Christian sometimes find it difficult to believe they do not possess all that God is offering in salvation.

Believers say, "I have been saved. Therefore I have the fullness of Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit." By taking this attitude they cut themselves off from a fuller measure of the Spirit. It is true that when we first are saved we have the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and eternal life. What is not always realized is that there always is more of the Father to have; more of the Son to have; more of the Holy Spirit to have; more of eternal life to possess. To claim we have all that God intends to give us is somewhat arrogant and also is unscriptural.

If we already have all of God, why should we press forward in the Lord? It is a fact that when we are saved we have Christ, but the Apostle Paul to the end of His life was seeking more of Christ.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win [gain] Christ, (Philippians 3:8)

Are we more spiritual than Paul?

The power that moves us to the fullness of God is faith. The table of God is spread with every delight we could ever need or desire. What we take from the table depends on our faith.

We can hear of forgiveness of sins and receive forgiveness or else choose to walk in our own self-righteousness. We can hear of the availability of Divine healing and believe God heals all our diseases or we can continue in our afflictions. We can read in the Scriptures about speaking in tongues and receive the gift of tongues and the ability to prophesy as well, or else continue to worship God in the strength and wisdom of the flesh. We can hear of the fullness of God and press toward it or else stop at Pentecost and wait to die.

Every aspect of the Divine salvation is an opportunity. We can grasp the opportunity or ignore it. The choice is ours.

Christ dwells in our heart and increases in our heart depending on the faith and obedience we choose to exercise.

When "that which is perfect" is mentioned in the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians it is in a context of Divine "love."

As we begin to think about the Divine Presence and authority that are available to the believer in Christ, we may adopt an incorrect approach. The incorrect approach is common in our day as the Spirit of God begins to reveal the extent of the salvation and glory that are available to people.

For example, as we contemplate what it will mean to be filled with all the fullness of God we begin to understand the truly awesome power that is to be given to the saints. However, to dwell on or emphasize the potential glory to the individual filled with God can result in our missing the point.

To be continued.