Who are you comparing yourself to?

"When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise." 2 Cor. 10:12

The apostle Paul's words are a sobering reminder that our fellow Christians are not the plumb line by which we are to measure our walk with God. What is "in", popular and the latest fashion can be dangerously misleading if we allow these to become the standard by which we test our faith. Rather, Paul says,

"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you — unless, of course, you fail the test?" 2 Cor. 13:5

What is the test? John writes,

"Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did." 1 John 2:6

Those who live from the Spirit, compare themselves to Jesus and seek to live like Him, regardless of whether others are doing the same. In fact, God rewards our secret obedience because we believe in Him and don't depend on the recognition of man (see Matthew 6:1-21).

The treasure that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 6 is the reward for living for God's pleasure rather than the approval of man. When we face our Lord on that great day when all of creation will be judged and the Lord asks us each, individually,

"What did you do on earth to love others and please me?"

we will realise that there is no place for an answer like, "our church didn't have a ministry for the poor" or "our church didn't have any outreaches" etc..

God wants to answer, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!" Matthew 25:21

Let's not compare ourselves to one another and be foolish but rather "understand what the Lord's will is" (Eph. 5:17) and do it. If your relationship and your obedience to God is dependent on how you see others walk with God then you will probably only be as close to God and obedient to God as those around you. If, however, you compare yourself to Jesus and seek to live as He did on earth, you will store up for yourself lasting treasures in heaven and be revived as you live for God and serve Him only!

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Are you experiencing God?

"Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the LORD, who had spoken to her. She said, 'You are the God who sees me.'" Genesis 16:13 (NLT)

God's purpose in Christ was to restore man to Himself so that man could know his Creator, personally and intimately! God reveals Himself to mankind not only so that man can know about Him but to invite man to enter into intimate knowledge and experience of Him. Sadly many believers are satisfied with knowing about God and don't pursue an experiential knowledge of God. Simply depending on knowledge about God can however be perilous. Jesus says,

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV)

The truth is that we can know someone's name without actually knowing the person. Hagar used another name for God because she experienced an aspect of who He is - El-Roi, "The God who sees me." The name she used for God was an expression of her relationship and experience with God.

Jesus came to reveal the Father so that those who believe would enter into the knowledge of God. Jesus prays,

"I have manifested Your Name [I have revealed Your very Self, Your real Self] to the people whom You have given Me out of the world." John 17:6 (AMP)

The manifestation of God's Name is an invitation to enter into the experience of that Name. For example, God invites man to know Him and experience Him as "Our Father." God wants us to call Him "Father" because we experience His Fatherhood and not just because He has revealed His Name as such. Likewise, those who call Jesus, "Lord," must understand that to call Him by that Name must be out of their experience of Him as Lord. That is why Jesus reprimands those who call Him, "Lord, Lord," and yet don't live in the experience of that Name by living in submission to Him.

We must ask ourselves, "Am I experiencing God according to the name that I address Him with?" Do you call God your "Father" because you are living as a child of God and experiencing His Fatherhood? Do you call Jesus, "Lord" because you live in submission to His lordship? Do you call God, "Almighty" because you believe in, and experience His supremacy?

God is inviting you to know Him more. Every name of God in Scripture is an invitation for you to know Him and experience Him according to that name. What name will you use to refer to God because of your knowledge and experience of Him today?

Are you playing God?

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

Christ came to set us free but what exactly is the believer liberated from?

Freedom from guilt.

Jesus says in John 12:47 that He came into the world not to judge it but to save it. The apostle Paul writes,

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit." Romans 8.1-4

Taking God's place!

Sadly many believers don't realise this truth and instead of walking in God's mercy and grace, they live a life of self-condemnation and self-righteousness! This comes about when believers usurp God's judgement seat and condemn themselves and others when they do not measure up to their own standard of perfection or righteousness. In their minds they still think that they have to attain perfection to be acceptable to God and so they try their best to live a righteous life. When they sin they condemn themselves until they have confessed their sin to be able to consider themselves to be righteous once again.

Who is on the Judgement Seat?

The problem with this mind-set is that the believer determines when he is righteous and when he is not. With the same usurped authority to condemn himself, the believer then considers himself righteous once he has confessed his sin or is living a righteous life according to his own standard. Those who have taken a seat on God's judgement seat try to live up to their own standard of perfection and expect others to do the same. They are burdened by a yoke of slavery to their own legal system - the very thing Jesus came to set us free from!

God's mercy

A woman was caught in adultery and was brought before Jesus by her accusers. Jesus' response was to say to the accusers (those who had placed themselves on God's judgement seat),

"If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7

"At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' 'No one, sir,' she said. 'Then neither do I condemn you,' Jesus declared. 'Go now and leave your life of sin.'"

The One who was without sin had every right to judge the woman and condemn her but he did not (see John 8:7)! Jesus set her free by extending mercy and grace to her.

The pride of self-righteousness

The believer who condemns himself and others will also exalt himself in his pride. Many believers think that self-condemnation is humility but fail to realise that it is our pride that usurps God's right to condemn when we condemn ourselves and consequently exalt ourselves!

Paul writes, "My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God." 1 Cor. 4:4,5

Depending on Christ

In other words, the believer cannot declare himself innocent just because he is not conscious of sin. Our righteousness is dependent on Christ's righteousness since it is in Him that the righteous requirements of the law are fulfilled in us!

What are some of the indicators that the believer is walking in slavery?

• Sin-consciousness rather than grace-consciousness (Heb. 10:1-10; Gal. 5:4)

• Feelings of guilt rather than blamelessness (Col. 1:22)

• Experiencing condemnation rather than freedom (Rom. 8)

• Pride (depending on self) rather than humility (depending on Christ's righteousness)

• Judgemental toward self and others rather than loving, accepting and forgiving of oneself and others (Rom. 2:1-4)

• Legalistic toward self and others rather than gracious toward self and others

• Slave to self-created standards rather than living in the freedom of sonship

• Tendency to feel the need to confess sin before feeling able to "enter into God's presence" (however, see Heb. 4:16; 10:19-22)

The purpose of judgement in this life is to keep us on the right track but not to condemn us. 1 Cor. 11:32

Christ is our Righteousness

It is our dependence on the grace we receive in Christ that sets us free from guilt and condemnation.

"It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: 'Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.'" 1 Cor, 2:30,31

Let's not play God and usurp His judgement seat! In humility receive and depend on the grace of God that has been revealed in Christ. Walk in the freedom of the sons of God! Don't allow the devil to accuse you and tempt you to condemn yourself when God has declared you blameless in Christ! It is for freedom that Christ has set you free!

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What is truth?

"'What is truth?' Pilate asked." John 18:38

In an age when we are swamped with information and different "truths" it is no wonder that man has resorted to the principle of tolerance that permits all "truths" to co-exist. Tolerance is an illusion that pretends there are no absolutes. The fallacy of tolerance is exposed when one asks, "Do the tolerant tolerate intolerance?" Tolerance has become the world's absolute and it has raised its ugly head against the Truth. The world is increasingly deceived into thinking that there is no right and wrong and that truth is merely subjective - what is true for me need not be true for you.

Pilate's question was his response to the words of Jesus,

"You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." John 18:37

Anyone could stand up and announce that they have the absolute truth. In fact, many do today, whether it be the many religions, philosophies, ideas or scientific theories available to choose from. Amongst all the truths that are presented, which one is the truth? How can we know which of all the truths is really the truth?

They say, "The proof is in the pudding!"

The Truth

Jesus came not only to testify to the truth, but made the amazing claim that He Himself is the Truth.

"I am the way and the truth and the life." John 14:6

Jesus, as the Truth always spoke the truth. He emphasised that what He taught was the truth when he repeatedly said, "Truly, truly I say to you.." before teaching the truth. Everything Jesus said was true.

Truth is immutable

If something is true, it cannot change. Absolute truth must be immutable or else it is not an absolute truth. Ideas change, theories change, religions change, philosophies change but the Truth does not change. Truth continues forever and can never be put to death. We can try and cover it up or ignore it but it will always exist!

The proof

So what proof did Jesus give for us to believe He is the Truth and that what He taught is the truth?

Jesus spoke the truth when he claimed he would die and rise again.

"He said to them, 'The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.'” Mark 9:31

Jesus, the Truth, died, was buried and rose again just as He had predicted. Jesus' resurrection is proof that He is the Truth and that what He taught is the truth! Those who believe in Jesus, believe in the Truth and live according to the truth. God's people are those who are set apart by the truth - who live in Him and live according to Him.

"They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." John 17:16,17

The world cannot ignore that the Truth could not be buried. Philosophers, religious teachers, scientists etc have all died but only Jesus died and rose again forever. The Truth is alive and He rules and reigns. Believe in Him and believe Him and you will be sanctified by the Truth.

"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:17

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." Col. 2:8

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Are you a worshipper?

Jesus says, "..a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth." John 4:23,24The Father is looking for worshippers!

What is a worshipper and how does one worship the Father?

To answer that question we need to understand what true worship is.

Definition of worship

The word worship means, to give worth to someone or something. The Greek word that we translate as worship is the word proskuneo and essentially means to kiss the feet. So we see that to worship is to humble ourselves before the one or thing we value. In other words, worship is our response to that which we value most.

Living as worshippers

We worship with our lives. In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul writes,

"Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship." Romans 12:1Paul is urging us to respond to God with our lives in a way that pleases God. Paul then continues and says,

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2
In other words, in response to God, the believer should live a life set apart for God (a holy life) and no longer live a selfish and self-centred, wordly life! When the believer lives his life because of God and for God, he lives his life as a worshipper. To live one's life in response to God is to live in "the fear of the Lord" (see Acts 9:31). The worshipper desires to know God's will so that he can live his life accordingly - a life set apart for God and pleasing to Him. The more we lay down our will to do God's will, the more we honour Him (give Him worth) and live as the worshippers the Father seeks.

Worship, then, involves our entire existence.

Living from mercy and not for mercy

True worshippers live to give God honour because of what He has done for them. Sadly,many Christians live their lives trying to meet un unreachable standard of perfection in order to please God, not understanding that they have been made perfect in Christ "for the praise of God's glory" (Heb. 10:10,14; Eph. 1:12).
"You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 1 Peter 2:9,10
We have received mercy so that as God's people, set apart for Him, we will live lives that honour Him. God has delivered His people from self-consciousness and sin-consciousness in order that we become blameless and God-conscious, living to honour God (Heb.9:14; Col.1:22). Sin "entangles" because it gets our eyes off Jesus and onto ourselves again and we allow the enemy to bring us under false condemnation as he accuses us. There is however "no condemnation for those who are in Christ" and so we must deal with our sin quickly in order to get our eyes back on Jesus (see Heb. 12:1,2; Rom. 8:1).
"..because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." Heb. 7:24,25
Therefore Jesus is able to keep us blameless to the end (1 Cor. 1:8)!

Worship in song

When we talk about worship, most of us think of the songs we sing on a Sunday or whenever we meet as a church. Let's have a look at worship in the context of our meetings in view of what we have seen so far.

Response to revelation

Worship in song is a response to the revelation of God. The psalmists, for example, wrote their prayers, songs and poems to express their response to the revelation of God they had received.
King David writes,

"Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness." Psalm 29:1,2
 
King David had a revelation of God's holiness and the greatness of the Lord's glory and strength. In response to that revelation, King David encourages the saints to worship God.

Similarly, the songs we sing in our church meetings are the song-writers' response to their knowledge of God and the revelation they have received of Him. So really, most congregations are singing someone else's response to God. The worshipper may be able to identify with the response he is singing or he may just go through the motions of singing the words.

True worship songs

There are many ways one can respond to God but not all responses are true worship. If we consider that true worship involves giving worth to God and being God-conscious rather than self-conscious, then true worship songs will be focused on God. That may seem obvious but if you look at the songs that many churches sing, you will find that the person sung about, is not God but the one who is singing the song! That doesn't mean that there is something wrong with the song; it simply means it isn't true worship.

For me or for God?

I love Stuart Townend's song, "Pour over me" but I wouldn't sing it to worship God because the song is about what I want God to do for me. It's a great song that ministers to me but it's not worship. Compare it to the words that are sung in heaven:

"Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.'

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

'You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." Rev. 4:8-11The four living creatures responded to the revelation of God by speaking to Him (not about Him) and by laying down their crowns before the throne. Similarly true worshippers lay down their selfish needs and self-centredness as they fix their eyes on the Lord to honour Him.

Revelation leads to manifestation

We are experiencing an ever-increasing manifestation of God's presence in our meetings as we truly worship Him. As we "fix our eyes on Jesus" He reveals Himself to us more and more and as He does so, we respond in worship. It's wonderful!

Our responsibility

Sadly many believers struggle to respond to God without the use of "ready" songs because they aren't used to worshipping God in the secret place with their own words and responding to their Father personally in their own words.

Worship in spirit and in truth

The Father is looking for worshippers. He is looking for those who will worship Him from the depths of their being and with a genuine heart. He hates lip-service and longs for His sons and daughters to draw near in reverence and awe and to live holy lives that honour Him (Mark 7:6; Heb.10:19-23 ).

Draw near!
I want to encourage you to draw near to God and to worship Him. Use your own words to declare your love for Him and your admiration of Him. As He reveals Himself to you, simply speak what He reveals and respond with your heart and your mouth. Avoid the temptation of asking Him for something and bringing the focus back on yourself. Keep your eyes on Him and join in the song of heaven. Learn to worship God in the secret place and you will help the church draw nearer to God as you worship together in spirit and in truth.

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How to receive spiritual revelation

Many Christians faithfully go to church meetings, pray and read the Word of God but are not growing in their knowledge of God and their relationship with Him. Why is that?

Attitude

I believe one of the greatest hindrances to spiritual growth can be one's attitude toward the Word of God. God wants His children to know Him and to receive spiritual revelation of Him but the believer cannot receive that revelation unless he has the right attitude toward God and His Word.

The Word of God

John's gospel opens with the profound statement that,

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." John 1:1,2

Jesus is described as the Word of God. He is the revelation of the truth and therefore states,

"I am the truth..." John 14:6

3 Attitudes

What we will see is that it is man's response to the Truth that determines his growth in the Lord. There are three attitudes we can have toward the Word of God. The first is "I know better." The second is "I know already." The third is "I want to know."

These three attitudes are demonstrated by the way people responded to Jesus.

Superior Level

The attitude of "I know better" is rooted in pride and manifests itself in a judgmental attitude toward the Truth. We see this attitude primarily with the teachers of the law who judged Jesus based on their "superior" knowledge. Jesus rebuked the teachers of the law and said,

"You judge by human standards." John 8:15

The "I know better" attitude places itself above the Word and judges it according to human wisdom. This attitude only accepts what it can understand rationally and questions everything that doesn't seem logical. This attitude rejects the Truth!

The fruit of this attitude is often a critical and argumentative behaviour that scrutinizes the Truth until it is finally rejected because it doesn't fit in the judge's theological box. James says,

"When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it." James 4:11

Similarly, when we judge God's Word we don't receive it.

Same Level

The "I already know" attitude can be seen by the way many responded to Jesus with a familiar spirit. When Jesus came to His hometown "He did not do many miracles there" (Matthew 13:53-58) because the people who knew Jesus placed him on their level and were familiar with him. They did not honour Jesus as the Son of God and so they did not receive from Him. They placed themselves on the same level as the Word.

The "I already know" attitude is manifested when people don't bother reading or listening to the Word because they have read it already and they think they "know" what it says. This familiar spirit veils spiritual revelation and prevents the Holy Spirit from enlightening the heart and mind.

It is very common for believers to hear or read the Word of God and immediately compare it to what they already know, thereby missing the new and fresh insight God wants to give that person. In small groups, this results in everyone sharing their perspective on a shared Word with the result that what was shared is actually not received.

Submission Level

The "I want to know" level comes under the Word and submits to Him. This attitude allows the Word of God to do His work in the believer because he receives the Word as the Truth, unreservedly! Only then can the Word conceive something in our lives.

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12,13

The believer must learn to simply receive. The seed that goes straight to the heart will bear lasting fruit.

"Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop - thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown." Mark 4:20

Those who receive the Word and submit their minds and hearts to it give room for the Holy Spirit to bring spiritual revelation, wisdom and understanding to the believer (see 1 Cor. 2:10-14) that brings change and growth in the believer's life.

I want to encourage you to check your attitude toward God and His Word. Ask the Lord for spiritual revelation as you read His Word. Learn to be like a child and simply believe what God says to you and reveals to you. It will change your life!

"We also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe." 1 Thess. 2:13

How to live by the Spirit

"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with one another, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law." Galatians 5:16-18

Every believer has an earthly nature and a heavenly nature. Paul says in Col. 3:5;

"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature."

Why should we put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature? Paul says that in response to the fact that every believer has been joined to Christ and is seated in the heavenly realms with Him (Eph. 2:6). Further he says,

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." Col. 3:1-3

Death to self

In what way has the believer died? Paul says,

"And he (Christ) died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." 2 Cor. 5:15

The death we have died is a death to self and a death to living for our own selfish desires.

Now that we are born again as a new creation in Christ with a heavenly nature, we are called to live according to our new nature and no longer live according to our old, selfish and self-centred nature.

We are to move from self-consciousness to God-consciousness.

Self-consciousness vs God-consciousness

Self-consciousness means we are primarily concerned with ourselves and what our selfish nature desires. God-consciousness means we are primarily aware of God and what He desires. Living in response to our selfish nature is idolatry. Living in response to God is to fear God - to honour God and respond to His presence.

The fear of the Lord

Believers who live in "the fear of the Lord" are people who carry an awareness of God's presence in them, with them and around them wherever they are. Because of their God-consciousness, they are sensitive to what grieves Him. They don't live their lives according to principles and rules but rather out of relationship with the Father who dwells in them and with them by His Spirit.

When the believer begins to change his behaviour and desires because of God he begins to live according to the Spirit of God or "by the Spirit" (Gal. 5:16).

Our choice

We have a choice. Either we choose to live according to what we want or what God wants. Either we behave according to our old, selfish nature or we behave according to our new nature in Christ.

"Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation - but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." Romans 8:12-14

Sons of God live according to what God desires.

Why do so many Christians struggle to put the earthly nature to death?

One of the main reasons is that we try to overcome the flesh in our own strength. We try to put a stop to the behaviour that is according to our selfish and sinful desires by prohibiting certain behaviour or actions. The problem with that is that we bring ourselves under law and consequently we break the self-made law because we cannot keep the law.

"..the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so." Romans 8:7

Romans chapter 7 describes this "law of sin and death" that we cannot overcome in our own strength. That is why Paul says we must "put to death the misdeeds of the body" by the Spirit.

How do we do that?

We need to replace our sinful desires by becoming more aware of God's presence - God-consciousness. If I am faced with a situation where my flesh desires what is contrary to what I know is God's will, I don't try to stop the flesh but simply direct my attention to God: "on things above" (Col. 3:1-3). The more I become aware of God's loving presence, the less I want to do my own thing. The more God-conscious I become, the more I see how ugly my selfish desires are and the Spirit begins to change my desires from wanting to please myself to wanting to please my Father.

How do I know if I am living by the Spirit?

It's very simple. Since the believer's life is "now hidden with Christ in God" and he is joined to God, the normal state of every believer should be "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Gal. 5:22,23). The fruit of the Spirit is the nature of God and so when the believer dwells or abides in God, he abides in the heavenly nature. Because God dwells in us and we in Him, it is our right to remain in Him and in our heavenly nature. The world, the flesh and the Devil want to "draw us out" of our new and now, normal, heavenly state. We must choose to remain in God and not allow anything to "move us out" of our heavenly nature. When we allow anything to disrupt our new nature, we are not living according to the Spirit.

Peace

For example, let's take "peace." Since I am joined to Christ who is my Peace (Eph. 2:14) and who is the Prince of Peace, I expect to be in a constant state of peace if I am abiding in Him or living by the Spirit.

"..the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:6

As soon as my peace is unsettled, I immediately check what is the cause of the disturbance. It is my right to abide in peace, since I am joined to Peace. If it is disturbed, I must check what the cause is. I immediately ask the Holy Spirit what is going on.

Peace disturbers

Some common disturbances are:

• Sin - if I disobey the Lord and grieve Him, I lose my peace. The Holy Spirit will always expose anything I am doing or have done that has grieved Him - not to condemn me but to bring me back to absolute intimacy with Him (see James 1:5).


• Attacks of the Enemy - if I cannot pinpoint why I don't have peace, it usually is the enemy trying to oppress me. The enemy tends to be vague but the Holy Spirit is clear. If I am being oppressed, I simply take authority over the feelings and reclaim my right to live in peace.


• Lies of the Enemy. Sometimes I can receive communication that I misinterpret or is simply not true. These thoughts can disturb my peace because I am believing a lie. The lie must be exposed and made obedient to what I know is the truth (see 2 Cor. 10:3-5).


• Worry. Worrying comes from not trusting God. When I am tempted to worry, I direct my attention to God and reflect on His ability to do immeasurably more than I can ask or think (Eph. 3:20) and I remind myself that God's grace is sufficient for me in every circumstance. God knows!

Living by the Spirit is living in God

John says the same when he writes,

"God is love. Whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God in him." 1 John 4:16

I want to encourage you to spend time simply reflecting on the truth that you are in God and God is in you (1 John 4:15). Become aware of His presence in you and with you. Acknowledge God's presence wherever you are, especially when you are likely to be tempted or are being tempted to "move out" of the Spirit (see Proverbs 3:6).

"Live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.....Let us keep in step with the Spirit." Gal. 5:16,25