As people grow older, they become more concerned with running out before they die. They develop a perspective from the fact they are no longer producing income. They fear emptiness because they do not see a source for more.

In the kingdom, Father teaches us to learn the very opposite: what we produce is not the source, so we never fear emptiness. There always more where that came from.

Of course, I am not teaching you to have no saving accounts or planned financial strategies. I am not saying that you shouldn’t have a disaster fund for emergencies. I am not saying you should live paycheck to paycheck. All those things are aspects of what you produce, and God is all about giving you favor in those areas of your life. Unless you make them your source of peace and trust…

More in Him, Less from Me

Every kingdom leader will face the crucible that crushes him to the point of emptiness. He will understand that all he has stored up – experience and expertise – that qualifies him to represent Jesus, to show himself trustworthy or prepared is so infinitesimal that a moment’s trouble can leave him empty if he trusts that as his source.

When our son was overcoming leukemia, I continued to travel to the nations and minister, not knowing if my son was alive or dead, emptied of human solace, strength, and passion. It was as if all the stuff that makes me a man was gone.

I could usually operate on four levels in my mind but the crisis of his health filled up three of those four and a little thing would push me into overload. The capacity was still there but the crucible squeezed them empty all the time. I was forced to run on one of those levels and reach the point of empty when little things tested me.

What to do? Quit? No! A thousand times, No! But, to continue on running on empty is not something you learn in seminary or gain with experience. You must learn to stop reaching deeper into yourself because “me as a source” is out of resources.

Less of me becomes more of Him, but the crucible crushes the soul. The taxi that delivers you to the door of His supply costs everything in your estate. If you are unwilling to let go of your last loaf of bread because you fear you will starve, you will never get to that place of Divine supply.

Stop a moment and measure your strength of will to surrender. Ask yourself how much you depend upon your experience and expertise. Get real about how the source of who you are is yourself.

To Be Nothing But “What I Am by God’s Grace”

The definition of humility is “I am what I am by God’s grace.” God will move you beyond “I am” to “What I am by God’s grace.” The crucible that crushes will eliminate anything of my “I am” that is not “by God’s grace.”

The grace flow answers to the empty place created by your trust in the Father. Grace flows where you are beaten to a pulp. His strength reaches its ultimate in your desperate weakness.

God told Paul “no” three times when he asked Him to remove satan’s enforcer. The satanic targeter was beating Paul up! God let him continue the beatings to bring Paul to his point of emptiness.

“My grace is enough. My strength reaches its ultimate when yours is gone, Paul.”

If you fear emptiness, you will always give God less than All.