1 Corinthians 2:10-11 ‘But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so no man knoweth the things of God, but the Spirit of God.’
DAILY READING; Matthew 22:23-46; Numbers 22:1-40; Song of Solomon 2:8-3:5
From an early age, Katie Souza had pre-conceived ideas about what the good life was. She believed that if she was working in the entertainment industry, she would make money fast, become famous and live the good life.
By 17 years old, she was on the air, with CBS television, pursuing her dream of fame and success.
Acting and modeling opportunities followed, but drug use that began in her teens gradually became a full-fledged addiction that threatened everything.
Katie was striving for. She got a role with Universal Studios, but just before her callback, she went on a drug binge.
When she got to the meeting, the person in charge, looked at her and said she looked like a heroin addict and ordered her out of his office.
That was like her last blow. Thereafter she fell face first into crime, and became a full-time drug seller. She was arrested 12 times in one year for multiple felonies. Finally, she was arrested on federal charges for conspiracy, manufacturing narcotics and weapons violations. She was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
After years behind bars, Katie reached her breaking point and cried out to God for help.
Katie prayed to become a Christian. The only book in the whole place was the Bible. So she picked it up and began reading through it. As she read, the Holy Spirit began to point out Scriptures about the people of ancient Israelites who went through captivity but were brought out of bondage by God’s power. Katie, realized that it was like her own story.
Soon her tough girl attitude and reputation began to change. She also began teaching what she was learning from th Holy Spirit to everyone that she could reach.
She raised a fellowship group that began worshipping God, praying and baptizing people in the shower. They experienced an amazing breakout of the presence of God right in the middle of their captivity.
After serving five years of her thirteen-year sentence, Katie won her appeal and was released early.
Today, she is an international minister of the Gospel who teaches a worldwide audience.
Katie wrote a book about the lessons she learned from the Israelites’ time in captivity and how God can use prison time to prepare people for their purpose.
None of us can overcome our sins and shortcomings without the help of the Spirit.
After he had received God’s Spirit, Paul described his new outlook on life: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
Buried with Jesus in the grave of baptism, Paul now lived a life that was no longer his own. He described his transformed life as one of allowing Christ to live again within him.
Paul urged other believers to “imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” He tells us to “let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5,).
To imitate Christ we must bring our thoughts, attitudes and actions in line with His. We must allow the Spirit to become the guiding force in our lives .
without the power of God’s Spirit we can have no deep, close relationship with the Father.
It is because the Spirit dwells in us that we are called the children of God (Romans 8:14-17).
The Holy Spirit keeps us in contact with God’s mind. God’s Spirit works with our mind. The apostle John describes it this way: “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit [which] He has given us” (1 John 3:24).
Through God’s Spirit, which He gives us, we can be influenced by Him for the good.
His Spirit also helps us come to a deeper comprehension of His truth. When Jesus promised the apostles He would send the Spirit to them, He said it would “guide [them] into all truth” (John 16:13).
God’s Spirit inspires a deeper understanding of His Word, purpose and will.
1 Corinthians 2:9-11 tells us: ” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.”
Without God’s Spirit a person cannot understand God’s divinely expressed Word and will, “for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
The Holy Spirit makes overcoming possible. Truly, nothing is too difficult for us with the power of God working in our lives. Romans 8:26 tells us that God’s Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. Paul, who wrote the letter to the Romans, speaks for all of us when he said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
Jesus promises Christians, “With God all things are possible” ( Mark 10:27). The Christian life is to be one of overcoming. We must realize God doesn’t want us to remain just as we were when He called us. Instead, we must “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind” (Romans 12:2). Christianity is a lifetime of overcoming and growing-of transforming our thoughts and mind to become like Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit produces godly fruit in us. Just as an apple tree produces apples, God’s Spirit produces a particular type of fruit in the life of a Christian. Paul lists the fruit that should be evident in those who are led by God’s Spirit as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV).
True comfort and reassurance come from God’s Spirit dwelling in us. We need not be unduly worried about what may happen to us. God’s Spirit gives us the assurance that whatever happens will end up for the good .
Through the Holy Spirit we can begin to look at life differently and enjoy continual victory.
PRAYER: Lord, please enable me to constantly renew my mind through consistent study of Your Word. Please help me to develop a deeper relationship with the Spirit so that He can enable me to be always Christlike in all I do in Jesus Name.
QUOTE
The treasures of God are never on the shallow end, but are always buried in the depth of God’s Word. It takes a personal discovery to get there. – WORDBITE 222.