater than what the status quo church has offered. In ignorance they climb the spiritual realm another way where they're described as a thief. While the world calls the decenter and father of lies wise, there are those who press into the Father of lights (Matthew 5:14; James 1:17) regardless of accusations. Yes, the father of lies works in power, but our Father, the Creator of the heavens and earth has, is and always will swallow up his workings in and through a people who believe (Exodus 7:12; Mark 16:17; 1 Corinthians 2:9-16; 1 John 4:17). Right now there is a Divine confrontation taking place. Just as it was with Moses and the magicians, so it is today. However, there are far more of us than the one man, Moses. You and I, as we develop unto the full stature in Christ, demonstrate God’s intention for creating mankind in the first place. Know this one thing of your God. He has always wanted a family. Sons and daughters who are like Him. There is the way, the truth and the life to this Existence (Jn.14:6). There is a reason Christ resurrected from the dead and lives today. There's a glorious, heavenly purpose when we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. Yes, Reality lives within every Christian and desires to possess and live through us. Possession by the Spirit of God is something that complacency, fear and unbelief has hindered in God's people. Reality in the Kingdom of God is that Christ is in us (Col.1:27; 1 Jn.3:24). We are children of the Most High, born of His Spirit, filled with His Spirit and we should be led by His Spirit (Prov.20:27; Rom. 8:14-16; 1 Jn.2:20). Our days should be filled with His life and testimony. DEEPLY BREATH IN HIS WORD... Let’s start here with a strong foundation. Some of us need to return to our first love. Perhaps this foundation has been removed in our life due to busyness and life circumstances. Let’s return to Him. For those who have yet to experience a personal tangible relationship with Christ... beyond reading Scripture, praying and worshiping Him in the Outer Courts of His Temple, I encourage you to go deeper. Let’s first start by going to your quiet place. Open your Bible to the Gospel of John. There’s a reason why I choose the Book of John for you. I will explain that further on in this teaching. Read a few paragraphs slowly. Deeply breath in His Word. Meditate. Softly pray for your eyes to be enlightened beyond the familiarity of His Word and traditions you have learned. If you have your spiritual prayer language, pray in the Spirit. You want to spiritually taste and digest every word. (Jeremiah 15:16) Read the full Chapter this way. It’s not how much you read, but how you read. When you are finished, quietly sit with the Lord. Don’t ask Him for anything during this time. God is supernatural. His angels are actively gathering out and gathering in. During this time with Him there is a supernatural activity taking place that you may not feel. He is looking for something from you. If you press into Him, He will come and manifest Himself (John 14:21). He is looking for hungry receptive soul. FROM SHALLOW WATERS TO THE DEPTHS (Part Two) Ezekiel 47:1-12 In this series we are starting out with a strong foundation before moving into greater depths with God. Without a foundation many of God’s people implode. And for those who remain in foundational / elementary teachings, they will become stale, hard and lose interest. There are deeper dimensions of relationship and reality with the Lord. Our willingness to settle for less than what He has, grieves Him. Yes, there is a ”Deep crying out to the deep within us"(Ps.42:7). May He find the satisfaction He envisioned when He created us. UNTO THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST To those who are called into the ascension gift ministry (Ephesians 4:11-16) it should be their passion to see God’s people raised up into the fullness of Christ. Every child of God should be apt to flow from the Spirit of their Father. It is From Him all else comes into place. As most know, Gifts of the Spirit are given and the Fruit of the Spirit is grown. Fruit is rightly cultivated through being with the Spirit of God who teaches us all things (1 Corinthians 2:9-16). I’m not talking about a mental ascension with God, but a tangible one. If you are attending church or a fellowship somewhere, the teaching must go beyond the Outer Court experience. What do I mean by Outer Court? There are three dimensions to the process of maturity / salvation. The Apostle John, who was once called, “the son of thunder,” understood the outworking of the soul. “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things, and be in health, just as your soul prospers…” (3 John 2) Definition of Health, in this sense means "peace," and is used in many varieties of expression relating to security, success and good bodily health. Yeshu`ah, which specifically means deliverance or help, occurs in the refrain of Psalm 42:11; Psalm 43:5. In the American Standard Revised Version it is rendered "help.” In a figurative sense as of promoting soundness of mind and moral character in where the Revised Version (British and American) renders it "healing." 'Arukhah is also used in the same figurative sense and literally means "repairing or restoring"; it is the word used of the repair of the wall of Jerusalem by Nehemiah (chapter 4). First, we must understand that we are the temple of God (Acts 7:48; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). When we study the tabernacle of Moses we see that there is an Outer Court, Holy Place, and Holy of Holies. When God gave Moses the blueprint for the tabernacle it was much more than a place to worship for that period of time. God had the Body of Christ in mind. Through His creative and powerful outline of things to come, the Tabernacle was a prophetic symbol of Christ and His Body of Believers (Acts 7:48; Hebrews 9:11-15). THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE Jesus says, “ I am the way, the truth, and the life…” People say the Trinity cannot be explained. Not true. In a simple explanation we have been created - spirit, soul, body. In Genesis 1:26, we read how mankind was created in the image of God - Father (Spirit), Son (Soul), and Holy Spirit (Body - physical manifestation of both Father and Son. (Gen.1:26). When you look in the mirror you see one person. And yet you are a three dimensional being in one. (1 These. 5:23; Heb. 4:12; 3 John 2) Just as Jesus is the mediator between us and Father, so is our soul between our body and the spirit. There is no way that we can reach Father without Jesus. He is the only way (Jn.14:6). There is no way our body can reach and line up with our spirit without the soul. The soul (mind, will, and emotions) is the mediator. It makes daily decisions between the good and bad, truth and deception, self-control and lack thereof. I encourage you to read the Book of James. The Holy Spirit is the physical manifest presence of both Father and Son flowing as One (John 10:30; 14:9). Our body is the physical manifest presence of both spirit and soul. * The spirit of mankind is automatically saved, raised up and seated in heaven with Christ (Ephesians.2:1-6). * The soul of mankind is being transformed as the follower of Christ presses in (3 John 3; Romans 12:2; Titus 3:5). * The body of mankind is a tent (2 Peter 1:13). It's the physical manifest presence of our spirit and soul. This is why so many are double minded, unstable in their ways, tossed to and fro... because their soul is still being transformed (James 1:8; Ephesians 4:14). Their spirit man lives one way while their soul remains unprocessed or is in the midst of being processed. If one does not understand the trinity of man (spirit, soul, body), they will not understand the process of Christianity. UNTO MATURITY When someone has entered The Way / Outer Court experience they are learning elementary foundational truths, gifts of the Spirit and how to flow in them through the Fruit of the Spirit. This cannot be bypassed or demeaned. There is much activity in the outer court. Water baptism, milk of the word, etc. They watch the activities and are moved by natural light, natural sight, natural hearing in the Outer Court. They see intellectually and rationally. �Simply put, an Outer Court individual will not understand deeper life principles, yet. There is a 30-fold experience here. As they are taught strong foundational teachings and press into the Lord ... they will be drawn deeper by a spiritual hunger increase. There must be more. A Divine dissatisfaction sets in. Over time if they move with Holy Spirit, they are drawn to the quiet place within the soul/ holy place. In this place if they have not already been baptized in Holy Spirit, they will have a hunger for greater spiritual dimensions. This holy sequester, this secluded place, the Truth of who we are and who we are not, who God is and who He is not is being unveiled. This is the soul yielding and where sanctification comes in (3 John 2). The Outer court we are justified, the holy place we are sanctified, set apart (60-fold experience). ��Our soul is progressively being dealt with from glory to glory 2 Corinthians 3:18). Recognize this with God’s people. Throughout Scripture we will see various passages that bring bewilderment to us; however, in the holy place/our soul, we begin seeing through the eye of the Spirit … where mysteries are unlocked and understanding is enlightened (Ephesians 1:18). “And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand… (Mark: 11,12) The soul (mind, will and emotions) functions as a mediator between the flesh and spirit. ��Our spirit operates as a protective womb for the presence and activities of the Spirit of God who abides within us. Our spirit, the Holy of holies is perfect. �It is through our human spirit joined with His that we are able to discern and reveal what is and what is not of the Lord. As I’ve said before… the human soul only recognizes what it already knows. ��This is why we must “walk” in the spirit, not the soul (Galatians 5:16; 3 John 2). "God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24) The function of the soul is to choose between the things of the spirit and of the flesh (the body). The spirit reveals truth, but it is up to the soul (our will) to allow our spirit (the real man) to manifest. ��The soul cannot be crucified. It was created to choose. It has power to choose either prosperity of Spirit and life, or the destitution of flesh and demise (3 John 2). In the holy place we are being BRAIN WASHED FOR HIS GLORY. Yes, brainwashed! Our intellect must be renewed by the Word of God daily so that we can better understand what Holy Spirit is saying (Romans 12:2). �There’s a spiritual cleansing that must take effect in order for our whole being and all things in our life to spiritually prosper (Ephesians 5:26; 3 John 2). Holy of holies / our spirit. This is "the Life" wherein the fullness of God is experienced. This 100-fold blessing is spiritually, physically, financially, emotionally and socially processed. Much of the Church today is living in either 30 or 60 fold while calling it 100-fold.�� We have been justified, sanctified and purposed to be glorified within the holy of holies. We are to function in all three dimensions of our being in union with God. FROM SHALLOW WATER INTO THE DEPTHS (part Three) Ezekiel 47:1-12 If you have begun reading the Gospel of John as I shared in part one of this series, you may feel a stirring within your being. I assure you Holy Spirit is doing a work in your life whether you feel Him or not. I want to talk with you about the temple you are. In part two of this series I explained briefly how God has created mankind in His image. Only those who have received Christ shall have the access to wholeness of spirit, soul and body. I have a writing called, “The Three Dimensions of God” that explains in detail the workings of the temple you are. Please message me if you want that writing. There is a place with the Lord that is called the abiding. A place of habitation, not visitation. This abiding place is purposed for every Christian. In this place with the Lord, you have become a moving tabernacle. (John 15:4; Acts 17:28; 2 Corinthians 3:2) It is here within our being that we learn line upon line, here a little, there a little through life circumstances and challenges how to abide in Him. (2 Corinthians 3:13-18; 4:7-15). It is here with the Lord we do not forsake waiting upon Him. What do I mean by that? We have our prayer and meditating on Scripture that should not be forsook, but there is also a secret place where we sit quietly waiting upon Him. It is this practice that teaches us how to flow in His Spirit correctly. There are many who use His gifts, but not for His glory. They do not know Him, nor does He know them. He hands His gifts to all of His people expecting us to come to Him with His gifts to rightly learn how to allow the gifts to flow through His Spirit. (Matthew 7:21-23) When you wait on the Lord in your private place it will be a challenge in the beginning. Even for those who know about this place, if life becomes busy we can find difficulty connecting. He is teaching us some things here that I will address later on. As for those who are learning to wait upon the Lord, let me give you simple guidelines. I guarantee these guidelines are essential for experientially abiding in Christ. Our mind, will and emotions (soul) has a tendency to wander, to be distracted by various things. This place of sitting quietly with the Lord will teach us how to subject our soul to the Spirit. For example, in the beginning when I sat with the Lord there were many distractions. My home was an open house for my friends to drop in anytime. My phone rang, the dogs barked, the cat wanted out and suddenly I had itches on my body in different places that would attempt to distract me. At that time I was a manager at my work place. Seemingly there were problems that would arise while waiting upon the Lord. I took care of those issues after I sat with the Lord. My hunger for God led me to do things that others may think to be rude. I put a sign outside my door telling my family and friends that I would not be available until after 11:00 am. I took my phone off the hook, put the cat outside and did not pay attention to those sudden itches. I practiced sitting quietly with the Lord and pressing through some challenging situations. My dad (who later had a strong encounter with the Lord and is now in heaven) at that time was quite controlling. If he wanted your attention you’d better hop to! While sitting quietly with the Lord my dad came knocking on my front door. I refused to answer. Ugh! I said to the Lord, “I believe You will take care of this and all will turn out well.” I was scared! Anyone who knew my dad will tell you he had a temper that could terrify you! And I was renting from my parents! He threatened to throw me out! Even so I refused to leave my place of pressing into the Lord. The beautiful thing about not leaving this place is the Lord took care of my dad. In fact he acted as if nothing happened. A Divine forgetfulness! As the days progressed I cannot tell you how long it was before He manifested Himself to me. Soflty and suddenly in Person the Lord came to me. I was engulfed in His tangible presence. Over me, in me, around me! I could feel His breath within me. He audibly spoke, "Press into Me..." Beloved, through that first encounter He made me realize just how much we are His abiding place. I was never the same. There are untold numbers of people who have similar experiences with God. There are no superior people, just ordinary ones who have pressed into God with all of their being. This isn’t a one time event, it is an ongoing relationship that God desires with His people. This is what He created us for. He is personable! Know this as you practice sitting with Him. Your soul will become accustomed to turning inward toward Him in-spite of the circumstances. When we do this our atmosphere will change.

FROM SHALLOW WATERS INTO THE DEPTHS… (Part Four) Ezekiel 47:1-12) As sons and daughters of God, we are to pray and study His Word. I thoroughly enjoy my times of study with Holy Spirit. This place of study is important. We are thoughtful (pondering), sensitive and studious. Vitally important for all of God’s children. And yet this alone will not minister to you and others. There are those who are apologists. They are important and very much appreciated. However, we can have a quick wit, have the correct answer to every question asked, and still miss God. What do I mean by that? Years ago I remember a man who had the answer to all of his girlfriend's problems. When she felt this way or that way he explained in detail why. Whatever issue she faced he had the answer for her. They were all correct, but one thing. He missed her heart felt emotions. He was a walking encyclopedia. She finally told him to shut-up. They never married. Sadly, this is what we become if we are not sensitive to the presence and emotions of God. Feelings and reality can be disturbing to people. Society is taught that emotional expression is for the weak, and should be avoided. And yet how can we deal with life if we are afraid to feel? It's by healthy emotions that strength and true love are experienced. Jesus demonstrated the emotions of God. The Word of God says He was a Man of sorrows (Is.53:3) and also joy (Lk.10:21). He can also be provoked to jealousy and anger (Ex.20:5; Jn.2:13-25). Emotions are a part of life. It's reality, and how we express it depends on how much we have allowed our self to be healed and love in spite of those around us who cannot. Our time of solitude with Him brings sensitivity to His emotions and others. Gary and I have seen people healed by just listening to them. FROM SHALLOW WATERS INTO THE DEPTHS … (Part Five) Ezekiel 47:1-12 Apostle John was called, "the one whom Jesus loved.” (John 12:23) In my personal opinion, carefully not comparing one apostle against another, it seems apostles John and Paul had a relationship with the Lord that went far beyond (MINISTRY).

What I find interesting about both of these men is their character in the beginning. Sharp outbursts that were less than tolerant. John’s nickname was, “Son of thunder.” (Mark 3:17; Luke 9:51-56) And briefly I address the character of Apostle Paul, who in his zeal could confront and offend. (Acts 15:36-41) Although personally I agree with Paul in some of these areas, over time we learn how to confront with patience and grace. My reason for opening up this series to the Book of John, as well as First, Second and Third John in the New Testament, is the level of spiritual insight and influence John has. Apostle John understood and experienced the processing of the soul. He understood that beyond Salvation came the fullness of a deeper Christian life. The living experience of Christ tangibly intertwined within, upon and around us… if we so desire Him. His writings emanate and release this reality if we rightly read, taste and digest God's Word. It was through testimonies from others that I found it was possible to have a personal relationship with God. A relationship that we have read about in the Bible. Yes, Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. If He appeared to them and spoke with them, then surely He would do this with me. (Hebrews 13:8) The testimony from others registered with me, all of me! I didn’t have to ask for every jot and tittle for this type of relationship. Why would He allow me to be bit by a snake when I’m seeking Him and desiring Him with all of my heart? (Luke 11:11) A testimony is much more than telling a story of what we once were, but who we have become. I am no longer! (Galatians 2:20) There are far too many who ingeniously glorify the old man and the kingdom of hell while forsaking the New Creation they are. (2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3:10; 1 John 4:17) THEREFORE IF THE SON MAKES YOU FREE, YOU SHALL BE FREE INDEED. NKJV - JOHN 8:36 Definition of make. 1a : to bring into being by forming, shaping, or altering material : b : to lay out and construct make a road. I remember a story my spiritual father, Wade Taylor shared. Wade is the founder & first president of Pinecrest Bible Training Center in Salisbury, New York. His story was about a man who came to Pinecrest. He said he was a difficult person to like and quite frankly could barely stand to be around him. Every night as Wade would leave his office for home, he passed by the sanctuary and saw this man sitting quietly. There was no one else in the sanctuary, just him. This went on night after night.

As the months proceeded, it was obvious this man had sat with the Lord. His character had changed. By sitting and waiting upon the Lord, seeking His face, this man was formed, shaped and altered into the character of Christ. He was indeed “made” free. His path was rightly laid out and constructed by the Lord. (Isaiah 45:2)