SPIRITUALITY BEGINS WITH SILENCE

I heard an interesting sermon today by Charles Stanley. He asked a question, "Which of these passages of Scripture do you think shows Jesus being the most spiritual?" I do not remember all of the four he mentioned, but it really doesn't matter; any four will do. Let's compare His walking on the sea (Matt. 14:25), His raising Lazarus (Jn. 11:43), His dying on the cross (Lk. 23:46), and His spitting to make clay (Jn. 9:6); which do you think shows Him to be the most spiritual? The answer is, they are all equal. Jesus was just as spiritual when he spat as when He offered Himself as our sacrifice for sin. Everything that Jesus said and did was in obedience to the will of the Father. Jesus said, "I can of mine own self do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father Who hath sent Me" (Jn. 5:30). "It is the Spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life" (Jn. 6:63). "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of Myself; but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works" (Jn. 14:10).

I believe that everything we think, say, and do needs to be the work of the Holy Spirit in us, or it is sin. The Spirit's job is to guide a Christian's thoughts, words, and actions. The Holy Spirit dwells within the believer (Jn. 14:17). The Holy Spirit teaches us and reminds us of Christ's words and the Father's will (Jn. 14:26; 16:13-15). The Holy Spirit empowers the believer to be witnesses for Christ in both word and in deed (Acts 1:8; Col. 3:17). Paul wrote that the Christian should walk (go through life) in the power and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:1, 4; Gal. 5:16, 25). When the world, our flesh, or Satan is influencing our thoughts, words, and actions, the Holy Spirit isn't. The world and its systems are our enemies (Jn. 5:18-19). Christians are in a constant battle with themselves (Rom. 7:23). And the Devil loves nothing more than to get mankind to sin (Gen. 3:1-6; Job 1:12; 2:6; Matt. 4:1-11; 1 Pet. 5:8). What is sin?

There are two kinds of sin: doing what one knows is not God's will, and not doing what one knows is His will. If you are not absolutely certain that your thoughts, words, and actions are pleasing unto God, then they are sin (Rom. 14:23). When you do know what the Lord desires of you, and you refuse to act, that is also sin (Jam. 4:17). The Holy Spirit reminds the believer what God's Word says, and it is up to us to respond in obedience. Unfortunately, our minds are so distracted that it is difficult for us to hear what the Spirit is saying to us. Have you ever been in prayer, reading your Bible, or listening to a sermon and found yourself thinking about what is on television, or what you are going to have for diner? God speaks in a still, small voice, and if we want to hear Him, we need to quiet our minds (1 Kgs. 19:12). How can we be led of God's Spirit if we can not hear Him speaking to us? "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10)!