Live Life in the Spirit
Live Life in the Spirit
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Acts 2 contains the story of the Holy Spirit’s first descent upon the church. As onlookers witnessed the effects of the Spirit upon the believers in the crowed, they become convinced that the Christians were actually drunk. Peter stands up and explains, “These men are not drunk, as you suppose” (Acts 2:15). So what is it about being filled with the Spirit that would cause people to suspect that a large keg party was underway? One manifestation would be the open display of love. As alcohol removes inhibitions, those intoxicated are much freer with their emotions and affections. Likewise, a hallmark of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives in a greater capacity to love, demonstrated in words or actions. Next, people turn to alcohol for comfort in difficult times. In contrast, the Holy Spirit is referred to in Scripture as the great Comforter. Life is hard and the Holy Spirit promises comfort and the ability to live above life’s circumstances. There is also great boldness exhibited by those who have been drinking. They are liable to say anything to anyone for any reason. Similarly, after the Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples, we next see them boldly proclaiming the good news about Jesus Christ. There are other comparisons we could make, but you get the picture. While alcohol is a good example of an unhealthy influence affecting our wills and behavior, similar effects can be noted in states of rage, lust, or greed. Yet in all of these examples, we get a better picture of what it means to have a foreign influence affect our thoughts, feelings, and behavior, while not eclipsing our individual personality. The ContrastWhile, in some ways, this helps us to better understand the influence or empowerment by the Holy Spirit, realize that alcohol is a cheap counterfeit (or expensive counterfeit depending on the brand). What people are really thirsting for is the presence of God. Alcohol-induced states only create the temporary illusion of a reality that only the Spirit can produce in our lives. In fact, alcohol’s control tends to be coercive, and usually means a loss of our own will and control. In Matthew 20:25, Jesus says, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them…not so with you.” Jesus is telling the disciples that their leadership and influence should be of loving encouragement, not coercion and domination. Such is the Spirit’s influence. How Can We Be More Under the Influence of the Holy SpiritAs we have looked at alcohol as an example, we may further note that there are differing degrees of intoxication. Likewise, there are differing degrees by which a person can be controlled or influenced by the Holy Spirit. While sin hinders the influence of the Spirit, there are clearly things we can do to improve our sensitivity to the Spirit’s leading, making His presence more acute. Frequent prayer throughout the day, for example, avails us much more to the Spirit’s direction than if our day is prayerless. We’ll consider here five things that contribute to greater influence by the Spirit. 1. Complete submission to the will of GodHow does one become more drunk? They consume more alcohol. In the case of the Holy Spirit , we have all of Him that we will ever have. What determines how much influence the Spirit has over us is how much of us we let Him consume, or how much of our lives are we willing to allow Him to control? The question we must consider is” Do we desire to live for His will above our own in every area of life (dating, vocation, relationships, etc.)? This decision to submit to the Lord is both progressive and critical. It is progressive in the sense that we are always becoming aware of new areas into which we have never brought God or submitted to Him. It is critical, meaning a point in time, in the sense that there are critical junctures in our Christian lives where we tell God from our hearts, “I will do anything, or go anywhere you want. My life is yours. 2. ConfessionSin is choosing to live our own way in order to satisfy our needs, wants, and desires, rather than living God’s way. When we sin, we seize control of our lives from the Holy Spirit. We turn them over to our sinful desires. When we’ve sinned, we need to confess it to God. Confession literally means to agree with God. We agree that we have sinned without rationalizing or justifying our actions. We agree that Christ’s death has paid the price for our sin, and thus, we are forgiven. We repent and that means turning back to God and agreeing to do things His way. How do we maintain the Spirit’s maximum influence on our lives? We keep short accounts of sin. As soon as the Spirit brings awareness of sin to our minds, we confess it immediately. 3. RelianceHave you ever watched a cigarette smoker? Every time he senses a need in his life, he lights up. If he feels lonely, he lights up. If he feels scared or nervous, he lights up. If he needs confidence, he lights up. I find myself doing the same thing with food, music, and coffee. Did you ever eat something when you weren’t hungry? You realize later you were relying on food to fill your loneliness. Throughout each day, we sense the need for empowerment. Whether we’re eaters, coffee drinkers, or smokers, all of us have the reflex. You feel a need for _______________ (fill in the blank). God wants us to reflexively turn to Him throughout the day and ask for comfort, empowerment, wisdom, and direction for Him. This constant reliance on the Spirit keeps us intimately connected to the Lord throughout the day. It allows our thirst to be met by His living water. 4. Cultivating our hearts toward GodIn Ephesians 5:19-20, Paul talks about singing spiritual songs and hymns and having a thankful heart. The important lesson here as it relates to maximizing the Holy Spirit’s influence over us is that we can foster an environment in our hearts that facilitates the control of the Holy Spirit. Just as going to the mall might foster materialism’s control, so certain activities such as thanksgiving, praise, singing and prayer enhance the Spirit’s influence. As we sing spiritual songs, and cloak our hearts with thanksgiving through the day, we find ourselves much more in tune with the Holy Spirit’s direction, leading and presence. 5. CommunityIt is in community with other Christians we experience a dynamic of the Spirit-filled life we can never experience alone because we encounter the Spirit who indwells the lives of other. We are empowered to live the Christian life as we receive encouragement and teaching from others. We find fresh life when we are able to share our sins and struggles. We are blessed as we pray together and minister to one another. The Christian life was never meant to be lived independent of the Spirit-empowered ministry of the larger body of Christ. * This article is an excerpt from Postcards from Corinth, Rick James (wsnpress.com).
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