My sharing will be on 2 issues in " Every Day with Jesus "
Purity and Power
1 Cor 12:1-20
verse 7 - A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial.
Although Jesus told us that through the Holy Spirit's power, we would do greater works than He had performed, the truth is that we are just not availing ourselves of the divine resources. There are notable exceptions to what I am saying, but, by and large, this is the way it is in today's church. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 1:5 "Our gospel [came] to you . . . in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance." At the center of that "power' and "assurance" was the Holy Spirit. These traits are largely lacking in much of modern Christianity, because too many of us lack a full encounter with the Holy Spirit.
Some years ago, when I was a pastor in the north of England, another minister in the town (a good friend of mine) said, "You preach about the Spirit's power, and I'll preach about the Spirit's purity. That way we will keep a balance in the lives of Christians in this town." I pondered what he said and came to the conclusion that such a procedure would produce lopsided Christians, for both congregations needed to hear of the Spirit's purity and power.
Today's churches can be divided into two camps - those where the purity aspect is emphasized and those where the power aspect is emphasized. If every church focused with equal emphasis on both these characteristics of the Spirit, we would witness a healthier body of believers. Purity is essential, but so is power. The Holy Spirit supplies both.
verse 15 - I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding.
What does it mean to pray "in the Spirit"? Here again, there is a good deal of misunderstanding among Christians as to the true meaning of the phrase.
There are times when one feels deeply affected emotionally as one prays, but this is not the meaning of the phrase "praying in the Spirit." It has no relationship to the emotions that we feel in prayer. I am not saying that feelings are unimportant in prayer; I am simply saying that i do no believe this is what Paul had in mind when he used the phrase "praying in the Spirit."
The 'spirit spoken of here is not the human spirit but the Holy Spirit. Some believe that "praying in the Spirit" takes place when we pray in other tongues, and although it can include that, I believe it is much more than that.
Prayer that is "in the Spirit is prayer that is prompted and guided by the Spirit. One commentator puts it this way: "It means that the Holy Spirit directs the prayer, creates the prayer within us, and empowers us to offer it and to pray it."
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones calls praying in the Spirit "the secret of true prayer" and goes on to say: "If we do no pray in the Spirit, we do not really pray." I would hesitate to make such a sweeping statement myself, but I would go so far as to say that if we do no know it means to pray in the Spirit, our prayers will have little impact upon Satan and his forces.
From this two issues, I learned that often there is unequal measure between Purity and Power. There is a need to balance. And that it might be time for us to deepen our levels of prayer. To seek God and know Him better. Last week, we were saying to do something to encourage the leaders. The attendance at Youth Ablaze is deteriorating.
Let's us also do our best for the coming exams! And God will do the rest!
verse 7 - A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial.
Although Jesus told us that through the Holy Spirit's power, we would do greater works than He had performed, the truth is that we are just not availing ourselves of the divine resources. There are notable exceptions to what I am saying, but, by and large, this is the way it is in today's church. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 1:5 "Our gospel [came] to you . . . in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance." At the center of that "power' and "assurance" was the Holy Spirit. These traits are largely lacking in much of modern Christianity, because too many of us lack a full encounter with the Holy Spirit.
Some years ago, when I was a pastor in the north of England, another minister in the town (a good friend of mine) said, "You preach about the Spirit's power, and I'll preach about the Spirit's purity. That way we will keep a balance in the lives of Christians in this town." I pondered what he said and came to the conclusion that such a procedure would produce lopsided Christians, for both congregations needed to hear of the Spirit's purity and power.
Today's churches can be divided into two camps - those where the purity aspect is emphasized and those where the power aspect is emphasized. If every church focused with equal emphasis on both these characteristics of the Spirit, we would witness a healthier body of believers. Purity is essential, but so is power. The Holy Spirit supplies both.
"Praying in the Spirit"
1 Cor 14:1-25verse 15 - I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding.
What does it mean to pray "in the Spirit"? Here again, there is a good deal of misunderstanding among Christians as to the true meaning of the phrase.
There are times when one feels deeply affected emotionally as one prays, but this is not the meaning of the phrase "praying in the Spirit." It has no relationship to the emotions that we feel in prayer. I am not saying that feelings are unimportant in prayer; I am simply saying that i do no believe this is what Paul had in mind when he used the phrase "praying in the Spirit."
The 'spirit spoken of here is not the human spirit but the Holy Spirit. Some believe that "praying in the Spirit" takes place when we pray in other tongues, and although it can include that, I believe it is much more than that.
Prayer that is "in the Spirit is prayer that is prompted and guided by the Spirit. One commentator puts it this way: "It means that the Holy Spirit directs the prayer, creates the prayer within us, and empowers us to offer it and to pray it."
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones calls praying in the Spirit "the secret of true prayer" and goes on to say: "If we do no pray in the Spirit, we do not really pray." I would hesitate to make such a sweeping statement myself, but I would go so far as to say that if we do no know it means to pray in the Spirit, our prayers will have little impact upon Satan and his forces.
From this two issues, I learned that often there is unequal measure between Purity and Power. There is a need to balance. And that it might be time for us to deepen our levels of prayer. To seek God and know Him better. Last week, we were saying to do something to encourage the leaders. The attendance at Youth Ablaze is deteriorating.
Let's us also do our best for the coming exams! And God will do the rest!
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