One morning, while listening to depressing news for a long time, I noticed a heavy feeling entering my heart. I felt dreary oppression trying to invade my mind. Although I need to know what’s going on in the world, I must limit my time listening to the news to stay healthy.
If I don’t begin my day connecting to God first, I can easily forget how much God loves me with all his heart, no matter what, forever and always. I can forget Christ’s decision to leave heaven and come to earth to die for our sins to save us. I can let my responsibilities, lists, and everything else around me prevent me from fully accessing Christ’s Spirit living in me.
I can get sucked into the negative mindset of the world and the harsh realities we must face, or I can keep my focus on Jesus. Just like Peter sank into the sea when he took his eyes off of Jesus while walking on water, we must keep our eyes on Jesus first.
It’s up to us to choose to walk and work with Jesus every day. We must train ourselves to focus on him first and dwell in his spirit throughout our day.
What Room Have You Made for God’s Holy Spirit?
Scripture tells us through the apostle Paul. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Cor. 10:5, NIV)
Jesus overcame his mental and physical temptations in the desert by knowing God’s word and proclaiming it aloud. God’s word gives us the solution and power to keep our minds healthy and focused on good things. God’s word tells us what to “think about” to overcome any negativity.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”(Phil. 4:8, KJV)
If we allow what’s going on in the world to create fear, confusion, and helplessness, we open the door for the enemy. The devil will take a spark of fear or doubt and ignite it with hundreds of “what if” scenarios to keep you locked in fear. “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (and self-discipline in NLT version). (2 Tim. 1:7, NKJ and NLT)
Although God has given us His love, power, a sound mind, and the fruit of self-discipline, living in faith requires us to work with Jesus to develop and mature these aspects in us. Our faith is a lifelong journey that requires us to commit to training to be godly. (1 Tim. 4:7) As we mature in our faith, we will experience Christ’s Spirit consistently throughout our day, no matter what we face.
Dwelling in God’s Spirit
We all go through many seasons in our life, including some mountaintop and desert experiences. God desires to walk with us every minute of every day. He wants us to know him deeply. To trust him and his ways, no matter what we hear or how circumstances look to us or others.
When we choose to be Christ’s disciple, we choose to grow in a personal relationship with him every day. Faith requires us to know God’s heart and character of love to see that we can trust him regardless of how we feel, what we think, or how things look. Our faith comes from what we believe and what we do. Faith without actions is dead. (James 2:20,26)
Choosing to follow God through Jesus Christ is to honor and serve God with our obedience, like Jesus, no matter the cost. As we follow God and allow Jesus and the Holy Spirit to teach us, we will experience him every day as we fulfill his path for us.
God Desires to Share His Love with You
My relationship with my husband is much deeper than with my friends because I intimately know his heart and love. I spend extra time with him and share my heart, dreams, joys, and sorrows. We can experience the same depth in our relationship with God and Jesus as we spend quality time with them every day by studying God’s word, in prayer, and through praise.
No one escapes the challenges, temptations, or heartache we all must face throughout our lives in this broken world. When we choose to follow Jesus through Salvation, we are no longer alone, powerless, or without a perfect eternity. Salvation through Christ makes it possible for us to live with God’s Spirit dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit right now and for eternity.
The God who knit us together in our mother’s womb and breathed our first breath of life into us is alive in us through Christ. Because Jesus lives in us, we dwell in his love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, correction, power, and blessings. Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love!
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:38-39, NLT)
Take Your First Steps Now!
Take time this week to thank God for all he has done for you. Praise Jesus for choosing to come to this earth and be a sacrifice for all our sins. Celebrate the fact that Jesus conquered sin and death and made it possible for us to dwell with him in our imperfectness on this broken earth and into eternity.
Once we become a child of God, this earth is no longer our home. We can claim the 8,000 promises of God in his word. Focus on Jesus first and experience his Spirit every day. Our Savior is alive. His Spirit lives in us!
