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A GENTLE
SPIRIT Jeanne Stewart, Oklahoma |
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A HIDDEN JOY OF LIVING They provide beauty and
fragrance during that cooler time in afternoon. These yellow Four-o’clocks
move lightly in the wind in our peaceful garden backyard, enticing the
butterflies to consume their flowers’ sweet liquid before the breeze takes
them away again to the next blossom. God’s winged creatures in flight have
hidden within them the attraction to seek with joy from their heavenly
provider their day’s sustenance. Almighty God created man
with a living spirit, sorting us out from all other of His creation. For the The wind
blows wherever it wants. Just as we can hear the wind but can not explain
where it comes from or where it is going, so how do we explain how people are
born of the Spirit? (John 3:8)
Spirit can only be birthed as we accept the way made by Christ Jesus at Submission to Ultimate Authority ~ As the willing butterfly is carried along by the unseen breeze,
it yields its flight, respecting the authority of strength the wind has over
its lightness of wing. We too as children of the Most High God need to have a
willingness to yield and surrender our needs and desires to the Holy Spirit
of God’s ultimate authority. Romans chapter 13 addresses submitting to governing authorities,
for all authority comes from God and those in positions of authority have
been placed there by God. So anyone rebelling against authority is rebelling
against what God has instituted, and will be reproved. Recognizing authority and submitting to its way is our first
step into living a joyful life in God’s plan for man. Without respect for all authority, one’s spirit will never
truly be liberated to seek with joy from its Heavenly Provider its daily
provisions of grace and mercy. A Divine Sign ~ During the reign of Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah, there is a
marvelous story in chapter twenty of 2 Chronicles illustrating the power of
God’s Spirit manifesting in proportion to the king’s measure of submission. Jehoshaphat
lived in The armies
from the surrounding nations of the Moabites and Ammonites declared war on The king
appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing unto the Lord and
praising Him for His Holy Splendor. At the very moment they began to sing and
give praise, the Lord caused the armies of the Moabites and Ammonites to
start fighting among themselves. As the army of King
Jehoshaphat and his men went out to gather the plunder. There was so much
that it took them three days to collect it all, and on the fourth day they
gathered together and renamed this area the “…Valley of Blessing” (verse 26). All This is such
an awe-inspiring account of God’s divine sign of authority and power
communicated through His obedient person in charge. Jehoshaphat was a leader
not afraid to show his people the way of ultimate hidden joy in living God’s
decisive submission of spirit. Time to Make a Decision ~ Within the church today we will only have power to accomplish
the will of God’s final harvest of souls as we totally yield our spirit to
His Spirit. Our inability to make a commitment to His commands comes from our
own personal war of lack of trust and faith in believing what God says He can
do. The fear of
the Lord is our deliverance. Discerning of ‘strong meat’ too difficult for our flesh to swallow can only
come from the Holy Spirit’s power manifesting in proportion to the measure of
our submission to Him. Recognizing our individual need of quality moments with God
through building a relationship of knowing Him takes time and effort.
Inquiring and seeking His perspective in all that comes our way, we will
learn a respect for His authority in our lives as a must that can only come
about as we surrender our way unto His. Ending Prayer ~ Father God, we stand
before You and inquire of You. Bring within us a deeper interest of
understanding Your Spirit’s stirring. Since most of our everyday living
experiences of damage and wounds come through relationships, we know the
healing of our wounded spirits has to come only through our daily
relationship with You by Your Spirit. Grace’s mercy triumphs over the private
wounds of the misunderstood heart as we allow You to wash over us with Your
words of deep association between our spirit and Your Spirit. Come, Father,
and move us into knowing who we are with You as we live in the midst of hidden joy, spirit to Spirit, within Your power and purpose for our lives.
In the name above all names we pray … Jesus, so be it. |
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