THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  (Acts 1:8 NIV)

We are God’s people. We are not in the Secret Service; we are in the Spirit’s Service. Touched by the Spirit we can think more clearly; feel more deeply; speak more truthfully; love more extravagantly; serve more creatively; give more lavishly; live more fully.

James A. Harnish [wondered], “Where do you find the power to hang in there in this world? Where do you find the power to keep going? Where do you find the power to continue to believe in love in a world that is filled with hate? Where do you find the power to continue to work for peace in a world that is addicted to violence? Where do you find the power to continue to believe in good in a world that is filled with so much suffering and pain? Where do you find the power to continue to believe that ultimately God’s Kingdom will come and God’s will, as revealed in Jesus, will be done in all of the creation? Where do you find the power to be a disciple of Jesus in this world?”

The power comes from the Spirit of God, indwelling and empowering us. 

-- Leonard Sweet in “A Cup of Coffee at the Soul Cafe”

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HUNGERING FOR GOD’S WORD

Jesus said, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"  (Matthew 4:4 NIV)

George Mueller, the man of great faith in nineteenth-century England, shared his reason for spiritual power: “The first thing to be concerned about was not how much I might serve the Lord, but how I might get my soul into a happy state, and how my inner man might be nourished… I began therefore to meditate on the New Testament from the beginning, early in the morning. The first thing I did, after having asked in a few words the Lord’s blessing upon His precious Word, was to begin to meditate on the Word of God, searching out of it, not for the sake of public ministry of the Word, not for the sake of preaching on what I had meditated upon, but for obtaining for my own soul.”

You don’t get food for your soul by osmosis! You can hear others talk of it; but until you regularly take in the delicious Word of God, you’re undernourished. 

-- Ray & Anne Ortlund in “Renewal: An Influencer Discussion Guide”

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