Praise the Father of Lights

Spirit of Power

I am burdened to see so many of my generation that think that living like Jesus means being nice and going to church. This is a lie. Jesus was about spiritual freedom and relieving oppression from sin and Satan.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed…

                                                                                                                        -Luke 4:18

If Jesus is our model, how then shall we live? The problem is compounded by a culture that pushes us to ignore the Spirit all together. At best many of us fall into a weird dualism, which relegates the spiritual world to a part-time position. It is no wonder that we have lost our fortitude. However, Jesus said:    

           

            But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will            be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

                                                          -Acts1:8

Is it not amazing these words “you will receive power”? The sad fact is so many of us have no concept of our true power. The dissidence comes when we are faced with some difficult situation and we choose to use our puny human power instead of God’s mighty and terrible strength.

The point of life is not doing but being.

When I first arrived in Africa, I brought with me a lesson from an older brother in Christ, Elbert Smith. Elbert taught me that my most important task is not doing but being.  

      And he appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he                 might send them forth to preach, -Mark 3:14 

As 2012 began, I thought that I had this scripture figured out (complete with life application), however, I am discovering that I still have a long way to go. As I wrote about what God was teaching me in a previous post, I was learning that my greatest daily need was to be with Him. I needed to be with God daily. However, ten months into this journey, I find that my mind is flooded with thoughts of doing, not so much on being. Where does this come from? Why am I so obsessed with doing things? As I take an objective look at my culture, I see that Americans come from a performance driven society. I remember my days as a forklift driver just north of Memphis. Third shift was not my forte, however, I did like working with less traffic in the warehouse. Yet, my performance grade, as calculated by the big computer, was not the best. As a man, I struggle with finding my value in life in what I do. If I do a good job, people like me, and think well of me. If my work is sloppy and poor, then people think less of me, even my self-perception is too often defined by my performance. But the truth of the faith that I affirm is not inline with my cultural beliefs. I am loved by God not because of the work that I do for Him, but because I am His son. 

Honestly, I like doing more than being. Doing makes me feel important. There are days in Kaabong when God says to me, "Robert, today I want you to just focus on being with me," my response; "Is that all?" What a poor view I have of my own sonship!