Going Beyond Our Present Experience
Wade E Taylor

An innumerable multitude knows Jesus as their "Savior."  These openly acknowledge that He shed His blood upon Calvary’s cross in atonement for their sin, and in some measure, live a committed Christian life.  The name “Jesus” has become precious to them.

Among these are those who also know Jesus as the “Christ.”  This speaks of “The One Who is Anointed” (Jesus), or of the "anointing."  These have received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, have experienced touches of His presence, and in some measure have been used in the operation of Holy Spirit gift ministries.

There are fewer however who know Jesus as their personal Lord.  To make Him “our Lord" means that we have crucified our self‑life, given up all right to our own lives, and have unconditionally submitted ourselves to the governmental rule of His Kingdom.

To know Him in this way is to personally experience Jesus in the fullness of His Name.  He has indeed become to us, “The Lord, Jesus Christ.”  Each aspect of His Name has become a personal reality within our spiritual lives and experience.

Heaven is not intended to be the “goal” of our Christian experience.  Rather, it is included in our redemption as our inheritance.

“For we know that, if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, an house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.”  II Corinthians 5:1 Worrell

Thus, there is “more” that we can presently experience - which is beyond our being saved, healed, filled with the Holy Spirit, exercised in both ministry and in the giftings of the Holy Spirit, which has to do with our preparation for being in His eternal presence at the end of our sojourn here.  The redemption that was wrought upon Calvary's cross has adequately, freely provided all this for us.

This “more” is something of great value that is to be added to all that has been freely provided for us, but requires an action on our part.

“Then said Jesus to His disciples, If any one wishes to come after Me, let him utterly deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”  Matthew 16:24 Worrell

Salvation is essential for us to enter heaven (You must be born again).  However, our submission to His Kingdom rule is conditional – “If any man.”   This “if” tells us that there is a choice, which we are free to either make or avoid, without affecting the fact of our salvation.  However, it will greatly affect what we have “become” (spiritual maturity), as we will live in His presence for all eternity.

Since our ways are contrary to, and “cross” His will for us, we must die to our own ways if we are to fully follow Him.  We do this by dying to our “self‑life” upon a cross, which we form of our own choosing.  We ourselves must take up this cross.  If we choose to make Jesus our Lord, we must totally submit ourselves - body, soul, and spirit, unconditionally to Jesus, who totally gave Himself for us.  As we do this and merge our lives into His life, we become one with Him, in the outworking of His eternal purposes.

We are to take all of the salvation “gift” benefits that were freely provided for us through the atonement, plus ourselves, and give all this to Jesus.  In dying to our own ways and choosing His way for us, we are taking up our cross and making Him “Lord” of our lives.

To experience “salvation” means that I have repented, am cleansed by the Blood of Jesus and have received Him as my Savior.  Thus, being saved, “I have Jesus.”

To experience the “Kingdom” means that I have taken all that He has freely given to me, plus my right to my own life, and have given all this unconditionally to Him.  Now, “Jesus has me” and  I know Him experientially as “My Lord, Jesus Christ.”  Once I have done this, I will gradually come to know that I am far ahead of where I would have been, if I had tried to make my own way through life.

The requirement for entering His Kingdom is not beyond the ability of any one of us.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”  Matthew 5:3

Being “poor in spirit” means that I have set aside all of my own ways and have unconditionally submitted myself to His governmental rule of my life.  Now, whatever He may do with my life will produce that which is of far greater value than anything I could ever attain, apart from Him.

To personally, specifically, make Jesus Lord of my life, I must,

1. Find a quiet place in which I can be alone with Jesus.  

2. “Wait upon the Lord” until I become inwardly quiet before Him.  While maintaining an attitude of expectant worship, thank the Lord for His presence, and for His desire to commune and fellowship with me.  

3. Now I am ready to vocally, explicitly relinquish the “right” to my own life and unconditionally turn it over to Jesus.  As I do this, I am giving to the Lord full permission, and the total right to govern my life as He chooses.  

4. In very direct words, say to Him, “Jesus, I totally give up the right to my life, and I now pronounce you The Lord - Jesus Christ, of my life.  Lord, I ask for the outworking of all that this commitment means, in my life experience, and in all that pertains to my life.”  

From this moment onward, my life belongs to Jesus.  He is free to bring me into the fullness of all of the potential that He sees to be within me.  I have given Him the right to accomplish this.

Now, Jesus has “experientially” become to me, “The Lord, Jesus Christ.”