The Secret of the Stairs Series “Draw Me” July 17, 2013
Introduction
A The Song of Solomon is directed towards those who are already saved & have an understanding of Romans 6:11.
Romans 6:11 (NASB) 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
1 Also, filling/indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
2 The SoS shows the development of a romantic-intimate relationship between the bridegroom & his bride.
a We’ll be enlightened, challenged, drawn closer to Him.
b And shows us how, the methods & means He uses to accomplish this.
B This teaching applies to those who have fully surrender their lives to Him, been “touched” in some measure... hungry for more!
1 Those who understand God is not looking for an employee/employer relationship with us.
a Do what He asks, when He asks, where He asks... at the end of the week, pay me.
b You owe me!
2 He desires an intimate love relationship; Bridegroom & Bride.
a In the marriage relationship there is a flow.
b I’ve never got a paycheck, a penny from being married - blessed, happy, content... yes!
3 He is our head, we are His body... flow as one.
C We get jacked about “going, doing” and what He’s looking for is “flowing” in unity with Him.
1 John 17:21 (NASB) 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
a We are to be so in unity with Jesus that when people see us, they see Jesus.
aa If Jesus said it, it must be achievable!
bb John 14:9-10 (NASB) 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.
The Son moved in flow with the Father!
b In the marriage relationship between Christ & us, there is such a unity/oneness that He will be able to reveal Himself through us.
2 Galatians 2:20 (NASB) 20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
a The “I” will has been put to death and all that remains is “thy” will.
b In the beginning there was on the “thy” will. (Will of God)
aa All creation submitted to His will, resounded the glory of God in obedience/harmony.
bb Isaiah 14:13-14 (NASB) 13 "But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 14 'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'
Then Satan rose & said “I will... I will”
cc Now 3 wills, I will & thy will: They run contrary to one another! Image
c There was a cross in heaven way before there was one at calvary!
aa Satan entered the garden bring the “I will”
bb Jesus came to die on the cross so we could again chose “thy will”, function in the flow with Him.
D Matthew 16:24b (NASB) 24 ..."If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
1 Taking up my cross means I cross out my “self will” or “I will” and become one with Him.
a Now “His will” has become “my will”
b I’m free to follow Him.
2 Hebrews 6:6 (NASB) 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.
“My will” has a way os rising up again in opposition to “thy will”
a I press to have my won say/grieving & breaking the heart of God.
b He lovingly, but firmly, disciplines me back to the cross to crucify “my will.” His will for me is better than anything my heart may desire.
3 Jesus died so we could become one with Him.
a He gave His Spirit to abide in us so we could know victory & fullness of His body completed -our- selves in perfect union & communion with Him.
b He desires us to be in a place where our will is merged with His.
aa We’re no longer working for Him, we’re joined together to Him.
bb Song of Songs 8:5 (NASB) 5 "Who is this coming up from the wilderness Leaning on her beloved?"...
E God’s desire for His bride is revealed in the SoS.
1 The desire has a purpose to take us to a place. To take us to the way of entrance, to the stairs that lead to His chambers.
a I want you to discover how to go up the stairs & enter the bridal suite to experience union & communion with Him.
b The Lord is seeking a bride who is willing to submit her life/identity to be in complete union with her heavenly bridegroom.
2 Song of Songs 2:10 (NASB) 10 "My beloved responded and said to me, 'Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along.
a There is a joy of being in union with the bridegroom.
b I want to discover it together through the teaching found of Song of Solomon.
F In Song of Solomon, a bridegroom is actively seeking a bride from among the daughters of Jerusalem.
1 We must read ourselves into the passage to see the progressive action unfold.
a The bridegroom in SoS is our Lord.
aa He is still seeking/preparing a bride from those within the church who will respond to Him.
bb The SoS is important to those who desire to have a part in the coming “marriage supper of the Lamb.”
Revelation 19:9 (NASB) 9 Then he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God."
b The Bride/Daughters of Jerusalem are different in relationship to the bridegroom.
aa Daughters are not the bride & the bride is not the daughters, although she is from the daughters.
bb Not everyone in a church view/relate to Jesus as His bride.
cc Relationship, fellowship, familiarity, but lack of intimacy.
c The Daughters of Jerusalem are not called to the marriage supper, but affect the developing relationship between the bride & bridegroom.
2 There is more available to us than just maintaining our salvation.
a Philippians 3:14 (NASB) 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
aa As we compare our desires/goals with the Daughters of Israel - our condition can be determined.
bb Correction can be made!
b As we see the hindrance of the bride to become one with the bridegroom - recognize similar problems in our spiritual life.
aa Matthew 22:14 (NASB) 14 "For many are called, but few are chosen."
bb All of this starts with the expression of our heart towards the bridegroom.
Song of Songs 1:4 (NASB) 4 "Draw me after you and let us run together! The king has brought me into his chambers." "We will rejoice in you and be glad; We will extol your love more than wine. Rightly do they love you."
cc Draw me, we will run after thee...
dd Result ...”The King hath brought me into His chamber.”
c This prayer sets the pace, direction, stage for everything that follows in the way of revelation in SoS.
I “Draw Me”
A Relates to our spiritual hunger.
1 Who taught us to be hungry when we are born?
a Preachers, S.S., Worship leaders cannot create the real genuine hunger in us. (Man Made!)
b Spiritual hunger is a creative act of God that only comes from Him.
2 The bride is begging the groom, “Draw me.”
a Let me longing, hunger for you be above all the other “urges of life.”
aa You & You alone can satisfy my desires.
bb Feed the fire in my soul, satisfy my deepest hunger.
b This “holy hunger” is created within us only when we “wait upon” or quietly hold ourselves before the Lord.
aa We tell/show Him our hunger, cry out for satisfaction.
bb He will come in anticipation of making Himself known to us.
B Revelation 3:20 (NASB) 20 ~'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
1 We were made to be in a sacred oneness with God.
a What we were made to do/be is what God wants to do/be in us.
b We’ll begin to be the bride he designed us to be.
2 Revelation 19:7-8 (NASB) 7 "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
a Hunger is the foundation of our spiritual life.
aa Be careful what we allow to satisfy the emptiness.
bb Only God can feed us/satisfy us!
II We will run after Thee.
A “We” means every part of who we are seeking after/responding to the Lord.
1 We quote Gal 2.20 but it’s not ours/alive until we experience it, “I live, yet not I.”
Galatians 2:20a (NASB) 20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;
a Running after Him isn’t easy, free, without sacrifice - it’s expensive, costly.
aa It’s that commitment to consider the cost & decide to pay it that the groom responds to!
bb It’s when we understand “I live, yet not I” this His words go from more than letters on a page - part of us.
b When you are committed to the bridegroom you will understand/experience the reality that there are no accidents in your life.
aa In fact, God has orchestrated circumstances to make this word real/flesh in your life!
bb The Bible tells us this about Jesus.
John 1:14 (NASB) 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory...
2 The world of God is NEVER mine until it has been personalized in my life experience.
a When Jesus was baptized by John, the Father gave Jesus a powerful Word.
Matthew 3:17 (NASB) 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."
aa This word was a blessing, encouraging, but something else had to happen before the Word could become “flesh” & “power” in His life.
bb Luke 4:1 (NASB) 1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness.
Jesus came up out of the water “filled with the Holy Spirit”
b He got a Word, got filled with the Holy Spirit... now what?
aa He got the word, impartation of the Holy Spirit, now the Word had to be personalized/experience.
bb The Word had to become “flesh” - real!
B Mark 1:12 (NASB) 12 Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness.
1 Jesus was compelled by the H.S. to go into the wilderness.
a 40 days - “40" is a number of testing.
aa By the time 40 days was over, Jesus overcame every temptation & had defeated Satan.
bb He got the Word, impartation of H.S., “forced” to the put the Word into practice & after 40 days He came out of the wilderness.
Luke 4:14 (NASB) 14 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district.
b The fulness of the Word, Spirit, became power because the Word got personal through experience!
aa Ephesians 2:10 (NASB) 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
bb We are the “product” of what God is producing.
cc His goal is to make us look like His son, Jesus!
c Romans 8:29 (NASB) 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son,...
2 In our day, He is bringing forth a people who are willing to not only count the cost, but pay the price, to become all God has determined them to be!
a Brides who are able to buy of Him “gold tried by fire.”
Revelation 3:18 (NASB) 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich,
b He’s not looking for the spiritually lazy or content to rest in the blessing & gifts of the Spirit.
aa You didn’t have to work to get spiritual gifts, salvation.
bb If your gonna find the secret of the staircase, chamber of the bridegroom... it’s not free!
3 There are those who are willing to go into the wilderness, face intense hunger until we’re fed by the Lord Himself - stay in the wilderness until He feeds us.
a Afterwards, we emerge victorious in the power of the Holy Spirit
b To rise into the higher realm of identity in Him.
Song of Songs 1:4 (NASB) 4 "Draw me after you and let us run together! The king has brought me into his chambers." "We will rejoice in you and be glad; We will extol your love more than wine. Rightly do they love you."
C Acts 1:8a (KJV) 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:
1 We don’t receive power in our Christian experience as a result of the fullness of the Spirit.
a I believe many Christians have the fullness of the Spirit who’ve never experienced the power of the Spirit.
b Jesus received the fullness of the Spirit in the Jordan, then went into the wilderness for a time of testing/proving.
aa The “Word” became flesh - it became power in His life.
bb After the Word spoken, exercised in the wilderness... people took him more seriously.
John 7:46 (NASB) 46 The officers answered, "Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks."
c Why? Because the word & the flesh were one: Sacred oneness God desires to work into our lives.
2 When we pray “draw near” & unconditionally commit to “run after thee” the Lord will begin to work within us.
a We receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
aa All gifts/fruits/blessings.
bb Also wilderness testing.
b Through these things/arrangements we begin to operate with the Holy Spirit Power, bring us into a unity of purpose & oneness with the Lord.
Luke 4:32 (NASB) 32 and they were amazed at His teaching, for His message was with authority.
3 We can’t “be” witnesses on our own or in our flesh.
a Exodus 24:7b (NASB) All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!"
–Noble intentions, honorable goal - but failed because the flesh cannot fulfill the Law of God.
aa Why the promise of the New Covenant was made.
bb Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NASB) 26 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
b The baptism of the Holy Spirit is given as a part of the fulfillment of this prophetic promise in Ezekiel.
aa Acts (Power) & Ezek (Cause) are the same!
bb Spirit that enables us to walk (& continue to walk) in His will & His way.
III Go into the chamber
A Some call the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” the power to serve - but it’s more than just power to serve.
1 Christian service is “doing” : Acts 1.8 doesn’t call us to “do” anything - given power to “be”
a “Being” speaks to what I am; describes less of what I “do”
aa If I’m witnessing about Jesus, I’m doing something
bb “Being a witness” is not the same as “doing witnessing”
b Being “seen” as a witness means we say & do exactly what Jesus would say/do if He were here.
c We are a “sample” of Him.
2 When Philip asked Jesus to show them the father, Jesus replied.
John 14:8-9 (NASB) 8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
a Jesus was saying His life was a “sample” of the Father.
b Sacred oneness.
B Available to all - few get to “be”
1 Matthew 22:14 (NASB) 14 "For many are called, but few are chosen."
a In other words, “many are called, but few are willing to pay the price in order to be chosen.”
b Sadly, many Christians go no further, but there is more to the Christian life than getting saved. “The King was brought me into His chamber.” (SOS 1.4)
aa Calvary was a public event – Outpouring was 150 people in the upper room.
bb Getting saved is not the last decision we make about our relationship with God.
2 “The King has brought us into His chamber!”
a Nobody watching, no interruptions - Him & you.
b He takes the bride to the chamber for intimacy - To have His way with her.
aa “Have thine own way, Lord. Have thine own way.”
bb He draws us to the chamber to abide with Him!
c We become one, communion.
aa It’s in the chamber, the power of His being flows in us & we get pregnant.
bb Vision, new life.
Conclusion
Notice to Sermon Central Users:
My name is Mike Fogerson, and I pastor a Southern Baptist Church in Chester, Illinois. I have been a long-time user of Sermon Central and truly appreciate its content and contributors. Some of the best sermons I’ve ever preached have been reworked material from this website. As you use the material from my sermon bank, understand that it is work that has been done from not just myself, but from hundreds of other pastors as well. If you see part of your message, or a bunch of your message with my name on it and this upsets you, please email me and I will quickly respond and cite you as the main source. My intent is not to claim someone’s work as my own. I am disclaiming up front that I use the resources from Sermon Central and appreciate the tool. I simply want all those who use my work to know that some of these messages were inspired by the Holy Spirit working through other pastors. Because I do use the messages of other pastors I waive all claims of originality or origin of creativity for the messages posted under my messages. I pray God blesses your preaching ministry for the glory of His Kingdom.
Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
