READING: Judges 13-15
Take time now to think about these words and let them sink in: the Spirit of God lives in us.
The Spirit of the Lord is mighty, and because He lives in us, we have the power of God at our disposal. He is with us wherever we go, helping us face whatever we face. We know without question that the One who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
In the Old Testament, the Spirit was not yet the permanently indwelling Spirit we find in the New Testament; instead, He temporarily “came on” people to help them fill a particular role or purpose. In fact, the book of Judges shows the Spirit coming on Othniel (Judges 3:10), Gideon (Judges 6:34), Jephthah (Judges 11:29), and, in today’s reading, Samson (Judges 13:25, 14:6, 14:19, 15:14). In these Samson illustrations, the Spirit began to “stir” Samson and then “came powerfully upon him” to empower him to defeat a lion, to strike down 30 men, and to break ropes to defeat 1000 men. In most of these cases, the empowerment came so God might use His leader for the sake of the many.
What the Spirit did for Samson, He does for us that much more: He empowers us to do what we cannot do on our own. Our battles are different than Samson’s in today’s reading, but our source of strength is the same. The Spirit who indwells us permanently gives us the conviction to fight temptation, the courage to stand for truth, the words to share the gospel, and the guidance to follow God’s plan. We can win spiritual battles because we never fight them alone.
Today, trust the Spirit of God in you to grant you the power you need to face life. When He empowers you, you are not the only one who reaps the benefits — God grants you His presence so He might use you to bless others.
ACTION STEPS: Consider these steps:
- Spend some time today studying more about the Spirit of God. Read John 14-16, concentrating on the passages about the Spirit.
- Knowing that the Spirit is in you, take a risk today to love someone who is generally unlovable. Trust that God will give you just what you need, and just when you need it.
PRAYER: “Father, I am grateful that You live within me today. Thank You that the filling of the Spirit is no longer just a temporary act for an immediate purpose. Thank You for indwelling me.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Judges 16-18