Do You Know Anything as Wise as the Spirit of God?
Good Morning Friends,
Sometimes we are driven by the Spirit and sometimes confounded by it. But fear not. Listen with faith to our God who speaks words that form the world and gives new life. There is a Spirit of wisdom in God’s Word and a revealed Spirit of wisdom in those that have eyes to see, ears to hear and hearts to love. Know that we are not spared testing and uncertain times as followers of Jesus. We are promised them and can receive them as events that help us develop our souls. We are faced with a choice that can embitter us or redeem us. Know that God can and will in time act…..that our worst anxieties do not diminish God’s incomparable power. Do You Know Anything as Wise as the Spirit of God?
Scripture: The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
Isaiah 11:2 (NRSV)
Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Philippians. 4:6-8 (NRSV)
I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.
Ephesians 1:17-19 (NRSV)
Message: God knows us. We belong to God. He is with us and an active power in our lives that brings forth His identity in us when the world tries to consume us, overwhelm and redefine us. In Him everything changes. He reveals, saves, purifies and proclaims so we can witness to others the fullness of His love. The Spirit granted Jesus the wisdom to use this knowledge of the Spirit. The Spirit enabled Jesus to take the word of God and apply it effectively to the specific needs of those He encountered and the Spirit can guide you and me as well. The Holy Spirit provides us peace that passes understanding and courage to those willing to meditate on His promises…indeed the Spirit provides everything we need to complete God’s will for our life through grace. Throughout His ministry, Jesus relied upon the Holy Spirit. This Spirit that Isaiah described centuries earlier directed Him as He made crucial decisions. If you are a Christian, the same Spirit abides in you. At times, you may pray and ask God to send His Spirit in power as Paul prayed. That is the way the Spirit comes…in fervent prayer. More importantly, the Spirit will come in wisdom exposing the darkness, guiding us to use our time wisely as we respond to the Spirit. That is what today’s passage in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is all about. So friends, we all have responsibilities we will have to face today. Do not let them overwhelm you. The Holy Spirit will give you wisdom to make the most discerning decisions in every situation if you will ask for help. Know that God will lavish spiritual blessings on those who take time to know Jesus and His Spirit.
Pray that we are redeemed and witness this transformation to others. Pray that we not grieve the Holy Spirit but embrace the incomparable power of His creation in us. Pray that we embrace the resurrection power. Pray that the spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowledge of Him be in us. Pray that we grow in continuing education so we might know the hope of God’s calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance and the exceeding greatness of His power. Pray the Holy Spirit provides us with the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, and the courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to know the difference.
Pray we learn to understand God’s ways in and through the Spirit. Pray we bear fruit in every good work, while increasing in the knowledge of God.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 