LIFTING THEIR SPIRITS
22nd Feb 2017
Acts 20:2 in The Message says of Paul as he visited the various churches, “Traveling through the country, passing from one gathering to another, he gave constant encouragement, lifting their spirits and charging them with fresh hope.”
I found the phrase “lifting their spirits” jump out of the page. It is possible to be healthy in body, to be economically secure and at peace, and yet be flat and tired because we are weary in spirit. So how do we make sure our spirit is strong and full of life?
First, we need to live in love and harmony with our family and our friends. Paul speaks about giving “constant encouragement” to these believers. That also means living in forgiveness towards everyone. 1 John 3:21 says, “If our hearts do not condemn us , we have confidence towards God.”
We need to feed our spirits through the Word of God. Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” Jesus said, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” (John 6:63)
Ephesians 5:18 says, “Be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” As our spirits rise we will find praise and worship coming out our our hearts and mouths.
Romans 8:11 says, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through the Spirit.” As we feed on the word, pray and receive a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis, we will discover that our spirits rise.
That was Paul’s mandate; to encourage, lift their spirits, and give them fresh hope for the future. They were living with uncertainly as we are, but God always has the resources to meet our needs and point us to a positive future.
by Charles Sibthorpe
