ESSENTIAL
MINISTRY OF GOD’S SPIRIT
Twelfth of
fourteen devotions in Gethsemane series
Galatians
5:16: “So I say, live by the Spirit, and
you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”
“While they were eating, Jesus took
bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is My body.’ Then He took the cup, gave thanks and offered
it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you.’ This is My blood of the covenant, which is
poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28).
God’s indwelling Spirit—or the Holy
Spirit—is how Christians believe that the bread, or wafer eaten at Holy
Communion, represents Jesus’ body. And also
how we believe that the wine, or grape juice represents Jesus’ blood. How these earthly “ridiculous notions”
Believers-in-Christ trust as true is called faith.
Without God’s Spirit, Believers
couldn’t believe these “ridiculous notions.”
His ministry is essential for Believer’s faith. Faith
is what sets Believers apart from the world.
That’s the Holy Spirit’s work, called sanctification
[sank-tif-i-KA-shon].
Did you catch what Jesus said about His blood being covenant blood? The
covenant that God made with Abraham, passed onto his son Isaac then to his son
Jacob in Genesis is made new through Christ.
Jesus ushered in a new covenant of grace.
God’s promise, or covenant of grace
guarantees provision, protection and forgiveness of sins for whomever believes
in Jesus as Savior and Lord. The old
covenant was people-obedience dependent.
The grace covenant is Christ’s-finished-work-on-the cross dependent. Our part is to believe. That’s where God’s Spirit ministry of faith is
essential.
The Father sees Believers as
Christ-righteous, pure and blameless.
Believers who cooperate with God’s Spirit live the abundant life Jesus
promised in John 10:10. He steers us
away from danger and into truth. (John
16:7-8). Jesus warns us that there will
be trouble in the world (John 16:33). “But take heart” He says.
“I have overcome the world!”
Believers’ awesome privilege is to
form a relationship with the Creator of the universe! See the lesson-linked below to learn why God’s
Spirit is essential for faith.
Take Home Nugget
When people’s lives run
smoothly, they get in trouble when they take the credit. They forget God-dependency. Self-reliance isn’t God’s way for Believers
to live.
God provided His Spirit so that
Believers could live godly lives in His strength. He is our power. He is our wisdom when we allow Him to live
through us.
When we listen to God’s Spirit, we
find joy, fulfillment and great satisfaction doing exactly what we were created
to do (Ephesians 2:10).
Thank You Father, for
providing me Your Spirit. He is as
essential to my life as is the air I breathe!
Adapted from “The Holy Spirit—An Absolute” and “The Work of the Holy Spirit.” Dr. Charles Stanley. March 26-27, 2015. In Touch magazine. Georgia, USA.
J.D. Griffith
Most Recent eBook by J.D.
Griffith:
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment