Living By And Walking With The Spirit

My Utmost For His Highest

 

‘The disciples loved Jesus Christ to the limit of their natural capacity, but they did not fully understand His purpose. In the Garden of Gethsemane they slept as a result of their own sorrow, and at the end of three years of the closest and most intimate relationship of their lives they “all . . . forsook Him and fled” (Matthew 26:56).

 

“They were all filled with the Holy Spirit . . .” (Acts 2:4). “They” refers to the same people, but something wonderful has happened between these two events— our Lord’s death, resurrection, and ascension— and the disciples have now been invaded and “filled with the Holy Spirit.” Our Lord had said, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you . . .” (Acts 1:8). This meant that they learned to watch with Him the rest of their lives.’ CHAMBERS

 

Many Christians are in love with the idea of Jesus … but they don’t understand what it means to love Jesus.  We have the capacity to do good things.  To think good thoughts.  But God has called us to abandon what we “think” and embrace what He knows and who He is.  The disciples followed Jesus to the point where it no longer made sense to them.  Until it appeared that Jesus could no longer help them .. until it appeared Jesus could no longer help Himself.  Why? Because they lacked spiritual understanding.

 

But after Pentecost … after the fulfillment of Jesus promise that a Helper would be sent … John 14:26 “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”  John 16:7 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

 

The Holy Spirit came and their lives were changed.  They understood like they had never understood before.  Their new lives …. our new lives are spiritual … but they are lived out in the physical.  Our goal must be to see the world the way God sees the world.  To have an understanding of life’s events from a new perspective.  To understand Jesus in a new way .. To see our purpose and understand the power to accomplish that purpose is by the Spirit.  Zechariah 4:6 ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.

 

Are you living your life in Christ by your own determination?  It will fail you.  Are you trusting in your ability to make things happen? Remember Peter’s failing .. He was confident in his ability and he walked with Jesus. But when the time of testing came, what he trusted in failed him.  You need a spiritually strengthened perspective on your life and what is happening around you.  The only way you will get it, is to draw close to God.  The only way you will do that is to spend more time with Him.  Today would be a good day to start.  You can watch people jump off a high dive.  You can read about it.  You can imagine you’re taking the leap.  But until you actually do it, it will not be a reality.  Trust God!

 

Galatians 5:25 "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." ELGIN

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)