What causes a person to respond to the Lord in a deeper following is not compulsion, but attraction. No person can follow Christ whose heart has not been won by Him
Romans 6:17, “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed.”
To be obedient from the heart is because Jesus has already awakened the heart to be obedient. Of course once Jesus awakens the heart to a deeper following, be assured that there will be plenty of warfare from the evil one to try to distract us from following through in a heart response to the Lord’s awakening.
Song of Solomon 1:4 is so powerful concerning what I am trying to communicate; “Draw me after you, and let us run together.” I believe that whenever we pray for the Lord to draw us after him, he will always awaken our heart with a holy attraction to run with him. Even if you’re in a place of totally neutral feelings concerning your walk with the Lord, if you simply pray for the Lord to draw you after him; He will. The very next thing that the Shulammite says in verse 5 is, “The king has brought me into His chambers.” Notice that it is the king who brought her in to the chambers,, and in chapter 2:4 she says “He has brought me to His banqueting table.” Notice the work of grace here as a result of the Lord drawing her after Him, and also notice that obviously, having been drawn to Him in a new way; she intentionally follows. An interesting thing also to recognize, is that the drawing is after Him, not something that he may offer; though she did experience a lot of favor in His presence, at his banqueting table. In His presence is fullness of joy, and at his right hand there are pleasures (favor) forevermore, but the thing that she prayed for, is that He would draw her after Him. The Lord awakens our heart with affections for him, by revealing Himself to us in new ways, so that we long to experience more of his presence. It’s his face that is the great lure; not his hand.
I can promise you that if you will pray that simple prayer that the Shulammite prayed, you will find your heart awakened by his grace, with a longing for the joy and pleasure of His presence. Be prepared though, for this is not a prayer game, because Jesus will answer your prayer, and when he does it is imperative that you rise up and go out to meet Him. Matthew 25:1 – 6 speaks of this; “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to 10 virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom, and 5 of them were foolish, and 5 were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flask along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, Behold the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.”
If you find yourself spiritually drowsy, and it seems that your heart has gone to sleep, but you want it to be awakened again, then ask the Lord to draw you after Him, but when you do, there will be a shout and behold the bridegroom will come to you and awaken your heart, but will you go out to meet him. Remember, the temptation to not follow your awakened heart is not all about you and your emotions, but it is about the enemy trying to kill still to destroy, so ignore everything else except for the awakened attraction to run with Him, and leaving everything behind, pursue.
