SPIRITUAL BREATHING

My roots are firmly planted in Cru. What I know of walking with Christ in this life is informed by the direction I first received while involved with Campus Crusade in college. Today’s reading took us to Ephesians 5 and in verse 18 we read, “And do not be drunk with wine but be filled with the Spirit.” We are commanded as believers to be ‘filled with the Spirit.’ This cannot mean to be ‘re-possessed’ by God’s Spirit since He already is dwelling in the life of every born again believer. What being ‘filled by the Spirit’ means is to be controlled and empowered by God’s Spirit.

I often retake control of my life and fail to allow God to control and empower me. When that happens I need to ‘breath spiritually.’ While that may sound mystical, it really is a very understandable process of surrendering the control of your life back to God. The following comes from the last page of Cru’s ‘Have You Made the Wonderful Discovery of the Spirit-filled Life?’ booklet. It gives instructions related to ‘spiritual breathing’ (giving God control of your life): “(1) Exhale: Confess your sin – agree with God concerning your sin and thank Him for His forgiveness of it, according to 1 John 1:9 and Hebrews 10:1-25. Confession involves repentance – a change of attitude and action. (2) Inhale: Surrender the control of your life to Christ, and receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit by faith. Trust that He now directs and empowers you, according to the command of Ephesians 5:18 and the promise of 1 John 5:14, 15.”

Do you need to ‘breath spiritually’ this week…today…this minute? Do not allow yourself to continue as a born again follower of Jesus to control your own life. Rather, confess your willfulness and sin (exhale) and allow Him to direct your paths and inform your thinking (inhale). All the other issues Paul outlines in chapter 5 of Ephesians begin with the right person in control. And that is not you!

by Curt Krohn, Senior Pastor

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