January 12, 2020

January 12 
Running with Jesus

Luke 4:1a And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit.....
Luke 4:18a The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, ...
 

          Sometimes runners will fall but get back up and continue to run. I am doing that because I missed out on noticing this important part of how Jesus was running His race "full of the Holy Spirit"! What does full of the Spirit mean? To be filled means to be controlled by the Spirit. We are commanded in Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
          Have you noticed liquor stores are often called spirits? Rightly so, because liquor takes control of the body. God is telling us to allow the spirit access to our control center as we run through life. We find in God's Word how we are supposed to live and act. God reveals how we are to respond to life's situations. When we say ok Father, I don't feel like this or enjoy this action but because you tell me to respond in this manner I will do it. It is the battle of 'the wills" yielding our rights to His rights. Can we be filled with the Spirit? Sure have you ever seen anyone filled with rage, jealousy, lust, greed, anger, self-pity?  Now when we are filled with the Spirit of God we have the fruit of the spirit present, which is love, joy, peace, patience, long suffering, gentleness, temperance and self control. 
When we receive Christ the Spirit of God comes to dwell in us. We just have to let Him have all of us to be filled.

Father, to run with You we must let You have full control or we will never complete our race! Help our weaknesses and strengthen us as we race. Thank You for Your sweet , sweet spirit indwelling us, guiding and leading us as we run forward. 

Tomorrow: We can expect rejection in our home town!

Judy Hollaway

Originally penned 2015