Care to share?

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Please let me say “thank you” to those who have taken time to read any posts on this blog. I genuinely hope that you’ve found encouragement here. It is my deepest hope to stir and encourage readers, and I would thoroughly enjoy connecting with new ones.

I would consider it a real honor if you might take a moment a share this blog with a friend. Maybe there is one or two particular posts that you’ve enjoyed or one you think someone you know might enjoy. If so, I wonder if you’d suggest this blog to them?

You can share any of the articles using social media buttons at the bottom of each article (easy for twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn – even Pinterest!). Or, you can text or email the link to any article to anyone you think might enjoy an encouraging word.

Thanks again for reading, and thanks for considering to help me share this blog.

Grace to you,
Bryan Davenport

Keep your joy on

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Rejoice… for your own good? There is reason a plenty for us to rejoice – to honor God, to encourage others, etc. But I’d like to emphasize how important it is that we abide in joy – that we keep on rejoicing in the Lord – for OUR OWN GOOD.

It is not unusual for Paul to enjoin his audience to rejoice (Philippians 4:4, I Thess. 5:16). When he does, he urges their joy always. Paul’s priority of and purpose for joy is revealed in his letter to the church at Philippi (Philippians 3:1).  Here’s an augmented translation of Paul’s counsel there:  “Whatever happens, from here forward, keep on rejoicing in the Lord. I never grow weary of telling you this; I tell you for your own good, for your strength, to safeguard your faith.”

Believers should rejoice in the Lord, and keep on rejoicing, for their own good. Why should we be so serious about joy? Consider the following reasons:

To rejoice in the Lord is to agree with truth

When I rejoice, I am agreeing with heaven. I am saying “yes” to the truth of God’s nature—His Goodness, loving kindness, faithfulness, wisdom, and power.  When I rejoice, I am also responding to and agreeing with the glad consequences of the finished work of Jesus. It is finished; I am glad. Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before him (Heb. 12:2) – the joy on the other side of the cross. I am glad to be on that side with him, the joy side. When I rejoice, I am agreeing with the promises of God—all that He has promised to be and do for us in Christ. I rejoice because, like Paul, I know that God is causing all things to work together for my good (Rom. 8:28). That is grin-worthy.

Not incidentally, by recognizing that joy is agreement with heaven helps me see that joy – rejoicing – is a heart posture and mindset. It need not be loud or wild, it need only gratefully agree with truth. Joy is agreeing with Heaven.

Furthermore, I can (and should) agree with heaven anytime, all the time. Too often in times of frustration, crisis, and heartache it is easy to forfeit joy. I might argue, “Hey – this is a tragedy and no place for joy for cryin’ out loud!” But I would be wrong. Because Joy is agreeing with heaven. In crisis, joy looks like hope. In heartache, joy looks like compassion. In conflict, joy looks like gentleness and love and patience and forgiveness.  Even in broken-hearted grief, joy may mourn, but “not like those who have no hope” (I Thess. 4:13). I bring my joy with me into hard times, because there is no greater need for heaven than when we hurt. Keep on rejoicing – for your own good!

To rejoice is to strengthen ourselves

There are few things more devastating than despair, and the slow drain of discouragement can leave us empty. Melancholy moods, ambivalent attitudes and the drip-drip-drip of negative thoughts and words weaken our soul. We are left unprepared for challenge, distracted by the unimportant, and confused as to why we feel so grumpy.

The joy of the Lord, on the other hand (the joy that comes from Him and in response to Him), is our strength (Neh. 8:10). Joy strengthens our soul. Joy lifts our attitudes and sweetens our demeanor. Joy makes us optimistic and resilient. Joy gives us strength to endure, to overcome, and lets us enjoy the ride. We are most powerful when we are most joyful. Keep on rejoicing – for your own good!

Hope is a byproduct of joy

Without hope, faith is dormant. Faith is the substance, the currency, of things hoped for. Without a resilient hope, our faith isn’t reaching for or laying hold of anything. Robust faith requires resplendent hope. This kind of hope is produced and protected by joy. Paul prayed in Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you will all JOY and peace in believing so that you will OVERFLOW with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Overflowing hope is the product of being filled with joy. Hope thrives in the atmosphere of joy. Keep on rejoicing. For your own good!

Rejoicing repels the ugly and unhelpful

When I rejoice, I reject and displace other things that produce nothing good. Joy cannot coexist with ugly attitudes. Joy will not abide anxiety. Joy is not irritable. Joy is never pessimistic. This makes perfect sense when I remember that joy is agreeing with heaven, with truth. My mind is never as clear and calm as when truth is prevailing there. Joy keeps truth in pole position. For those who might struggle to overcome unholy habits or unhelpful behaviors, I boldly prescribe joy. You’ve probably tried to beat yourself up, struggled to abstain, or maybe even flicked a rubber band on your wrist. Behavioral modification might work on puppies, but joy is heaven’s antidote to your angst.

Rejoicing 101

What’s that look like? Well, there’s not much complexity to it. If I begin with the conviction that rejoicing is agreeing with truth – then I can simply decide to rejoice in whatever expression I choose. Seriously. Sometimes I just smile really big on purpose. (Smiling actually sends signals to and through your brain that triggers natural pleasant and happy feelings.) Sometimes I will breathe in deeply and find something to give thanks for or just begin to praise God. Most often, however, rejoicing is as easy letting out a good chuckle. Seriously LOL. “Hey Dav, I don’t want be fake.” No one does, and rejoicing never is – because it always agrees with truth. And furthermore, why would you feel so obligated to be loyal to a bad mood? What’s that bad mood ever done for you? So, laugh out loud. Laughing is worship. Laughing is agreeing with the Lord of the Cosmos. Laughing is celebrating the finished work of Jesus. Laugh with God. Rejoice.

Finally, in those moments when smiles and laughter are not on the menu, don’t forfeit joy – never do that. Rather, quiet your heart. In silent reflection, remember who God is, what Christ has done, what God has promised to be and do for us, and place your trust in His nature. And let your heart rejoice in Him.

Joy will protect your thoughts, guard your heart, strengthen your soul, sweeten your spirits, promote great hope, and keep you in agreement with Heaven.

Keep your joy on, for your own good.

How to become better encouragers

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No one can argue against the value and importance of encouragement. The former post on this blog affirms the role that encouraging others ought to have in our lives. Every believer should leave others, especially other believers, better than the way we found them.

But how might we become better encouragers? We live in a cynical, critical and competitive world—encouragement may not be first nature to many. There is a way to develop an encouraging nature, to ready our hearts and minds for every opportunity to edify. In light of the scriptural imperative to encourage, and the powerful impact encouragement can have on others, consider the following as one way to improve:

Intercession (prayer for others) builds an empathetic, eager infrastructure for a lifestyle of encouragement.

First of all, intercession is a great gig all by itself without forcing it to be a means by which another virtue is developed. But in this case, since the shoe fits…let’s see how this works. What we’ll see is that the same basic principles that are at work in intercession equip us to become better encouragers. Here’s how:

Intercession agrees with Heaven about another person

When I intercede for someone else, I begin by considering what heaven says about them. (Not incidentally, intercession helps me regularly and affectionately thinking about others, instead of keeping my radar focused on me.) What do the scriptures affirm as true with regard to how God sees them, what He has done for them, and what is true about them in light of the finished work of Jesus? And further, what does the Holy Spirit say about them? His voice always encourages (consider that 1 Cor. 14 explains that His voice edifies either the speaker or the spoken to – only and always). These things are true about the person not because of their conduct, but because of their identity, calling and inheritance in Christ (Eph. 1:17-18). I pray these things, these truths, over the person. I agree with heaven about them. That is intercession. And, coincidentally, that carries right over into encouragement. I can “say” the same truths that I “pray.” I can (should) speak to people about and in the light of who they are because of what God has done for them in Christ, and about the joyful, hopeful, powerful implications thereof. Encouragement is agreeing with heaven about someone to their face.

Intercession Follows Love’s Promptings

Having considered and agreed with heaven, I can intercede further by immersing my heart and mind into the love of God for a person, and then praying according to Love’s inspiration. What does Love prompt me to feel or think toward them in the moment? Pray accordingly. The same is true for encouragement. Trust the leadership of Love. This is fantastic exercise to cultivate divine empathy for others. Again, I can “say” the same truths that I “pray.” Listening and responding to Love’s prompting is a powerful means of encouragement, enabling me to become a conduit of the love of God.

Intercession Gives Thanks

Reading Paul’s prayers of intercession, one cannot miss that Paul expressed gratitude toward God for those he prayed, even as he asked for great things for them. When praying over others, it is powerful and practical to pause and deliberately affirm before God how and why we are grateful for them. This, again, will condition us to readily express our appreciation to others. Gratitude is very encouraging, whether general or specific. Use both. Express gratitude for the “general” things about a person (that will help shape and enforce their sense of identity) and for the specific things they are or do (that will affirm their uniqueness and value).

With intercession, you are not the expert

When I pray for others, I am not primarily expressing my opinion to God. I don’t treat my opinion as the primary objective standard by which God should act. The same is true for encouragement; it is not primarily about my opinion. Encouragement is rarely advice. It should never have as its goal the desire to control or direct someone’s behavior, getting then to say or do or decide what I think is right for them. That is mentoring or managing – and those are based on a set of shared expectations, where a measure of control is granted to another party by permission. Encouragement doesn’t require permission, because it is not an instrument of control.  I can pray for you all day (and you may not even know about it), and I can encourage at-will without even asking. I seek only to grace you and not govern you. Encouragement goes in the gas tank; it does not reach for the steering wheel.

Leaving  people better than we found them: 

            Intercession and encouragement go hand-in-glove; they work well together. Both are grace-gifts that help us leave people better than we found them. They are happy habits, practicing one helps us with the other. I’d suggest starting with intercession, but don’t wait to encourage. After all, it is “today.”

Leave People Better than You Found Them

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How many of you have ever needed the ministry of discouragement? I don’t mean talked out of a bad idea or steered in a different direction via the courageous confrontation of a faithful friend. I mean how often have you needed to have your courage revoked? No one ever needs that. Rather, people deeply and regularly need and benefit greatly from encouragement.

Encouragement is an essential, integral aspect of the Christian’s calling. The writer of Hebrews twice enjoins his readers to “encourage one another” (Heb. 3:13, 10:25)*. We are to encourage one another “as long as it is called today.” That means that if it is “today” then it is the right day to encourage someone. Encouragement is a regular, ongoing, daily exercise. Encouragement, in the context of chapter 3 of Hebrews, is a powerful means to keep our hearts soft and free from sin’s deceitfulness. In chapter 10, the readers are encouraged to encourage one another more and more as we see “the day” approaching – meaning the Day of the Lord. Encourage one another, more and more, with every day that draws us nearer to Christ’s return. That means that not only do we encourage one another daily, but that with every passing day we get better at encouragement, and that we do so more often. Daily, we should get better at leaving people better than we found them. Today is a perfect day to start.

* In 1 Thessalonians 5:11 and 5:14 Paul uses similar language, urging his readers to continue encouraging one another regularly, and especially the disheartened.

 

Spiritual Spontaneity in a Worship Gathering

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Every Thursday morning I meet the same friend for breakfast. We meet at the same time, and we meet for approximately the same length of time each week. I know pretty well what range of subject matter we’ll talk about. I am nearly certain what each of us will eat for breakfast. And yet, each morning we meet, our conversation is fresh, it is robust, it is encouraging, open and honest. We have cried (well, we’re dudes so we only got a little choked up); we laugh (without fail, every week). We don’t have a specific agenda to cover, though we may likely have thoughtfully prepared a thought or question or story for the other. Our meetings are the result of schedule, planning, and preparation. But when we actually sit down, no matter how much of our routine is…routine, our conversation and interaction is living. It is spontaneous. It is guided by good manners but stirred by great passion.

I reflect on this breakfast dynamic as I consider current (though ancient) discussion about the structure and flow of worship gatherings – of “church” – in terms of the freedom and movement of the Holy Spirit.  I read blog posts and articles and have heard posited from pulpitis cautioning against spontaneity or sensationalism, reminding the reader or auditor that The Holy Spirit can anoint thorough preparation and bless tidy presentation.  I have observed, too, the hazards and chaos and boundary-less worship gatherings that are blamed on the Holy Spirit (who evidently struggles with Tourette’s Syndrome or ADHD).

I would argue, not so much for one or the other, but for an alternative. Of course the Holy Spirit is planner and a preparer. It was He who hovered over the face of deep (Genesis 1) at creation before any creative word was released. It was He who stirred Samson (Judges 13:25) before any lion or Philistine tasted death-by-fist. It was He who filled and “flipped” John the Baptist in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15, 44) before any locust shared a plate with wild honey or anyone got wet with repentance. I deeply believe and depend upon His infilling and influence each week as I prepare to lead our worship gatherings and study for messages to share with the church. In fact, I believe that the Spirit prompts “previews” of needs that can be met, themes to emphasize, and specific actions to take to engage the congregation. I am glad and grateful for the partnership of the Spirit with regard to planning and preparation.

However, I do not leave the Holy Spirit in my study. I bring Him, or rather follow Him, into the auditorium. Much like my breakfast meeting, this occasion is planned for, prepared for, and even allotted a certain time-frame for completion. But also like my breakfast meeting, I anticipate a living atmosphere, a dynamic environment. Real people have gathered in this room. People with needs and opportunities, people with gifts and graces. Moreover, a Real Person is present to preside over and permeate this gathering. The Holy Spirit is fully, actively present with us. It more than just stands to reason that I should be ready for spontaneity, I should expect and accommodate it. Whenever you combine man’s passion and God’s Presence, you’d better leave some white-space in the margins.

Consider with me the role of some of the unplanned events in the NT narratives. Most of the individual miracle stories of Jesus, the ones where we have most specific details and the same ones that have inspired the hope and faith of countless generations, are the result of Jesus being interrupted. If Jesus had refused to accommodate spontaneity (as a result of man’s passion connecting with divine presence), consider the consequences. He would have never made water into wine (John 2). He wouldn’t have freed the grave-living demoniac (Mark 5:1-2). He’d have never told the lame man to take up his bed and walk (Matthew 9:2). He wouldn’t have raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead (Matthew 9:18). The blind men shouting for mercy would have remained “shushed.” In fact, the tendency to shush people and keep them from interrupting didn’t start with seeker-sensitive services. The disciples of Jesus tried to keep a tidy ministry from the get-go (Mark 10:13-14, Mark 10:42, Matthew 15:21-23). The list of things that Jesus would not have done gets very long if we don’t let him get interrupted.

Along those lines, I don’t believe that wind and fire and glossolalia were on the prayer meeting agenda in the upper room (Acts 2). Peter and John went to pray, and met a lame man on the way….(Acts 3). Things got real crazy during offering (Acts 5).

A living, dynamic gathering need not be characterized by and certainly not limited to specific manifestations or expressions. The Holy Spirit speaks to and through us in various and creative ways. People often see pictures, or feel an impression, or are made aware of specific needs in the room—the goal of which is all to minister grace to the gathered.

Nor is there any need for or benefit from rudeness or overt silly-ness. It seems reasonable to welcome people who have some established level of relationship in the community to share with the gathered what they feel the Spirit is saying to / through them for the benefit of the body. It also seems reasonable that they do so at a time that makes sense in the flow of the service (especially if white space is deliberately provided). Spontaneity need not be urgent; “when” we hear from or share something the Spirit has said is not nearly as important as how we respond. Furthermore, there should be a reasonable means for people to share – like having a microphone available for people to come to. There’s no rationale for hollering-at-will from around the room—no one needs to reach from the back seat of the car and grab the steering wheel. Great passion can function in the context of good manners.

But the largest issue is simply to remember, to celebrate and surrender to the reality that God, very God, the Holy Spirit is present with us. He is living; He is active; He is speaking and acting—through people, the community gathered for worship. The presence and activity of the Spirit in the life and functions of the church is important to heaven. His coming and activity are actually the final intention and plan of God for the planet (Acts 2:17-18). There is no replacement for His presence, no substitute for His activity. He should fill and flood our plan, our preparation, and our presentation. Ultimately, we, the church, are being built together in Christ for the singularly sublime purpose of being a dwelling where God lives by His Spirit (Eph. 2:22). I’m planning on it.

The Tears of the Oppressed and The Compassionate Commission

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tears of the oppressed

Ecclesiastes 4 begins with the teacher describing yet another meaningless situation.  He says, “I saw oppression, and the tears of the oppressed. The oppressors have great power, and the victims are helpless.” He responds to such sadness by saying, “So I concluded it is better to dead.” (My paraphrase of Ecc. 4:1-2)

He observes the pain and injustice of oppression, and the sad helplessness of suffering and concludes that the only response is to wait for death. Death is the solution to oppression and suffering. The dead can’t be hurt, nor will they have to endure suffering.

Most folks familiar enough with biblical literature know that by this point Solomon had polluted his mind and heart by indulging in debauchery and was pontificating from a poisoned point of view. We don’t generally accept his position that life is meaningless as reliable let alone inspiring.

However, I find some similarities in some Christian thought / teaching with the sentiment expressed here. We see oppression. We see the tears of the oppressed. We see the sick, the hurting, the tormented and the persecuted. Their tears stain our prayer altars and clinic counters. Other’s tears are well-hidden, their pain or addiction or personal torment is obfuscated behind affluence or well-managed-appearance. Most often they are offered means of coping with their problems. They are supported; they are pitied, they are accommodated. They may be offered the best tools available for managing their pain or controlling their addiction. Some of the best-hearted people on the planet are doing everything they can to help relieve some of the symptoms of the suffering.

But here’s the rub. No real hope is offered for a solution, no real means of dealing with the oppressor (the cause of oppression) seems possible. It is good and kind and appropriate for us to console the tearful, but we fall short unless we confront the tyranny behind those tears. Ultimately the hurting (or sick, or oppressed) are too often told to hold out until heaven. They are, essentially, “encouraged” that they will be better off dead.

On a larger scale, there is popular sentiment that this whole world is so bad and getting so much worse, and therefore “we just can’t wait for the first bus out of here.” Swing low, sweet chariot! I am glad for heaven; I rejoice that there is more Life than this life; I am grateful that death is not final. But death is not our hope, and managing suffering is not our mission.

Compare the Teacher’s (Ecc. 4:1-2) resignation against Christ’s compassion. In Matthew 9:35-38 the reader finds Jesus fully engaged in powerful, compassionate confrontation of suffering. “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.” Jesus came as a liberator, a deliverer, a healer—with a specific message and mission to the oppressed and their oppressor (Luke 4:18-19, Acts 10:38, 1 John 3:8). Jesus saw the tears of the oppressed, and He (like the Teacher in Ecclesiastes) saw that the oppressor was strong and the oppressed were helpless; “he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Harassed and helpless. The language here implies a third party – an aggressor, an harasser. Someone is harassing the multitude, and they are helpless against their oppressor. Jesus, in contrast to the Teacher in Ecclesiastes, responds with resolve. His solution was NOT to console the hurting with the hope of death, but to enjoin His followers to join Him in being carriers of hope and help.

Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” What was the harvest? The harvest was the mandate from heaven to powerfully, compassionately confront suffering. Jesus saw the oppressed and hurting as a harvest. Meaning, he saw bound people as potentially free people, and the sick as well, and the broken as whole. This is harvest. So, Jesus implores, pray! Ask Heaven to intervene because only Heaven can deal with hell. Specifically, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into the harvest. In other words, Heaven is going to deal with suffering by sending you to do something about it.

And right away the reader finds that Jesus sends His disciples out to confront suffering exactly the way he did: He gathered His disciples together and “gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness” (Matt. 10:1). Notice the exact same depiction of Jesus’ ministry in Matt. 4:23-25 and 9:35. Their commission included the mission and means to drive out the evil spirits while delivering healing for hurting people. Christ commands them, “As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give’” (10:7-8). Christians have the mission of Christ (vv. 7-8) and the means of Christ (10:1).

God hates suffering. He has given us resources and responsibility to powerfully, compassionately, comfort the oppressed and confront their oppressor. It’s worthwhile to explore how we go about this, what this looks like in our life-settings, and even how to start. However, because the harvest is great, let the workers start working, even if we must learn on the job. But of first importance is that we embrace fully the belief that the suffering are not better of dead. They are the harvest.  

 

Not Just a Label

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I love the New Living Translation’s version of 1 Cor. 1:30. “God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.” The translators took some liberty to explain where other versions use more historically traditional phrases: Christ has become for us “righteousness, sanctification and redemption.” But come on, you need to sift through a lexicon and bible dictionary to unpack those words. The NLT has done a great job of that for the reader, helping us to gain a fuller view of what God has done for us in Christ. And I enjoy viewing this work through the lens of the self-check-out line at the grocery store: items with bar-codes on the label, swiped over a scanner (BLOOP!) and the screen tells you it is BBQ sauce.

Christ has made us right with God.

This is a legal verdict from heaven. We have been declared “not guilty” by reason of forgiveness. The sentence, the judgment is “righteous.” Like a bar-code on a bottle of BBQ sauce, no matter how many times you run that label over the scanner – BLOOP – it’ll say BBQ sauce. We’ve been stamped as righteous, as forgiven, as right with God. And I am thankful that no matter how many times I am scanned – BLOOP – it says “righteous, forgiven, and right with God.” There is no higher court; His verdict cannot be vacated. It is finished.

Christ has made us pure and holy

Here’s where the metaphor gets tricky. You see, I could switch the label on the BBQ sauce with the mayonnaise jar. And, if I run it over the scanner (BLOOP), it’ll claim to be mayonnaise. Nothing changed inside, but just the label. Too many believers live like all that’s occurred to them is that they’ve been stamped with a bar code. They’re forgiven; they’re right with God; they’re thankful. But from there they have to just kind of slug it out. They believe that they are stuck with the same old stuff inside the bottle. Unless, of course, they have the exceptional will-power and proper accountability groups to help them try harder to live right. Rest assured, they’re comforted, “someday you’ll be free from that mortal shell and then you’ll really be righteous.”

Wait, what? Are we serious? We’re forgiven for today, but stuck with the junk in our trunk until we die? How could we place more confidence in our casket than in Christ’s cross? Why should we put more hope in our death than his? Paul tells us that Christ has become for us sanctification, expressed by the NLT that Christ has “made us pure and holy.” Friends, that means far more than just forgiveness. If any person be in Christ they are a new creation—the old is gone, the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17). If you are in Christ, He has made you pure; He has made you holy. It was a passive experience. He did it; you became it. You see, it’s not just a bar-code. He didn’t just change your label. He changed you. He made you pure and holy. You aren’t living in a cosmic struggle between how you’re labeled and what you’re made of. You are made new. This is truth-in-labeling, friends.

It is imperative that we embrace and believe this, and do so deeply. It is impossible to consistently live in a manner inconsistent with what you believe. If you believe you’re an addict, a pervert, a scoundrel, a glutton, weak… if you genuinely believe that you’re a sinner then you will sin by faith (and view it as normal but still ask for forgiveness). You might protest the notion that you’ve been made pure and holy because, after all, you ain’t actin’ like it. You might have beat yourself up time and again. You may have made a host of pledges and promises to try harder. It probably hasn’t worked. His work, however, will work.  Believe that Christ has made you pure and holy. And never stop.  As you believe deeply, what you believe  will affect and influence your thoughts, your attitudes, and your actions. Even in failure, give thanks for His work in you. He has made you pure and holy. No action on your part will ever be superior to His action on the cross.

Christ has freed us from sin

Redemption. Christ has freed us. From what? From sin. From sin’s power, pollution and punishment. From any obligation to a sinful nature (Romans 8:12). We have been released and empowered, graced, to live freely under the influence and enabling of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 22, 25). This is the purpose of Christ’s work. It is for freedom that Christ has set you free (Gal. 5:1). You are free to love, to serve, to rejoice. You are free to enjoy partnership with Christ and fellowship with the Holy Spirit. You are free to do good works, to be filled with the Spirit, to give thanks, to carry hope and life to a world of hurt. You are free to dream, to become, and to create. You are free to live, really live. None of it in order to try to become righteous, all of it because you already are. This isn’t about a new label, it’s about a whole new life (BLOOP).

 

 

How I Rely On the Holy Spirit

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flying dove

I was considering entitling this note “How to rely on the Spirit” – but I just can’t bring myself to suggest that I have the answer or know the way that everyone should rely on Him. I just know what has been effective in my own life and what has enlarged my joy and confidence. I know how I rely on Him, and how I intend to do so more. So, here’s how…

My use of the word “rely” comes from the NLT’s wording in 1 Cor. 2:4 where Paul writes, “…I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.” I like the use of “rely” here because its definition expresses precisely what I think is Paul’s position. It means 1.) depend on with full trust or confidence 2.) be dependent on. Paul relied on the Spirit. Paul enjoins the same sentiment for his audience that he does for himself in Galatians 5:25, “since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit”. In Corinthians Paul speaks of spirit-enabled ministry, in Galatians he speaks of spirit-enabled ethics. Both testimonies invite us, urge us, to look to and lean upon the Holy Spirit for every aspect of Christian living.

For me, relying on the Spirit means that I trust Him deeply, so much so that my trust expresses itself in my attitudes and actions. I rely on Him. The more deeply I trust Him, the more readily I rely on Him. What do I specifically mean by “trust”? What do I trust Him to be and do? What do I trust about Him?

I trust that He is fully present:

I believe that the Holy Spirit is here, now, fully-in-this-moment. I do not believe that I need to rub a lamp or conjure Him up. I do not believe that He is aloof or elusive. Jesus promised that because He was going to the Father, that we could live in the immediate presence of the Holy Spirit, and that He would be present in our lives in every Helpful way (John 14-16). In Acts, Luke describes the Spirit in a believer’s life as “full” or “filled.” He gives no hint of partial presence. I trust that He is fully present, in this moment, in me and with me. I thank Him, honor Him, welcome Him, adore Him and yield to His fullness.

I trust that He is working:

I believe that His presence is active, not passive. He is not with me as an observer, but a Helper. He is not a silent partner; He is the Senior Partner. He is powerful; He is totally sufficient. He is present to influence, to form, to encourage, to strengthen, to enable. I completely depend on Him. Just as certain as I am that He is present, regardless of what I feel or do not feel, I believe—I trust—that He is working.

I trust that his work is working.

I believe that His work in and through me is effectual. I anticipate results.  I believe He is producing fruit in me (Gal. 5:22). I believe He is supplying the grace and power for any need and opportunity (Acts 1:8, 1 Cor. 12:7). I am confident that He is applying in my life all that Jesus accomplished on the Cross. He is working, and I believe His work is working.

I rely on the Holy Spirit by trusting Him.  In witness and worship, in service and ethics, I believe He is present, powerful, and producing.

 

What Difference Does Prayer Make?

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What difference does prayer make? Scripture testifies that prayer touches and influences three places. Prayer affects heaven and earth and us.

Prayer affects heaven:

Heaven acts because we ask. By that I do not mean to suggest that prayer changes God’s mind or modifies His mood. Rather we ask because The Father has ordained prayer to be the means by which He acts. He has chosen to respond to prayer. We ask because we can – because Christ has opened the way, drawn us near, and has become the “yes” to every promise of God (Heb. 4:16, 2 Cor. 1:20).

Prayer affects earth:

We pray so that heaven’s realities will prevail upon the circumstances on earth. In prayer I partner with God, in Christ’s name, calling for His Kingdom to prevail on earth as it is in heaven. In prayer we contend against evil, injustice, oppression, lack, suffering and all that is contrary to Heaven on Earth (Matthew 6:10).  In prayer we wrestle against rulers and authorities and powers and spiritual forces in the heavenly realms (Eph. 6:12). We do so from Christ’s victory (Eph. 1:20-23), with joy and boldness and gratitude. Jesus has the receipt for the planet. He’s given us the keys (Matt. 16:18-19). We pray accordingly. We keep praying until the purposes of God prevail.

Prayer affects us:

Prayer touches me – influences me. It should anyway. Prayer should affect what and how I feel, my attitudes, my affections, and even my behavior. When I come to my Father and ask Him to bless or heal or help a friend or neighbor, if my heart is in it, then my heart should begin to feel toward that friend like God’s heart does. If I am interceding for my church, my city, or my in-laws, then it follows that I should begin to share in God’s heart toward them as well. In prayer, I should begin to feel how my father feels, and become as committed to the outcome as He is (Matt 9:36-38).

It is in this arena, how prayer affect us, that I offer some further thoughts. I get very weary of hearing people cajole believers to “cry out to God” – as though our volume and intensity will somehow sway God into hearing and responding. Further, I feel uncomfortable hearing people default to praying in beggarly groans. Heaven is not moved by our fervor, but by our faith in Christ.

However, it is possible that “crying out to God” affects me, awakens me, and stirs me. It is also possible, even probable, that Holy Spirit will move deeply upon us in prayer and as we feel what he feels we may weep (or laugh, or dance, or feel angry). I deeply desire His Spirit to fill and form my feelings, attitudes and behaviors.

What is important is that we let, even expect, feelings be a response to the Spirit’s partnership in prayer, and not assume them a prerequisite to effective prayer. James does NOT say that the emotionally worked up prayer is powerful (James 5:16), but the prayer of the righteous is powerful as it is working. It is the righteousness of Christ that makes prayer powerful. Pray with confidence in the full force of the finished work.

Prayer matters. It makes a difference. It affects heaven. It influences earth. It changes us. I bet that if you let yourself believe this, believe it deeply, it might have a significant effect on your prayer life. Your prayer will make a difference.

Believing deeply; praying boldly

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man in praise         

  Oh good – another article that lectures me about my prayer life. Wait! Don’t click away just yet. I know you know you’re “supposed” to pray. I also know that regardless of how important prayer is, it is not necessarily popular. I don’t know any honest believer that wouldn’t like to improve their prayer lives. And for some – any improvement would be… an improvement.

How can we improve our prayer lives? Perhaps we should pray “more”? Or more “correctly”? Perhaps better models, methods, routines, times of the day… volume levels, background music? No. Any emphasis on performance or perfection will pollute our prayer life. Our goal is neither condemnation nor complication here.

To change how we behave, we must change what we believe. Therefore, let us endeavor to believe differently about prayer. Let us improve what we believe. Belief isn’t necessarily binary – not either/or and not pass or fail. Belief can be a matter of depth. The more deeply we believe something the more influence it has over our thoughts and affections and actions. Let us believe more deeply that we might pray more boldly.

Three things to believe about prayer

1.)  Believe the Holy Spirit is Present as you pray (fully present, participating, literally partnering)

Paul describes and prescribes an awareness of the Holy Spirit in prayer. In Romans 8:26 he says that the Spirit literally prays with us and for us. In Ephesians 6:18 he urges believes to pray in the Spirit always. This may include spiritual language – but not exclusively. Wayne Grudem tells us that “in the Spirit” means “to pray with conscious awareness of God’s presence surrounding us.” And even when Paul prayed for people – he was confidently aware of and depending on the work of the Spirit (Eph. 1:17, 3:16)

How would pray if you believed that the Holy Spirit is fully present as you pray?

2.)  Believe you are praying FROM, and not FOR.

Prayer is not my effort to secure a relationship with God. I am not attempting to do enough, say enough, or try hard enough in order to be heard. A great deal of negative things have resulted from people thinking that they need to work themselves up or do “enough” for God to pay attention. It breeds pride. It leads to discouragement. It sets a trap for condemnation if you feel you didn’t do enough or fell short.

Instead we must believe that we are praying FROM favor and not FOR it, from relationship and not for, from acceptance and not for, from nearness and not for.

Jesus taught, in Matthew 6:7-8 that your confidence is not in your efforts or volume or methods – that’s paganism. Your confidence is in Your Father. The Holy Spirit is crying out “Abba Father” within us (Rom. 8:15, Gal. 4:6).

Further, we pray with confidence in the finished work of Christ. The blood of Jesus has brought me near, called me close, and welcomed me to the Throne of God (Eph. 2:13, Hebrews 4:16).

Most specifically, Christ has enjoined us to pray in His name (John 16:24). To do something in someone’s name means to do so as if it were them doing it. When Jesus prayed, he was not struggling for acceptance; he prayed from the love and pleasure of His Father (Luke 3:21). To pray in His name fully implies that I am praying… as Christ. Imagine.

How would you pray if you believed, deeply, that you prayed “from” and not “for”?

3.)  Believe that prayer matters.

Here’s probably the rub – do we really believe that prayer matters? That it can and will make a difference? I suppose we hope it does; especially in moments of our most urgent concerns. But I can’t help but think that too many have lost confidence in the currency of prayer. Too few pray from a joyful hope that it makes a difference. Jesus did. He prayed like it mattered (Luke 6:12). He talked and taught about prayer like it mattered (Luke 11:1-13). Paul certainly prayed like it mattered and urged his readers to feel the same (1 Thess. 5:17).  Prayer does matter. Prayer touches heaven, changes earth, and affects us in the process*. Few things matter, in fact, more than prayer.

How would you pray if you believed that prayer really matters?

To change how we behave, we must change what we believe. Therefore, let us believe more deeply that we pray in the presence and partnership of the Holy Spirit, that we pray from the favor of God and not for it, and that prayer really, really matters. Believing this deeply, we might pray more boldly, more enthusiastically, more joyfully, and yes – even more often.

*See “Why Prayer Matters”