02/16/2023
#46 Spiritual Growth - 4 of 7
Book: Discipleship: Discover Your Identity In Christ
Reading: John 20:19-22
Memorizing: John 3:3
Our reading today marks the first experience the disciples had with the Holy Spirit. Jesus appeared to them, commissioned them to be the “send” ones and then breathed on them to receive the Holy Spirit. This was their new birth experience. Never before this day were any of them born again.
Jesus made this amazing announcement and said “As the Father has sent me, I send you”. Wow, this is incredible to think that when we received our “New Birth”, we were labeled by Jesus as been send like He was send. If you do not have anybody else believing in you today, notice that Jesus believes in you. You are send like He was send. With that come authority, responsibility and accountability.
His life on earth was characterized by miracles, signs and wonders, healings and driving out demons. It was a life of authority and power where people were set free. Lepers were cleansed and the dead were raised. Here He made a statement which confirms your empowerment as He commissioned His disciples (and us) to do exactly the same. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ and identify with Him as one of his disciples, then the same authority and power rests on you. Eph 1:19-21 says that the same power that was at work when Jesus was raise from the dead, is on the inside of us. It does not matter what people say, or people remember about your past, it is your Father’s opinion about your life that counts. You are assigned by Jesus, the King of this Kingdom to expect miracles. Signs and wonders will catch up with you, you do not have to look for them , Mark 16:20 says that as they went, God was confirming His word through accompanying signs and wonders. It means I just have to take action and I will see the manifestation of the word of God through my life.
Faith is resting on the word of God, and not depending on my own ability and my own actions. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the preaching of the word (Rom 10:17).
I need to position myself under sound doctrine, the preaching of the living Word that I can develop my faith muscles to believe for the impossible.
I always like sit under the preaching, where someone will lift Jesus up and speak about Him. Like Paul says, I do not want to know anything else amongst you, but Christ and Him crucified.
My right living does not come because of my effort of right doing, but my right living comes when I sit under sound doctrine, that reveals the heart of God to me. This will help me to grow spiritually and develops my relationship with my Father and right living in me. Faith is also having a good opinion of God.
Remember, the prodigal son turned back to his Father, because of his right believing of who his Father was. I do not have to be beaten up and punished to recognize my Fathers love for me. Actually that will do just the opposite.
We need to be intentional to grow spiritually. It does not happen by default. Faith is acting on what we believe and it will take something of you to rise above your circumstances. Spending time in the Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal the Father’s heart to will make you live from the inside out. Mountains have to move IN JESUS NAME.
Thank You Father that You have enabled and empowered me by Your Spirit to live my life with victory. With the name of Jesus on my lips I can face everything and no weapon formed against me shall prosper. This is my inheritance In Jesus Name.
