Bible
Study: 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18. / Luke 4:16-30.
In our
Gospel passage this morning, we get a glimpse of what a person is capable of
doing when he or she is filled with the Holy Spirit. Luke tells us that Jesus
went to the Synagogue in the town where he was brought up as was his custom,
meaning that the people were used to seeing him around and for them, he was
nothing more than an ordinary son of a carpenter.
In the
eyes of the people, Jesus was just one ordinary man but there was something
about him that they couldn’t see; something beyond the physical realm; the fact
that Jesus was inflamed by the Holy Spirit. This was what made all the
difference. So when Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah, he could say without
any air of doubt: “This Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Do you
desire to be a Saint? Do you dream of doing things beyond the ordinary? Then I invite
you today to start living a new life in the Spirit. As long as you remain in
the level of the flesh like the rest of men, there is no way you can accomplish
anything significant in life. You need to constantly invite God’s Spirit into
your innermost being by fervent prayers and a strong commitment to renounce the
world along with its passions.
When the
Spirit of the Lord is upon a person, he or she is able to do and say things
that are beyond human reasoning or comprehension. Left to ourselves, our flesh
is weak and animalistic in nature but with a strong determination to live by
the Spirit, we can become instruments for God in making the world a better
place. Inflamed by the Spirit, we can preach to the poor, we can release the
blind, we can free the captives, we can bring relief to the oppressed and so
much more.
Our world
is the way it is today because people are poor, blind, oppressed and in
captivity. This poverty is not so much a material one but a poverty of the
spirit, a poverty that has robbed many of their faith. Hunger, corruption, war
etc. are direct consequences of the blindness of men and women. People are so
blind in spiritual matters that they allow greed, selfishness and pursuit of
money cloud their minds to the extent that they fail to treat fellow humans
with the respect and dignity they deserve. Satanic oppression and captivity is
what is responsible for the wide spread of sin in our world today. Many have
been held captive by various bad habits and find it extremely difficult to
break free of their addictions to vices, immorality, theft, lying etc.
Our world
is not lacking in money, we do not lack resources, and neither are we lacking
leaders. The real problem of our world is the absence of men and women who
would allow themselves to be filled and inflamed by the Spirit. That same
Spirit that worked in Jesus Christ two thousand years ago is still available to
us today. That enabling power is still with us today, we too can do great
things but first, we must create within us a temple for God’s spirit so that he
can use us.
Let us
pray:
Come Holy
Spirit. Fill me daily with your power, order my steps in your word. Transform me
completely and use me to touch the lives of all those I meet daily that through
your anointing, I may do great things for God. Amen.
Good morning.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. Happy new week.
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