Independence in God Dependence on God

Walking in Spiritual Reality by Relating with God through the Lord’s Appointed Times of Pentecost

TRUTH AND PURPOSE

Shavuot—Pentecost was originally established to celebrate the fullness of the harvest. It also marks the day Moses received the Law—God’s covenant. It would be God’s word that would guide God’s people through a life of faith—dependent on God; and distinguished from the pagan nations of the world.

The Law demanded performance of all kinds of works to be justified before God. Messiah Jesus came in the power of God's love to reveal grace and release the enabling power of the Holy Spirit so we could experience freedom in God!

RELEVANCE

As the disciples were celebrating Shavuot, the Holy Spirit fell upon them as recorded in Acts 2. God’s covenant Word connected with His Spirit and brought completion—or fullness—to the revelation of God’s covenant. It therefore, brought fulfillment to Isaiah’s prophecy expressing the fullness of God’s covenant: "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth…”  (Isaiah 59:21 NKJV)

So, full independence in God would be expressed by depending on God’s Word breathed by His Spirit—the Holy Spirit. This is what the LORD revealed towards the end of His ministry in the upper room.

I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13 However, when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own initiative but will say only what he hears. He will also announce to you the events of the future. 14 He will glorify me, because he will receive from what is mine and announce it to you.  (John 16:12-14 JNT)

This is also what Paul had in mind in expressing what liberty in the LORD is about:  standing free, not being “entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”  (Galatians 5:1)

As the LORD has discharged us from the debt to the law of sin and fully acquitted us from the guilt of the effects of sin, we have the capacity to be empowered to walk in the Spirit of liberty! That capacity is realized by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit; the enabling power to resist worldly influences and carnal impulses so the LORD’s nature can dominate our thought processes and actions.

This happens as we allow the Holy Spirit to enable us to resist the ways of the world and sways of sin: the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and pride of life. The more we yield to the LORD’s nature by the Holy Spirit, the more we appropriate His victory in our life.

This is what the LORD meant in declaring, “He who loves his life loses it, but he who hates his life in this world will keep it safe right on into eternal life!” (John 12:25 JNT) He was referring to a real kind of life transformation: where our life absorbed in satisfying the desires of the flesh become renewed; and we become more focused on satisfying the desires God imparts in our heart and purposes He has towards us—which have the capacity to bring more fulfilling measures of liberty and the real joy and peace of God.

This transformation comes as the Holy Spirit enlightens your mind and heart to truth, bringing God’s real refreshment and liberation!  The more you yield to the Holy Spirit, the more you are able to resist temptations and be free from the pulls that lead to anxiety and fear—so God can bring you to His rest, His settling state of peace.

FOCUS ON VALUES, VISION AND VIRTUES

The Holy Spirit imparts insight that strengthens our vision, bringing what was obscure to clarity, and what seemed so complex to simplicity. In order to do so God brings our values into alignment with His. When our values are congruent with God’s, we see things we never saw before! The Holy Spirit imparts new and greater measures of the virtue of Christ; His love, character and power, producing the fruit of the Spirit. Through grace, God’s works His process of transformation within us.

What new values has God impressed you to embrace this season?

What new vision has God imparted in you to give you greater insights?

What virtues of Christ have you received to walk in the new life in Him?  

REFLECTION, REALITY AND RESPONSE

What good desires and purposes do you think God has towards you?  

What thoughts can you release to the LORD so the Holy Spirit can empower you to greater measures of freedom, peace and joy?   

REFERENCES

John 12-17; Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 2; Galatians 5-6

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Unless otherwise specified, all Scripture references are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982, by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scriptures marked JNT taken from the Jewish New Testament. Copyright © 1979 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. Scriptures marked NLT are taken from New Living Translation Holy Bible, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.