But what I do have...

The season of giving  is upon us. At least, that is what many consider the Christmas season; a time of giving.  We become busy and consumed with the many traditions of the season and rush to get the gifts purchased, the decorations hung, the cards sent, and prepare for that one day of the year that is supposed to represent the celebration of our Savior's birth. He is the reason for the season. We do have more giving this time of year. We give to one another, to charities, to those we know that have a need. We consider our blessings a little more and  reach out in generosity more than usual. This is good. But I want to talk a little more about giving and what we really have to give.

In Acts chapter three we can read of Peter and John heading to the temple.  The day of Pentecost had just transpired with the miraculous filling of the Holy Ghost.  They had been filled and given power. This day, they noticed, perhaps as they had many times before, the lame man begging at the temple gate. This time, Peter was moved and decided to do something. It was no longer business as usual. Peter had something new working in him.

Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

Acts 3:6 NKJV

Peter did not give him what was expected. He had no money to offer, but he had something greater, he had Jesus. That man was given healing.  Peter had access to the power of God,and he wielded that power to offer the man what he truly needed. Money would have probably helped him for a moment, but healing was his true need. He needed only what God can give. 

When we are filled with the Spirit of God, we have access that same power. Peter was just a man as we are. Yet, he understood the power that now dwelt in Him. Many of us get excited about what we read in the Bible and when we hear about the move of God for others, but do we understand that we have that same power dwelling in us?  We have access to the mighty Name of Jesus. We can offer what we have, what people need. Too often, we hold back out of fear, out of doubt, or out of ignorance. Peter had witnessed Jesus personally perform miracles. We can read all about them. Peter believed Jesus when he said. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father." John 14:12 NKJV

It becomes a question of belief.  Do we believe like Peter did? Do I believe like the apostles did?  Do I believe Jesus when he spoke these words?  He said anyone who believes in Him, we will do those works too.  We need to take a good, deep look at our belief in Jesus. He is the same now as he was then.

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Hebrews 13:8 KJV

We are the ones who need to believe and act in accordance to the Word spoken.  If we believe that the Holy Ghost in us is the same one the apostles received,  we better start acting on that belief.  When we come across a need,  we have the ultimate gift for that need. We have Jesus. We can speak the Name that is above every name. We can bring healing to the sick, life the dead, salvation the lost. We have power in Jesus name and as Peter spoke,  “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 

We no longer have an excuse. God is calling His people, his body to rise up and walk in the Spirit. We need to put aside the distractions and excuses. We need to get out of the flesh and recognize the call and power God has given us. We have the gospel and the power of the Holy Ghost. 

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 1:8 KJV

We are to be His witnesses to our families, our communities, our world. We are sent to preach the gospel to the world. (Mark 16:15) we are given a purpose and a calling when we receive this precious gift of salvation from God.  We not only receive it for ourselves, we receive the calling of sharing Jesus with others.  We are given the power to do so. We cannot hide that light in us and be in the will of God. We are operating out of His will when we do not access and wield the power he placed in us. When we go about business as usual, we are denying the power of God. We should no longer keep working as if we have nothing to offer. We have the greatest gift of all: the gift of the Holy Ghost. We need to put it to use. Just as Jesus spoke in the parable of the talents. He did not give the man the talent to hide it, but to use it. 

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Corinthians 7:1 KJV

We ought to be walking different, thinking different, speaking different, and operating different. We shouldn't be able to walk past that need any more without doing something about it. We need to use our spiritual eyes and ears to recognize when God wants to move through us and do something out of the ordinary. When Peter spoke, the lame man expected the ordinary drop of a coin, but instead, Peter gave him of the power of God. Extraordinary should not be uncommon amongst God's people. It is time God's people begin to walk in the Spirit and move as the body of Christ effectively.  We have been asleep and disabled by our flesh for too long. We have got to let go of the world for good and put on the new man. 

 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Ephesians 4:23‭-‬24 KJV

The hindrance that keeps us from walking in the Spirit is unbelief and being double minded. In James 1:8, we are warned that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. This means we are battling between the flesh and the spirit.  Our flesh  causes our spiritual weakness. We give in to the pride and lust of the flesh. We need to draw close to God and purify our hearts by denying the pride and lust of our flesh.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

James 4:8 KJV

Paul explained this to the Galatians. Our flesh and spirit are contrary or oppose one another. We cannot do the things we desire to do until we keep our flesh under control and give the Spirit freedom to lead us. Our battle with the flesh will be a continual fight, but we need to consciously make a choice to walk in the spirit by saying no to the flesh.

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Galatians 5:16‭-‬17 KJV

The Spirit can only lead when we feed our spirit. Praying, studying the Word and, yes, even fasting is required to feed our spirit. If we want to walk in spirit and fulfill the call of God and see the Spirit manifested, we need to pour ourselves into the spiritual matters and set aside the flesh desires.  That is where belief comes to life and grows. Jesus himself said nothing is impossible but unbelief hindered many things he wanted to do. We need to be strong in belief and single minded in unity with the Spirit of God for him to be able to use us as He desires.

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.   Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Matthew 17:20‭-‬21 KJV

We need to get hold of the knowledge of Jesus Christ and believe it and live it like we have never lived it before. We have a promise that is meant to change the world around us.  We have the answer for the world today. We have the peace that passes understanding and the joy that no man can contain. What is holding us back? Let us give them Jesus.

Endure

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Matthew 24:13 KJV

Jesus spoke these words to encourage endurance. We need some endurance.  What does it mean to endure? The definition of endure from dictionary.com says:

to hold out against; sustain without impairment or yielding; undergo

to bear without resistance or with patience; tolerate

to admit of; allow; bear

to continue to exist; last

to support adverse force or influence of any kind; suffer without yielding; suffer patiently

to have or gain continued or lasting acknowledgment or recognition, as of worth, merit or greatness

 I think of runners when I think of endurance.  Especially, long distance runners. To be able to run for long distances, a runner must build up endurance.  This is accomplished through consistent, frequent training. Runners start with shorter distances  then build  to longer and longer runs. This isn’t accomplished in a day or even in a week. It takes time. When they finally reach the ability to endure a race like a marathon, they have many days and hours of training behind them.  I have watched runners in marathons. Even some of the most prepared  still face challenges.  Those who cross that finish line have pushed themselves through hardships. Some have blisters and bleeding,  and some may have even fallen and have bruises. They pushed past exhaustion, fatigue, mental tiredness, and many other things to finish the race.  The days and hours of training meant dedication, perseverance, and commitment. Paul explained spiritual endurance as a race as well

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.  For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:3‭-‬8 KJV‬

Paul ran his race and crossed the finish line. He did not quit or give up. He endured many hardships and trials. We need to develop endurance in our spiritual walk. We build up spiritual endurance through pushing forward through trials and leaning on God’s strength when we do not have any strength in ourselves.  Jesus wants us to endure. Endurance through trials, hardships and even through good times will grow as we practice turning to God through prayer, Bible study, and faith in Him.  As we learn to rely on Him in one situation, we can apply that lesson of faith to the next mountain. We can resist the next temptation, or pray through the next worry. We can pursue God while we walk in His will and learn He never leaves us or forsake us.  We grow deeper roots, stronger foundations, and reach higher in faith. We grow and develop more endurance. This takes commitment to God.  We cannot be swayed or distracted.  A runner that gets his eye off the finish line, will become distracted , worn down, or swayed to quit.  

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;  So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:  Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

2 Thessalonians 1:3‭-‬5 KJV‬

We cannot take our eyes off the finish line  we must be  steadfast in faith to endure to the end.  We must be rooted and grounded (Ephesians 3:17). We must not allow our own frailty, our humanity, to take over and tell us we cannot finish, that we are too weak or not good enough. We must push past the fear, past unbelief, and past temptation.  We must pray our way through, speak His word, hide it in our hearts to carry us through the hard times, and spend as much time as we can gaining strength from the One who called us to run the race God is rooting for us to win. He will give us an advantage when we seek Him and trust in Him.  We cannot quit.  We will endure until the end and like Paul, we will be able to proclaim, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day.”