Page 63 - The Gate and the Way

of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the
fragrance of the perfume.

Alabaster is a white, marble-like mineral that people used to store ointments in.
While the alabaster vial remains sealed and unbroken, the contents are completely
hidden, closed off from the world. When Mary broke her alabaster vial we are told that
“the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” If we want our environment to
be filled with the fragrance of Christ, then we too must be broken vessels.
[End Excerpt]

I recently received correspondence from another saint who has embraced a
surrendered life in recent years. She was directed by the Spirit of Christ to make many
radical changes to her life, and they have proven costly. Where she formerly had financial
security and a settled life, she now has to look to Yahweh daily for her provision and she has
moved about from place to place. Eventually the Spirit led her to move back to her
hometown where her parents and family live.
In moving back this sister encountered much censure and criticism from family
members who are Christians, but who have not come to the same degree of surrender to be
directed by the Holy Spirit. As is the case with most Christians who are led by their soul, her
family members led comfortable and outwardly successful lives. When these ones viewed
her life, they saw the recent changes as being negative. She was reproached as one who is
deceived, deluded, or has taken a wrong turn in life. Yahweh used the criticism and
judgments of others to teach her meekness, gentleness, forgiveness and longsuffering.
Rather than defend herself, she chose to bear the offenses patiently.
Many of these offenses came from her father. He expressed his concern to his
daughter that she was in much error, making known his disapproval of her decisions, and
the lack of wisdom in the course she had now embraced. Rather than commending her for
taking up her cross to follow Christ, she was subjected to judgments that she was less
spiritual than other members of the family. These criticisms hurt, for this woman loved her
father and desired to have a close and loving relationship with him.
About a year ago this woman’s father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, or a
similar form of advanced dementia. His mental decline was very rapid and he was soon
wandering off and getting lost. His mind was reduced in its capacity to reason, to argue, and
to determine his own way through this life. At the same time that his mental powers were
in decline a transformation began to take place in the way he related to others. The former
criticism that had marked his relationship with his daughter was replaced with a spirit of
love and appreciation. A sweet, simple love exuded from his innermost being as he daily
interacted with her. This man remained full of love until his death some months later.
What occurred in both of these examples I have listed is that the inner nature of Christ
began to be revealed through individuals whose natural powers had formerly remained
unbroken. As the strength of the Adamic man was weakened, the inner life of Christ was
able to come forth free of those restraints that had formerly bound it up.
The truth revealed in these things, and corroborated by the testimony of Scripture, is
that the natural strengths of man are very often a hindrance to the release of the Spirit
within our beings. It is necessary for every man to enter into a weak condition in a natural
sense in order for the power of Christ’s divine life to be revealed in and through them. The
apostle Paul makes this very argument.