If you…remember that your
brother has something against you… —Matthew 5:23
{CHAMBERS} “This verse says, “If you bring your gift to the altar,
and there remember that your brother has something against you….” It is not
saying, “If you search and find something because of your unbalanced
sensitivity,” but, “If you…remember….” In other words, if something is brought
to your conscious mind by the Spirit of God— “First be reconciled to your
brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:24). Never object to the
intense sensitivity of the Spirit of God in you when He is instructing you down
to the smallest detail.[…] Jesus does not mention the other person— He says for
you to go. It is not a matter of your rights. The true mark of the saint is
that he can waive his own rights and obey the Lord Jesus.[…] The process of
reconciliation is clearly marked. First we have the heroic spirit of
self-sacrifice, then the sudden restraint by the sensitivity of the Holy
Spirit, and then we are stopped at the point of our conviction. This is
followed by obedience to the Word of God.”
{ELGIN} Has the Spirit of God
ever spoken something to you that was contrary to what you wanted to do? If you are born again and therefore have been
sealed by the Spirit, He has. Why?
Because we tend to follow the ways of the flesh. The Spirit convicts of sin, which is to say
we are living or doing in a way that is contrary to the nature of God and our
new nature. The question is, “How do you
respond when He speaks?” Do you say “yes
Lord”? Or do you “turn the music up to drown out His voice” because you don’t
want to do the very thing He is saying – do? The Bible calls that quenching the
Spirit or putting the fire out. Oh Saint,
this life we live in the flesh we live by faith. (Galatians
2:20) God will always prompt you to
obedience. To deal with those things
that hinder your unfettered relationship with Him. You cannot offer anything acceptable to God
if you do not have “clean hands and a clean heart”. If you choose to ignore the prompting of the
Spirit you are doing nothing more than practicing vain religion. Praising God with your lips while your heart is
far from Him. (Matthew 15:8) You
might as well be watching TV for all of the spiritual good that is being
derived! We are a stubborn lot. Holding on to attitudes and habits that are
clearly contrary to who we are in Christ. You are not alone in this
struggle. But God has given you the power
to overcome, and the means to live in victory.
You must pick up your cross daily and yield your life to the leading of
the Spirit. That requires faith and that
comes from God.
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