Living in the spirit

Over the last three weeks we have studied the nine‘fruits of the Spirit’outlined by Paul in his letter to the‘Galatians’(Galatians 5.22)

We also noted how human are these gifts. That means that these qualities are within our ability to use them in our daily life.

These qualities are given by God for a special purpose. That purpose is to do God’s will. God’s wants us to help shape God’s kingdom here in our human life.

We have an aim in life, a goal to fulfil. Our life has a meaning. We are engaged in shaping the kingdom of God founded on the life and passion and triumph of God’s Son.

We do this within our own life, and around us within the experiences of others. This is ‘living in the Spirit’.

This God-given purpose to realise the very will of God is brilliantly described in Isaiah chapter 11.

This is one of the great chapters about the Spirit of the Lord within God’s people.

This chapter opens with a description of God’s Messiah, described as ‘a stump from Jesse and a stem from his roots’(Isaiah 11.1)

That refers to the house of David the king.

From the family of Jesse, David’s father, there would arise the King of Peace.

‘The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and might, a spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord’(Isaiah 11.2)

But this is such a wonderful description of Jesus. Jesus’life was filled with these superb qualities because he was the King of Peace.

As the King of Peace Jesus died on the Cross and rose again to new life.

In Jesus God established his kingdom.

The kingdom means God’s permanent presence in our time and history. God is here to stay.

The human race now lives in the time of God’s salvation. We live in that time of salvation and we try to show that God’s presence is real.

Have you ever thought of your Christian example as a small but vital part of the kingdom of God? Have you ever thought that your Christian life is showing the presence of God and the life of Jesus?

Have you ever thought of yourself as fulfilling the purpose of God?

Our immediate response may be one of disbelief.‘Surely my little effort does not achieve all that much for God!’ You may well be surprised.

Unknown to you God may be directing your example of Jesus into someone’s life. God may be using your prayers to support and heal someone in your family or circle of friends.

We must see ourselves as God’s people engaged in spreading the message of Jesus’gospel and building the kingdom of God.

Now there is something worth living for.

Paul is describing you when he wrote,‘We are ambassadors for Christ. God makes his appeal through us’(2 Corinthians 5.20).

To-day we are confronted with a daunting task .

But the Christian witness has never been easy.

When Wilberforce spoke in Parliament against the slave trade he was constantly mocked. Karl Barth described the struggle against the nationalist movement in 1930 Germany in a little book called‘Against the Stream’ Christians swim against the stream.

Christianity is not the flavour of the month.

That is why Justin Welby wants Christians and other faith groups to be‘healthy disruptors’ .

Our task as Christians may well include constructive criticism of our secular society

For the task of fulfilling his purpose God has given us the necessary spiritual equipment Jesus our King of Peace was gifted with wonderful spiritual powers.

But Jesus shared these royal qualities with his people at Pentecost.

We are still being equipped with these royal qualities by Christ the King .

Never minimise the power of Christ throbbing in your soul and radiating through your worship and witness.

Remember the strong hymn, ‘For I’m building a people of power, and I’m making a people of praise’That hymn describes you and your Christian faith. Paul speaks for us all:

‘Rejoice in the Lord always (because)

‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’

(Philippians 4.4 &13)