When Jesus taught that we must deny ourselves and pick up our crosses to follow Him (shedding our false selves), He knew how hard that would be for us to do.
In fact, He knew that it would be impossible.
Our willpower and good intentions will just take us only so far...
It's like when you put the wrong kind of fuel in your car, you will stall and won't get very far.
So too, when we draw from the wrong source of strength, we will soon sputter, become exhausted, and shut down.
Of course Jesus knew this and so before He was crucified and leaving His disciples, He promised the Helper-
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him or knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you..." John 14:15-31.
This is the generosity of God to us once again to never leave us BY ourselves, or TO "our selves"- but to help transform us in His strength in order that we are enabled to co-create and restore all of His creation back to Him.
But do we really live as we though we believe that we have been "anointed" with the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
"The name 'Christian' means 'anointed'.
'He anointed us … and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit' (2 Corinthians 1:21–22).
Theophilus of Antioch wrote 'We are called Christians (christianoi) because we have been anointed (chrisometha) with the oil of God'.
So, we must not think that the gift of the Holy Spirit is a gift given to/for a selected favored number of us....
bestowed at only certain times or hours or moments of the day or event...
Or even given in different measures as a reward for good deeds, or withheld from us when we think of a sin that we do not yet forgive ourselves for....
No, we are all anointed with the oil of God!!!
Love, joy, peace, Patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control... these are the good gifts that we are anointed with.
So, What if we awoke each morning and received our gifts of anointing?
Would we live out what the The Holy Spirit anoints us for?
Jesus quoted Isaiah to remind everyone that It is to 'proclaim good news to the poor … proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free' (Luke 4:18).
Does that excite us?
Who are the poor in our lives today? The prisoners? The blind? The oppressed?
Jesus says that the Helper is the spirit of truth....that Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth.
So we can ask the Holy Spirit, "who have we been anointed to pour out your spirit upon today?"
Who is spiritually poor in my life? Who is in bondage as a prisoner of the Evil One? Who needs physical or emotional healing? Who needs justice?
This is God's generous gift given to us- the Helper- who is available 24/7- and who anoints us to be poured into and receive His gifts, so that we can then pour out His spirit for the sake of others, and for all of God's creation.
We can never outdo God's generosity so why not open up to the fullness of it? Fill up with HIs gifts that keep on giving and never run out.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank You for giving me this Friend and Companion. Help me to get to know Him more today than I have ever known Him. Help me to notice His generosity and goodness toward me, and give me a thankful heart for everything You have done for me. Thank You, Father. In Jesus' name, amen!
From Lyn Woodruff
River Prayer Reflections
In fact, He knew that it would be impossible.
Our willpower and good intentions will just take us only so far...
It's like when you put the wrong kind of fuel in your car, you will stall and won't get very far.
So too, when we draw from the wrong source of strength, we will soon sputter, become exhausted, and shut down.
Of course Jesus knew this and so before He was crucified and leaving His disciples, He promised the Helper-
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him or knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you..." John 14:15-31.
This is the generosity of God to us once again to never leave us BY ourselves, or TO "our selves"- but to help transform us in His strength in order that we are enabled to co-create and restore all of His creation back to Him.
But do we really live as we though we believe that we have been "anointed" with the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
"The name 'Christian' means 'anointed'.
'He anointed us … and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit' (2 Corinthians 1:21–22).
Theophilus of Antioch wrote 'We are called Christians (christianoi) because we have been anointed (chrisometha) with the oil of God'.
So, we must not think that the gift of the Holy Spirit is a gift given to/for a selected favored number of us....
bestowed at only certain times or hours or moments of the day or event...
Or even given in different measures as a reward for good deeds, or withheld from us when we think of a sin that we do not yet forgive ourselves for....
No, we are all anointed with the oil of God!!!
Love, joy, peace, Patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control... these are the good gifts that we are anointed with.
So, What if we awoke each morning and received our gifts of anointing?
Would we live out what the The Holy Spirit anoints us for?
Jesus quoted Isaiah to remind everyone that It is to 'proclaim good news to the poor … proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free' (Luke 4:18).
Does that excite us?
Who are the poor in our lives today? The prisoners? The blind? The oppressed?
Jesus says that the Helper is the spirit of truth....that Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth.
So we can ask the Holy Spirit, "who have we been anointed to pour out your spirit upon today?"
Who is spiritually poor in my life? Who is in bondage as a prisoner of the Evil One? Who needs physical or emotional healing? Who needs justice?
This is God's generous gift given to us- the Helper- who is available 24/7- and who anoints us to be poured into and receive His gifts, so that we can then pour out His spirit for the sake of others, and for all of God's creation.
We can never outdo God's generosity so why not open up to the fullness of it? Fill up with HIs gifts that keep on giving and never run out.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank You for giving me this Friend and Companion. Help me to get to know Him more today than I have ever known Him. Help me to notice His generosity and goodness toward me, and give me a thankful heart for everything You have done for me. Thank You, Father. In Jesus' name, amen!
From Lyn Woodruff
River Prayer Reflections
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