VidDevo Church: DailyHope Jan6

DailyHope Jan6

Thursday, January 06, 2011

Cooperate with the Holy Spirit's work in your life
by Rick Warren

Let the Spirit change your way of thinking. Ephesians 4:23 (CEV)

"Move ahead, doing the right thing in spite of your fears and feelings. This is how you cooperate with the Holy Spirit."

Throughout the Bible we see an important truth illustrated over and over: The Holy Spirit releases his power the moment you take a step of faith. When Joshua was faced with an impassible barrier, the floodwaters of the Jordan River receded only after the leaders stepped into the rushing current in obedience and faith (Joshua 3:13-17).

As we discussed yesterday, our obedience unlocks God's power. God waits for you to act first. Don't wait to feel powerful or confident. Move ahead, doing the right thing in spite of your fears and feelings. This is how you cooperate with the Holy Spirit.

We're told throughout the New Testament to "make every effort" to grow in faith, to become more like Jesus (for instance, Luke 13:24; Romans 14:19; Ephesians 4:3). We don't just sit around and wait for it to happen.

We deepen our faith each time we are obedient to the commands of Jesus. For instance -

We must choose to let go of old ways of acting. "Everything ... connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it!" (Ephesians 4:22 Msg)

We must change the way we think. "Let the Spirit change your way of thinking." (Ephesians 4:23 CEV) The Bible says we are "transformed" by the renewing of our minds. (Romans 12:2)

We must "put on" the character of Christ by developing new, godly habits. The Bible says, "Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:24 NIV)

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