Today’s Scripture: James 4:5, GWT- “Do you think this passage means nothing? It says, “The Spirit that lives in us wants us to be his own.”
Do you think all the passages in the bible mean nothing? Curious as to where James quoted “this passage” from, I turned to an internet search. The scripture James was referencing in James 4:5, was Ezekiel 36:27, “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” (NKJV)
How did James pull this out of his hat? He did not. He drew upon the Holy Spirit of God that God Himself has placed within each of us. If we have confessed our belief in God the Father, the birth, life, and death of Jesus, we too have the Spirit living in us. Our number one job is to live with the Spirit of God.
We humans do have a choice moment to moment. Are we choosing our natures or this world instead the Spirit of God? James warns us in James 4:4, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
God loves us and we were made to love God and James 4:5 reminds us that He is a jealous God. His desire is for us to seek to live with Him and His Spirit. We can all recall John 3:16 where we are told that “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (NIV) This is not just a slogan. This is a call to action to believe in God more than us and this world.
Jesus told us while He was walking in this world that He must leave us so we could live in the Spirit God gives us. John 14:26 states, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (KJV)
God’s Spirit reminded James of Ezekiel’s prophesies from six hundred years earlier. Jesus Himself responded to the temptations in the wilderness by the tempter of this world with God’s scriptures. We can trust and know that the Spirit God placed in us will bring forth the perfect commands and judgements for us as well. I am in awe of God and so thankful for His promise in James 4:8 that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.
We can count on God’s Spirit to speak to us and guide us when draw near to Him. The only breakdowns in these communications are us. We can rob ourselves by delaying the glory of God’s speaking to us through His Spirit and Word by looking to ourselves or this world for answers instead of His Holy Spirit.
Let us affirm today to live in and from the Spirit. Will you open your spirit to The Spirit God made to indwell in you now?
Today’s Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Holy Spirit that You made dwell in us. Draw us LORD to dwell with You. I am praying to live in Your Spirit. I am trusting Your words will be provided at Your perfect time. I trust You LORD over any promises of this world. You are my LORD and my Spirit in which I live. In the name of Jesus Christ who left us this Comforter we do pray. Amen.
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