Let the Word and the Spirit Recharge You Emotionally, Mentally and Spiritually
Illustration: Everyone needs recognition for his accomplishments, but few people make the need known quite as clearly as the little boy who said to his father: "Let’s play darts. I’ll throw and you say ’Wonderful!’"
Bits & Pieces, December 9, 1993, p. 24.
Illustration: The Duke of Wellington, the British military leader who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, was not an easy man to serve under. He was brilliant, demanding, and not one to shower his subordinates with compliments. Yet even Wellington realized that his methods left something to be desired. In his old age a young lady asked him what, if anything, he would do differently if he had his life to live over again. Wellington thought for a moment, then replied. "I’d give more praise," he said.
Bits & Pieces, March 31, 1994, p. 24.
Phil. 2:13,14
1. When we worship the Lord, we gain a great sense of His encouragement in Christ, consolation of love, fellowship of the Spirit, His affection and compassion. (Phil. 2:1,2)
Praise and thank the Lord throughout the day so you are able to feast upon the fountain of joy found in the Lord. The joy of the Lord is our strength, energizer and health. What a privilege to draw from the lifespring water of God’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.
He satisfies the desires of the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with what is good. (Psa 107:9)
Application: Spend time in the morning, evening and take breaks during the day to sing praises to God for His greatness, love and goodness to you. He will replenish, restore, and recharge your soul with His supernatural energy that lifts you up in ways that will propel you to higher levels of maturity, usefulness and empowerment.
Illustration: My soldier. Your wounds are not visible,
but you have received grave internal injuries. You need to be healed. I will heal you. You have been weakened in the battle. You need to be strengthened. I
will strengthen you and be your strength. I will instill in you confidence and ability. My Words will rekindle within you a renewed love, zeal andenthusiasm.
Report to Me tattered and empty. I will refill you.
2. The Holy Spirit renews emotionally us when we are using our primary spiritual gifts.
Quote: Everyone is looking for motivation, but the Spirit is the best energizer in the world.
Rom. 12:3 - By the grace of God I say to everyone, do not think more highly of yourself than you ought to. But think so as to have sound judgment as God has alloted to each according to the measure of their faith. If a man’s gift is prophesy let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve. If it is teaching, let him teach. If it is encouraging, let him encourage, if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously, if it is leadership, let him govern diligently, if it showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
We all find our greatest motivations when we are operating along the lines of our primary spiritual gift.
Application:Find our what you are really passionate about and follow the leading of God’s Spirit. Perhaps you have the gift to be a teacher and the Lord gives you great passion to do well. This may be an indication that this is one of your spiritual gifts.
Application: Ask the Lord to help you operate out of your primary gifts and callings so that you are not struggling to do something you are not suited for.
3. The Holy Spirit recharges us emotionally when we are staying well nourished from scripture. Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." (Matt. 4:4) Be sure that you are spending enough concentrated time meditating on the scripture so that you are feeding your inner spiritual nature. Jesus said, "Mary has chosen the one needed thing that will not be taken away from you." (Luke 10:38-42)
Ask the Lord for the help to discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. (I Tim. 4:7) Thank God that is it profitable for all things not only in this life but also in the life to come.
4. The Holy Spirit reinvigorates us emotionally when we are experiencing encouraging fellowship with other Godly christians. The writer of Hebrews wrote, "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - all all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Heb. 10:24,25) Ask the Lord to help you find encouraging Christians that you can share and minister with in a spirit of real openness, love and prayer.
5. The Holy Spirit restores us emotionally when we are praying with real trust and obedience. Every morning Mark recalls, "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." (Mark 1:35) Ask the Lord to help you find better ways to spend quality time in prayer that will restore your emotional strength as Jesus did.
6. The Holy Spirit revitalizes us emotionally when we are seeing great fruit through our ministries. Isaiah wrote, "Till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest." (Isa. 32:15) Ask the Lord to show you where, how and with whom you can minister so as to bear much fruit.
7. The Holy Spirit rejuvenates us emotionally when we are maximizing our contribution to His kingdom and righteousness. Jesus said, "Seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matt. 6:33) Ask the Lord for wisdom in how you can contribute more effectively to the advancement of His kingdom and righteousness in your ministry circles. Be willing to ask for help if you are conditioned to just using your gifts inside the church while forgetting to help fulfill Christ’s great commission of Matthew 28:18-20.
8. The Holy Spirit resuscitates us emotionally when we are willing to seek advise from Godly experts. Paul wrote Timothy, "You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings." (2 Tim. 3:10) Ask the Lord for help in getting around experts who can help counsel you in areas where you need improving.
9. The Holy Spirit replenishes you emotionally when you take time to rest and enjoy the good things of the Lord. Paul wrote, "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being." (Eph. 3:16) Ask the Lord for help in taking quality time to rest and enjoy some of the leisure activities that the Lord has given you to enjoy. Refuse to give in to worry, skepticism, or weariness.
10. The Holy Spirit reasserts you emotionally when you take time to reflect and thank God for all the great things He has done. John wrote, "The Spirit and the bride say, ’Come!’ And let him who hears say, ’Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life." (Rev. 2:7) Many times when we are thirsty emotionally we need to take plenty of time to consider all the great things the Lord has done, is doing and will do for us through His Spirit. Ask the Lord for time to write down all that the Lord gives you during these times so you have a permanent record of His mighty deliverances.
11. The Holy Spirit renews us emotionally when we are growing in faith. Paul wrote, "Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but grew strong in faith. Being fully persuaded that what He had promised, He was also able to perform." (Rom. 4:20,21) Ask the Lord to give you greater courage to live more by faith and less by sight.
12. The Holy Spirit recharges us emotionally when we are able to follow in the steps of mighty people of God. The writer of Hebrews wrote, "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith." (Heb. 13:7) Ask the Lord to help you to follow fully in the steps of the great heroes of the faith so as to encourage you to climb on their shoulders to higher ground for the Lord’s purposes.
13. The Holy Spirit revitalizes us emotionally when we sing hymns of praise to the Lord while fixing our eyes on Jesus. The writer of Hebrews wrote, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Heb. 12:2,3)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you sing hymns of praise throughout your day so that you are able to have your emotions lifted by concentrating on the unfailing example of Jesus.
Song: Singing I go along life’s road. Praising the Lord, praising the Lord. For Jesus has lifted my load."
