Energizing Your Soul
Dr. Marty Baker / April 21, 2002
www.stevenscreek.net
In 1989, Energizer Batteries debuted a pink bunny playing a drum and wearing shades and blue sandals as their advertising icon. Ever since then, he has been catching people’s attention beating his drum across our television screens. As his first commercial proved, he’s unstoppable! The battery powering him has so much power that he keeps going and going and going. Since then, he’s made surprise appearances in more than 115 television spots, spreading his message of long-lasting power. POWER!
In our world, there is a great interest in power. Every month we become pen pals with SCE&G or The Southern Company and pay a power bill. We enjoy power lunches. We wear power ties. We take power walks. We eat "power bars". We embrace power selling. We use the net to do power searches. We send our kids to Power Surge. With all of this power around us, why do we often feel "powerless".
That’s what I want to talk about this morning as we focus on Energizing our Souls. Over the last several weeks, we have been in a series called SoulQuest. This series has focused on encouraging the soul. Today, we take the next step in the process as we discover power for living.
The message of long-lasting power did not begin with the Energizer Bunny, it began when God released His presence on this earth.
In the New Testament, we see this promise.
Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you ...
This verse introduces a new way of living. It is what I call "power living". If we are going to energize our souls, then we need to get plugged into "power living."
Thus far in this series I’ve talked about the importance of restoring the soul and freeing the soul, now it is time to fill the soul. One famous writer in the New Testament is the Apostle Paul. He carried the message of Christ into cities that had not heard and then he encouraged those individuals with letters. Today those letters are a part of the Bible. One such letter is to a group of people living in the town of Ephesus. Listen to his words.
Ephesians 3:16-21
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Did you notice Paul’s passion for "power living?" How do we access this power living?
Many of you have a daily routine of exercise. You jog, walk on the treadmill, endure the elliptical trainers, swim and work out with weights so that your muscles can be toned and strengthened. In the same fashion, if you desire to be strong spiritually, you must embrace a spiritual workout routine.
Philippians 2:12-13
12 . . . continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
What does a spiritual workout look like? Spiritual toning doesn’t mean a visitation of some special spiritual gift every day of your life. It involves a commitment to a three-step practice that helps keep the power of God’s presence beating strongly in your soul.
How to Engergize Your Soul
1. Daily align your life with God and His presence.
Sunday morning just isn’t enough. Spirit powered living requires that we intentionally seek out God every day. The more we seek to encounter Him in our daily lives, the more we will begin to recognize that God’s presence surrounds us and sustains us whenever we may be.
Too many people look for God’s presence and purpose somewhere "out there." They travel off to some isolated moutaintop or deserted island to find God. If you are looking for God, look close to home.
Jesus spent the bulk of his spiritual journey in the ordinary towns and villages of his native Palestine. He taught and preached and performed miracles in the most humdrum of locations in neighborhoods, at the docks, and in homes filled with noisy kids.
Instead of looking for God in our homes or at work, we imagine that He must be somewhere far away and out of our reach. In the Old Testament, there is a story about a man named Elijah that was searching for God somewhere out there. Listen to his story.
I Kings 19:11-13
11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
Elijah was looking for God in the fury of nature, but He found God in quietness of His heart through a still small voice. If you want to hear that still small voice, take time to daily align yourself with God and the sacred areas of life.
2. Embrace a daily routine of spiritual exercises.
Everyone who has every tried to tone a few muscles knows that isometric exercises - those that push our own muscles against each other - are the ones that build both tremendous strength and elasticity. In the same way, we energize our souls through disciplines of the Spirit or spiritual exercises.
What do spiritual exercises look like?
Faith Exercise
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Do you really believe in God? Do you trust Him with your life? Are you seeking God to deepen your relationship with God? These are some questions that help develop your faith.
Prayer Exercise
Prayer is simply communicating with God. Communication is a two-way connection. It is the individual talking with God and then taking time to listen to God. If you are like me, you probably spend too much time talking and not listening. Next week we will devote an entire message to hearing the voice of God.
Obedience Exercise
Are we willing to obey the principles written in the Bible? Do you find yourself justifying your actions? Looking the other way? Compromising your morals?
Luke 11:28
Jesus replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."
If you want God to bless your family, obey His Word.
Exercise in Solitude.
It is virtually impossible to energize your soul without some periods of solitude. Solitude begins with a time and place for God, and him alone. It is a time that we give God our undivided attention and allow Him time to refocus our souls.
Matthew 6:6
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Solitude is the most neglected spiritual exercise of our modern culture. We are addicted to noise, information, and activity. I encourage you to find a quiet place and connect with God.
Exercise of Fasting
Health enthusiasts, physicians and spiritual leaders through the ages have taught the benefits of fasting. This involves pushing back from the table for a period of time. It may involve one meal or even more. Fasting energizes your soul. Some breakthroughs will only occur through this type of exercise.
Exercise of Bible Study.
There is an amazing energy that is released in a person’s soul when they develop a routine of reading the Bible and other devotional literature. This exercise strengthens the mind and encourages the heart.
3. Determine to serve others each day.
People who are interested in finding a deeper life with God do so as they discover the blessings of serving others. The concept of serving others goes against the grain of our world. The common tenant of the culture is to look out for number one. Take care of yourself. Jesus encourages us to love one another and to help each other out. When we help each other, we connect with a power that is greater than ourselves.
This past Monday I started my week with a time of Bible Study and prayer. After that I took care of some things around the house, I made a hospital visit, went out to lunch and went shopping. As we were leaving a store, we walked by an elderly couple standing by their car with their trunk and their shopping cart loaded with a large bag of fertilizer.
I did what most of you would do. I picked up the fertilizer and put it in the trunk for them. They were appreciative. As I walked away, I was surprised by a prompting from God. It was as if God said, "This is the most spiritual thing that you’ve done all day." I thought, "Wait a minute, I’ve read the Bible, prayed, visited the hospital ... again it came. This is the most spiritual thing you’ve done all day."
It was a gentle reminder of the importance of serving others. Too often we serve because there is a relationship or a responsibility. Could it be that God wants us to serve people that cannot return the favor?
Matthew 25:40
"The King will reply, ’I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
We are God’s people. We are in His service. When we reach out and touch others that are in need, we discover who God is.
Many of you are longing for spiritual energy. I encourage you to reach out and help someone ... You will discover the power of Christ as you encourage people who are hurting.
It is one of the paradoxes of the Bible. You give and you will receive. If you give encouragement, you will in turn receive encouragement. The spiritual life is an inward journey to the heart of God. This inward journey brings us deeper into an intimate relationship with God, with ourselves and with other people. Open up your heart to Him.
Time of Reflection: Song "Prayer Medley"
This morning we are closing this service with prayer. During this time, if you need encouragement from God, open your heart to Him. Ask him to fill your life with His Presence.
Then, look around this auditorium. As God prompts you, pray for other people in this room.
Closing Prayer
