When we rid ourselves of ungodly spirits, it is imperative we fill ourselves with good spirits lest our latter state becomes worse than the first (Mt 12:43-45). Like Job we must not only shun evil but also fear God. Like Jesus, not only hate iniquity but also love righteousness. Both should run like parallel rails so our travel is smooth in the path of God. Be filled with -
1. The Spirit of Christ (Rom 8:9)
“Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”
We bear His Name but not His nature. Unless we allow the Holy Spirit to develop in us the attitude of Christ we’ll just be dummy Christians, men of straw! The disciples were quick in receiving Christ’s power but slow in catching His spirit. They got the power (Lk 9:1) but could not tolerate another driving out demons and that in the Name of Jesus. They wanted to bring down fire and consume those who rejected them (Lk 9:54). Christ chided them: “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of” (Lk 9:55,56).
In any situation stop and ask the question, “If Christ were in my place what would
He do?” Walk step by step in His footsteps, guided by the answer.
2. The Spirit of Love (2 Tim 1:7)
“God has not given us the spirit of fear but of love.”
Love God, love your neighbour. This is all the law and the prophets (Mt 22:37-40). Both the vertical and horizontal components of love are beautifully explained by the apostle of love in 1 Jn 4:17-20, interposed by the statement, “Perfect love casts out fear.”
When we learn lessons in love and attempt to embrace people, we end up pricking each other like porcupines embracing. The fear of hurt paralyses us from making the next move. Make a fresh attempt with bucketsful of love. Love never fails. “That your love may abound” (Phil 1:9). “Abound in love” (1 Thess 3:12).
3. The Spirit of Sound Mind (2 Tim 1:7)
“God has not given us the spirit of fear but of a sound mind.”
The Holy Spirit does not make us robots. He transforms us by renewing our minds that we may be able to find the good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom
12:2). He does not “dictate” but He “directs” us to find His will through our minds. He
guides our thinking.
Uncommon sense has become so common today that old-time common sense is no more a ready aid in emergencies. When you are in a dilemma, pray that the Spirit of God will sharpen your thinking, see what answer the all-purpose Guide Book has to offer, then decide using your senses.
Long before I learnt the principles of finding God’s will, I was doing God’s will. Whenever I was in trouble I used to cry, “Dad, I don’t know what to do. All is dark. I’ll just hold Your hand and do what I know is right.” The Lord has saved me from making any major error in finding His will.
4. The Spirit of Faith (2 Cor 4:13)
Faith is static. The spirit of faith is dynamic. Paul compares himself with David, quoting Psalm 116:10. When juxtaposed, they compare beautifully. David: “pains of death ... pangs of sheol ... trouble ... sorrow ... death ... tears ... I believed, therefore I spoke ... I will take up the cup of salvation ... death” (vv 3,8,10,13,15). Paul: “hard pressed ... perplexed ... persecuted ... struck down ... dying ... delivered to death for Jesus’ sake ... death ... But since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written: I believed and therefore I spoke, we also believe and therefore speak ... perishing” (2 Cor 4:8-13,16).
Suffering ... speaking ... suffering. That is the spirit of faith. We need faith to gain. We need the spirit of faith to lose. Why should you leave and lose and let go? For the same reason why Jesus left heaven and lost and let go. If you believe then you must speak. If you speak out, then losses are inevitable. Loss is not only death. It includes separation from loved ones, uprooting, shifts, shattered dreams, loss of security and privacy and much, much more. Sacrifice is the hotbed of missions.
In this as yet unfinished saga of missions there have been many unsung heroes yanked into the jaws of death. Can you sing, “Oh Lord, I want to be among the numbers?” Has God called you to go for Him and you are just sitting there counting the losses? If you don’t venture with the spirit of faith the sorry process of waiting will continue for a lifetime. Faith doesn’t back out nor shut its mouth. It is a pushy chatterbox.
5. The Spirit of Gentleness (Gal 6:1)
“Brothers, if a man be overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of gentleness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted.”
In 1 Corinthians 4:21 the phrase is used in Paul’s counselling the Corinthians. In 1
Pet 3:4 it is in the context of wives converting their husbands.
The ministry of counselling is most damaging without the spirit of gentleness. Then counsel becomes criticism. How do we manifest gentleness? By considering ourselves, lest we also be tempted. We must always be aware that we are prone to commit the same sin.
Whenever a thought comes, that you have not so far fallen, beware. Take extra care. This thought will help us approach the counselee with gentleness, considering him better than us in many other ways (Phil 2:3). Among the brotherhood there are no separate groups as counsellors and counselees. When I fall, my sister counsels me.
When she is in danger, I counsel her. If we exhort “one another” we’ll be gentle because we are humbled by corrections. The fruit of the Spirit is gentleness.
6. The Spirit of Elijah (2 Ki 2:15)
Does the spirit of your leader rest on you? Elisha longed for a double portion and got it. He did not stop with that. He acted on it. He started practicing what he had so far learned from Elijah. Nowadays hardly a handful get at least half the spirit of the leader and that too slithers down to zero after the leader’s death. Small wonder second line of leaders is lacking. Dare to ask for a double portion.
“Those things which you learned, and received, and heard, and saw in me, these DO” (Phil 4:9). We learn in study programmes, receive through many sources, hear and read men of God, see their lives, but dare not DO. We need men and women with musculature of fibreglass “to go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah ... to turn ... the disobedient ... to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Lk 1:17).
7. The Spirit of Faithfulness (Prov 11:13)
“A talebearer reveals secrets, but he that is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.” Faithfulness is the quality of being trustworthy. A faithful man is firm in adherence
to his promise, duty, friendship, love and so on. What a rare quality! “Who can find a faithful man?” (Prov 20:6). I suppose we are all cent percent failures in this area. Silvanus was a faithful brother to Paul (1 Pet 5:12). Paul could count on Silvanus; i.e. Silvanus never let him down. But Demas who was with Paul in the beginning years left him later (Col 4:14; Phile 24; 2Tim 4:10). The world abounds with enemies who kiss. They shake your hand first and then shake your confidence. Oh for a faithful friend! The wounds he inflicts are welcome (Prov 27:6).
Judah was faithful with the saints (Hos 11:12) Develop faithfulness among brotherhood. Learn to be open, truthful, frank and trustworthy to your brother and never ever talk behind his back what you will not dare talk to his face.
Faithfulness does not depend upon the person to whom you are loyal. He may change or backslide. But you must love at “all” times (Prov 17:17). That is what we mean by, ‘God is faithful.’ Whether we are good or bad towards Him, He is the same towards us. Exercise that divine character.
8. The Spirit of Contriteness (Psa 34:18)
“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit” (Isa 57:15). Immanuel is for the contrite ones. Isa 66:2 speaks of him who is “poor and of a contrite spirit.”
“Blessed are the poor in spirit.” To understand this quality better, think of a poor man standing before the rich, fleeced and dumb. He cannot speak for himself neither fight for his rights. He is a harmless nonentity, a worm. Let’s take the place of the poor man in the spiritual realm too, allowing ourselves to be hurt, accepting the judgment passed on us, committing ourselves to God.
9. The Spirit of Patience (Eccl 7:8,9)
“The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.”
We must learn to keep our spirit under constant subjection or else it will be out of control at the most unexpected moment. Examine any situation where you lost your patience and you’ll find haste and anger there. On a particularly dispiriting day when I lifted the telephone, the man on the other end started abusing me for attending to the call so late. The next moment I found myself giving him tit for tat. I banged the receiver down. I was still smarting when the Spirit of God started dealing with me. How hasty I had been in giving vent to my irritation. Too often we realise too late.
“He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he that is hasty of spirit exalts folly” (Prov 14:29). It is foolishness to get angry. You cannot take back the words spoken nor undo the effects. “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls” (Prov 25:28).
Anger may be active or reactive, either you get angry with someone or someone’s anger makes you angry. The solution for the first is not to hold in your anger. Learn to talk about your feelings and express your needs in a way that doesn’t hurt you or others. For the next, silence is golden. Even a word in defence, further escalates the already surcharged atmosphere. Keep telling your spirit to be calm. That will lead you to the “soft answer” that turns away wrath (Prov 15:1).
10. The Spirit of Newness (Rom 7:6)
“But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”
Do not be legalistic in following set patterns and traditions. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Life is a constantly rotating kaleidoscope. When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge. Don’t allow yourself to sink deeper into the mire of insipid routine.
Our Lord is a specialist in new things. He says, “I will put a new Spirit within them” (Ezek 11:19). “Behold the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare, before they spring forth I tell you of them” (Isa 42:9).
Expect new things, new happenings, new developments in your life and ministry. The secret of a bouncing Christian life is a series of new beginnings. Make a habit of praying for new ideas. God will spark your imagination. Launch out your brainchild boldly. Never mind raised eyebrows. Accept failures. Failure, remember, is not a crime. Specialise on those that work out well. Motivate others. Ideas are for actions, not for dreams. Turn your dreams into deeds. Keep saying “Yes” to life. Face new challenges. Lay your old life to rest and start new with fresh thoughts and a bubbling spirit. The time has come to cast away worn out methods and initiate a new approach to suit the emerging trends. To aim low is a bore. Aim high and soar!
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, 8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
When we rid ourselves of ungodly spirits, it is imperative we fill ourselves with good spirits lest our latter state becomes worse than the first (Mt 12:43-45). Like Job we must not only shun evil but also fear God. Like Jesus, not only hate iniquity but also love righteousness. Both should run like parallel rails so our travel is smooth in the path of God. Be filled with -
1. The Spirit of Christ (Rom 8:9)
“Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”
We bear His Name but not His nature. Unless we allow the Holy Spirit to develop in us the attitude of Christ we’ll just be dummy Christians, men of straw! The disciples were quick in receiving Christ’s power but slow in catching His spirit. They got the power (Lk 9:1) but could not tolerate another driving out demons and that in the Name of Jesus. They wanted to bring down fire and consume those who rejected them (Lk 9:54). Christ chided them: “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of” (Lk 9:55,56).
In any situation stop and ask the question, “If Christ were in my place what would
He do?” Walk step by step in His footsteps, guided by the answer.
2. The Spirit of Love (2 Tim 1:7)
“God has not given us the spirit of fear but of love.”
Love God, love your neighbour. This is all the law and the prophets (Mt 22:37-40). Both the vertical and horizontal components of love are beautifully explained by the apostle of love in 1 Jn 4:17-20, interposed by the statement, “Perfect love casts out fear.”
When we learn lessons in love and attempt to embrace people, we end up pricking each other like porcupines embracing. The fear of hurt paralyses us from making the next move. Make a fresh attempt with bucketsful of love. Love never fails. “That your love may abound” (Phil 1:9). “Abound in love” (1 Thess 3:12).
3. The Spirit of Sound Mind (2 Tim 1:7)
“God has not given us the spirit of fear but of a sound mind.”
The Holy Spirit does not make us robots. He transforms us by renewing our minds that we may be able to find the good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom
12:2). He does not “dictate” but He “directs” us to find His will through our minds. He
guides our thinking.
Uncommon sense has become so common today that old-time common sense is no more a ready aid in emergencies. When you are in a dilemma, pray that the Spirit of God will sharpen your thinking, see what answer the all-purpose Guide Book has to offer, then decide using your senses.
Long before I learnt the principles of finding God’s will, I was doing God’s will. Whenever I was in trouble I used to cry, “Dad, I don’t know what to do. All is dark. I’ll just hold Your hand and do what I know is right.” The Lord has saved me from making any major error in finding His will.
4. The Spirit of Faith (2 Cor 4:13)
Faith is static. The spirit of faith is dynamic. Paul compares himself with David, quoting Psalm 116:10. When juxtaposed, they compare beautifully. David: “pains of death ... pangs of sheol ... trouble ... sorrow ... death ... tears ... I believed, therefore I spoke ... I will take up the cup of salvation ... death” (vv 3,8,10,13,15). Paul: “hard pressed ... perplexed ... persecuted ... struck down ... dying ... delivered to death for Jesus’ sake ... death ... But since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written: I believed and therefore I spoke, we also believe and therefore speak ... perishing” (2 Cor 4:8-13,16).
Suffering ... speaking ... suffering. That is the spirit of faith. We need faith to gain. We need the spirit of faith to lose. Why should you leave and lose and let go? For the same reason why Jesus left heaven and lost and let go. If you believe then you must speak. If you speak out, then losses are inevitable. Loss is not only death. It includes separation from loved ones, uprooting, shifts, shattered dreams, loss of security and privacy and much, much more. Sacrifice is the hotbed of missions.
In this as yet unfinished saga of missions there have been many unsung heroes yanked into the jaws of death. Can you sing, “Oh Lord, I want to be among the numbers?” Has God called you to go for Him and you are just sitting there counting the losses? If you don’t venture with the spirit of faith the sorry process of waiting will continue for a lifetime. Faith doesn’t back out nor shut its mouth. It is a pushy chatterbox.
5. The Spirit of Gentleness (Gal 6:1)
“Brothers, if a man be overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of gentleness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted.”
In 1 Corinthians 4:21 the phrase is used in Paul’s counselling the Corinthians. In 1
Pet 3:4 it is in the context of wives converting their husbands.
The ministry of counselling is most damaging without the spirit of gentleness. Then counsel becomes criticism. How do we manifest gentleness? By considering ourselves, lest we also be tempted. We must always be aware that we are prone to commit the same sin.
Whenever a thought comes, that you have not so far fallen, beware. Take extra care. This thought will help us approach the counselee with gentleness, considering him better than us in many other ways (Phil 2:3). Among the brotherhood there are no separate groups as counsellors and counselees. When I fall, my sister counsels me.
When she is in danger, I counsel her. If we exhort “one another” we’ll be gentle because we are humbled by corrections. The fruit of the Spirit is gentleness.
6. The Spirit of Elijah (2 Ki 2:15)
Does the spirit of your leader rest on you? Elisha longed for a double portion and got it. He did not stop with that. He acted on it. He started practicing what he had so far learned from Elijah. Nowadays hardly a handful get at least half the spirit of the leader and that too slithers down to zero after the leader’s death. Small wonder second line of leaders is lacking. Dare to ask for a double portion.
“Those things which you learned, and received, and heard, and saw in me, these DO” (Phil 4:9). We learn in study programmes, receive through many sources, hear and read men of God, see their lives, but dare not DO. We need men and women with musculature of fibreglass “to go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah ... to turn ... the disobedient ... to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Lk 1:17).
7. The Spirit of Faithfulness (Prov 11:13)
“A talebearer reveals secrets, but he that is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.” Faithfulness is the quality of being trustworthy. A faithful man is firm in adherence
to his promise, duty, friendship, love and so on. What a rare quality! “Who can find a faithful man?” (Prov 20:6). I suppose we are all cent percent failures in this area. Silvanus was a faithful brother to Paul (1 Pet 5:12). Paul could count on Silvanus; i.e. Silvanus never let him down. But Demas who was with Paul in the beginning years left him later (Col 4:14; Phile 24; 2Tim 4:10). The world abounds with enemies who kiss. They shake your hand first and then shake your confidence. Oh for a faithful friend! The wounds he inflicts are welcome (Prov 27:6).
Judah was faithful with the saints (Hos 11:12) Develop faithfulness among brotherhood. Learn to be open, truthful, frank and trustworthy to your brother and never ever talk behind his back what you will not dare talk to his face.
Faithfulness does not depend upon the person to whom you are loyal. He may change or backslide. But you must love at “all” times (Prov 17:17). That is what we mean by, ‘God is faithful.’ Whether we are good or bad towards Him, He is the same towards us. Exercise that divine character.
8. The Spirit of Contriteness (Psa 34:18)
“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit” (Isa 57:15). Immanuel is for the contrite ones. Isa 66:2 speaks of him who is “poor and of a contrite spirit.”
“Blessed are the poor in spirit.” To understand this quality better, think of a poor man standing before the rich, fleeced and dumb. He cannot speak for himself neither fight for his rights. He is a harmless nonentity, a worm. Let’s take the place of the poor man in the spiritual realm too, allowing ourselves to be hurt, accepting the judgment passed on us, committing ourselves to God.
9. The Spirit of Patience (Eccl 7:8,9)
“The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.”
We must learn to keep our spirit under constant subjection or else it will be out of control at the most unexpected moment. Examine any situation where you lost your patience and you’ll find haste and anger there. On a particularly dispiriting day when I lifted the telephone, the man on the other end started abusing me for attending to the call so late. The next moment I found myself giving him tit for tat. I banged the receiver down. I was still smarting when the Spirit of God started dealing with me. How hasty I had been in giving vent to my irritation. Too often we realise too late.
“He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he that is hasty of spirit exalts folly” (Prov 14:29). It is foolishness to get angry. You cannot take back the words spoken nor undo the effects. “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls” (Prov 25:28).
Anger may be active or reactive, either you get angry with someone or someone’s anger makes you angry. The solution for the first is not to hold in your anger. Learn to talk about your feelings and express your needs in a way that doesn’t hurt you or others. For the next, silence is golden. Even a word in defence, further escalates the already surcharged atmosphere. Keep telling your spirit to be calm. That will lead you to the “soft answer” that turns away wrath (Prov 15:1).
10. The Spirit of Newness (Rom 7:6)
“But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”
Do not be legalistic in following set patterns and traditions. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Life is a constantly rotating kaleidoscope. When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge. Don’t allow yourself to sink deeper into the mire of insipid routine.
Our Lord is a specialist in new things. He says, “I will put a new Spirit within them” (Ezek 11:19). “Behold the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare, before they spring forth I tell you of them” (Isa 42:9).
Expect new things, new happenings, new developments in your life and ministry. The secret of a bouncing Christian life is a series of new beginnings. Make a habit of praying for new ideas. God will spark your imagination. Launch out your brainchild boldly. Never mind raised eyebrows. Accept failures. Failure, remember, is not a crime. Specialise on those that work out well. Motivate others. Ideas are for actions, not for dreams. Turn your dreams into deeds. Keep saying “Yes” to life. Face new challenges. Lay your old life to rest and start new with fresh thoughts and a bubbling spirit. The time has come to cast away worn out methods and initiate a new approach to suit the emerging trends. To aim low is a bore. Aim high and soar!
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, Mob:8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
