A Heavenly Life: 4.Brokenness The Key To A Heavenly Life - Zac Poonen
Summary
True conversion involves more than just intellectual belief; it is a tangible experience of tasting heavenly gifts, including the Holy Spirit, the good word of God, and a taste of future age powers. The speaker argues that focusing solely on doctrines, prayer, or specific practices is insufficient; instead, a genuinely heavenly life is characterized by gentleness, humility, and having no demands on others, which must be cultivated starting early in life.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
What is the experience of a truly born-again person?Hebrews 6 describes conversion as being enlightened, tasting the heavenly gift, partaking of the Holy Spirit, tasting the good word of God, and tasting the powers of the future age, which includes physical healing as a taste of our future resurrected body.
Why external religious practices fail to produce a heavenly lifeMany believers emphasize right doctrine, prayer and fasting, speaking in tongues, or missionary work, yet remain miserable, critical, and grumpy because they spend time with a book or a routine rather than truly contacting God.
The missing element: BrokennessDespite having the right doctrine and spiritual experiences, many people lack the graciousness of heaven because they have not allowed God to break the strength of their personality and self-will.
Jesus lived a broken life by denying His own willJesus stated that His body was broken for us, referring not just to the cross, but to His 33 and a half years of daily refusing His own will to do the will of the Father.
Parables of brokenness in nature and biblical livesJust as splitting an atom releases massive power, God had to break Jacob by dislocating his hip and humbling Moses over forty years before they could truly serve Him with spiritual power.
The rent veil and the inner life of JesusThe torn veil of the Tabernacle symbolizes Christ's flesh and human will being broken through enduring countless temptations without ever sinning, distinguishing external Christians from inward Christians.
Giving everything to Jesus like the boy with the loavesWhen the boy gave all his loaves and fish rather than keeping a portion for himself, Jesus thanked God, blessed the food, broke it, and used it to feed thousands.
The alabaster vial and the most holy placeJust as the costly perfume only filled the house when the alabaster vial was broken, believers must allow God to bring them through circumstances that break their self-will to enter the most holy place.
Gideon's 300 men and the broken earthen pitchersOut of an army of 32,000, God tested the men at the water and selected only 300 who stayed alert; carrying trumpets and earthen pitchers containing torches, they broke their pitchers so the hidden light could shine forth.
Carrying the dying of Jesus in our bodiesPaul explains that the light of God shines from our hearts out of earthen vessels, requiring us to constantly carry about the dying of Jesus in our daily trials so His life is manifested through us.
