Living with Spiritual Power
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7
The power referred to in the title of today’s message is in God’s Word revealed to us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. This power is revealed in us through study of the Word, because the Word is the instrument which the Holy Spirit uses to reveal God’s power. The secret of Christian living is knowing the divine power of the Holy Spirit.
The Word is discerned by the Holy Spirit. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:11). The Spirit speaks only what he hears, and what he hears is from Christ speaking the Word of God. We understand the language of God, which is the Word that is discerned by the Spirit, and the Spirit reveals the power of Christ in us.
We can magnify the Spirit and virtually ignore the Word, or we can magnify the Word and virtually ignore the Spirit. This results in earthly enthusiasm, or delivery of the truth without divine power. The goal is to recognize both the power of the Word delivered through the power of the Holy Spirit; this is done by focusing on the power of the Word and the power of the Spirit. Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires (Romans 8:5-6). Christians live and minister to others with minds set on what the Spirit desires, knowing the Spirit delivers the power of the Word.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). The Holy Spirit brings the character of Jesus to us through the fruit of the Spirit. The Christ-likeness in us is the work of the Holy Spirit who renews our minds and changes our hearts.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2). To achieve this renewing of the mind, we must empty ourselves of sinful thoughts and be filled with Godly thoughts. This is a slow process that takes a lifetime and is achieved by the Holy Spirit’s power of conviction and guidance. To fully achieve this power it is necessary to meditate on the Word day and night, pray without ceasing, fellowship with our Christian brothers and sisters, and seek to obey the Lord’s good, pleasing, and perfect will.
Today keep your thoughts on what the Spirit desires and study the Word because it primes you for what the Spirit desires. Picture in your mind the Holy Spirit circling your soul revealing that you interface to the world through the Spirit. This is how you execute the power of God’s Word through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Lord, help me to reveal the power of your Word through the Holy Spirit. Guide me to step aside and let the Spirit take my place. Thank you, Lord for the Spirit who lives in me and guides me through life serving you. In Jesus name, Amen