KEEP IN STEP pt 4
An Excellent Spirit
Galatians 5:24-25 NIV “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
Galatians 3:3 NKJV “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?
We all need to answer this question?
The New birth isn’t the end of God’s purpose for us, it’s only the beginning.
His Spirit has started something powerful that He wants to continue throughout our lives.
“Having begun in the [life-power of the Spirit], are you now [by the energy of your own flesh] being made perfect?”
Romans 8:6 NIV “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
II Timothy 3:5 NKJV “having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”
2 Timothy 3:5 AMPC “For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].”
So there is a simplicity and power to keeping in step!
Daniel 5:12 KJV “forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.”
- Have you ever been in a meeting where someone came up with a brilliant idea that left you amazed and wondering, “Wow, that’s such a great idea? Why didn’t I think of that?
Or you experienced moments when suddenly the solution to a problem you’ve been trying to solve comes to you? These “Aha!” moments of spontaneous insight and revelation, where we can almost SEE the solutions are precious and something many of us would love to experience more.
NOW, what if I told you as a believer this is actually your default mode?
HOW? Through tapping into the Anointing & Power of the Holy Spirit by keeping in step, which the Lord already put in you!
1 John 2:20 NKJV “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.”
That means that instead of racking your brain over what to do, or sweating over how to solve a problem, you can allow the Holy Spirit to put His wisdom and revelation in your heart and help you see the answer you need!
Because Christ is IN you today, child of God, you can have something better than an “Aha!” moment or a good idea. You can tap on the Holy Spirit—His anointing, power, and wisdom within you—to accomplish all you need!
1 Corinthians 2:16 AMPC “For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. [Isa. 40:13.]”
In Daniel was found an excellent SPIRIT!!!!
THE meaning of excellent in one word?
TO HAVE EXCESS OR OVERFLOW (where everybody else stops, you begin)
yattı̂yr
yat-teer’ (Chaldee); corresponding to H3492; preeminent; adverbially very: – exceeding (-ly), excellent.not just good BUT very good OR great
Something excellent is to have a high quality: this is one of the best compliments around. Words like extraordinary and exceptional are similar in meaning to excellent.
What does it mean Daniel had an excellent spirit?
Daniel 6:3 KJV “Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.”
An excellent spirit indicates a mind that excels.
Daniel is praised for his spirituality, intellect, and skill.
A person who could interpret dreams was considered to be inspired by God.
Daniel had an excellent spirit because he always acknowledged God and put Him & His purpose First.
So as he was growing up, He was well trained and made the choice to serve the LORD!
Another example which illustrates this Spirit of Excellence is the Abraham & Lot.
Which man of righteousness will you choose to be!!!!
Abraham influenced generations but Lot only himself
Keeping in step means Choosing to serve the Lord and putting Him First in your Life.
Not on Sunday, but everyday, that’s who a disciple is and what he does flows from that place.
Who Do I Serve?
What I am at home is what I really am:
– The way I speak and act in private. The material I read when I’m alone.
– The music that fills my dwelling. The table-talk my family shares … or doesn’t.
– The moods I invite or tolerate. The entertainment I seek and foster.
– The media input I welcome.
The Savior I praise and worship… That’s the bottom line: Who am I serving, Him or me? As for me and everything in and about my house, Jesus will be central. We will worship Him; we will serve Him!
Joshua 24:15 NIV “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.””
I Kings 18:21 NKJV “And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.”
The most important step to developing fruit in your life is developing your intimacy with the Holy Spirit!
5 things that will help you;
- Recognize the Holy Spirit is a Person.
Knowing this is fundamental to having a deep and meaningful connection with Him.
John 14:16-17 NKJV “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”
God gives us love, and through Him, the Lord Jesus gives us grace, but the primary gift of the Holy Spirit is not tongues or supernatural power – it’s a relationship.
You can’t have a friendship with someone if you keep calling them “ it.” Many people don’t have fellowship with the Holy Spirit because they view the Holy Spirit as a force instead of a friend. They see Him as a power, not as a Person. Jesus never referred to the Holy Spirit as “ It” but always as “He.” The Holy Spirit is a Person, a living being with a personality. He is not a dove, wind, fire, cloud, force, or power. He is not even a feeling. He is not power. He is a real Person!
II Corinthians 13:14 NKJV “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”
One time, I asked the Lord why He didn’t give the Holy Spirit a physical body if He wanted us to have a relationship with Him. I felt that God responded to me with something that totally blew me away. He said, “The Holy Spirit does have a body. In fact, He usesyours.” Then I remembered the verse that says that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and it hit me. Wow! When we accept Jesus as our Savior, God graciously imparts the Holy Spirit within us, and this divine presence transforms our bodies into temples. He lives and operates in my body! This truth should change how we view our bodies.
Reflection: Think about your own perception of the Holy Spirit. How do you view Him? If you have been treating Him as merely a force or power, take a moment to shift your perspective. Recognize Him as a close friend. The Holy Spirit is not a distant, abstract concept; He is God in us, desiring a personal relationship. All you have to do is talk to Him.
Let’s Pray:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Help me to see and recognize Him not just as a force, but as the living, active Person who dwells within me. May I grow in deeper intimacy with Him, honoring my body as His temple and treasuring the relationship He offers.
- Because the Holy Spirit is a Person, our attitudes & actions can bring Him joy or displeasure.
What makes someone a person? Is it life? Trees have life, but they are not beings. A person is a living, mobile being with a unique personality that consists of traits, feelings, behavior, and temperaments. A person is a created being with a soul. The soul is the seat of the mind, the will, and the emotions.
The Holy Spirit has a mind (Romans 8:27).
The mind of the Holy Spirit is in union with the Father and the Son, but He is a separate Person of the Godhead.
Romans 8:27 NKJV “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
The Holy Spirit has a will.
When we look at the Scripture…..
Acts 16:6-7 NKJV “Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.”
We see that the Holy Spirit prohibited Paul from going to Asia (Acts 16:6-7). When Paul tried to go to another city, the Spirit didn’t permit him to go there either. He knows everything better than we do and leads us in ways that help us be effective for God and His kingdom. God didn’t just give us a map, which is the Bible; He also gave us a Guide—the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit has emotions (Ephesians 4:30).
Ephesians 4:30 NKJV “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
The mind, will, and emotions are what give someone personality, thus making them a person. To grieve the Holy Spirit is to cause Him sorrow. He is not a robot or machine without emotions or feelings. Even though He is described as fire and wind, He is neither of those things because fire and wind don’t have a mind, will, or emotions.
Reflection: How can you cultivate sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s guidance in your life? How might you live to please Him and not cause Him grief?
- The Holy Spirit comes to glorify Jesus and to make Him known.
There are many shadows of the Holy Spirit seen in the Old Testament. One of the clearest comes from the story of Abraham, his son, and the oldest servant in his house (Genesis 24:2).
Genesis 24:2 NKJV “So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh,”
Genesis 24:4 NKJV “but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.””
He was the most trusted servant who was assigned to find a bride for Isaac. Abraham’s faithful household servant draws no attention to himself. His attention is focused only on finding a bride for Isaac and that Abraham’s wish be fulfilled. In fact, the author of Genesis doesn’t even call him by name in order to keep him in the background. What a beautiful example of the Holy Spirit, who came to earth to draw people to Jesus to be His bride.
He points to Jesus; He speaks what Jesus would speak, and He declares that all that belongs to Jesus is available to us. Even though the oldest servant is nameless, he oversaw all that Abraham had.
I see the same similarity with the Holy Spirit. He manages heaven’s resources (John 16:14).
John 16:14 NKJV “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.”
God the Father places attention on the Holy Spirit, even though the Holy Spirit doesn’t draw attention to Himself. The Holy Spirit is not optional in the Christian life if we really want to see the kingdom of heaven manifested here on earth. In fact, the kingdom of God is manifested through the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).
Romans 14:17 NKJV “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
Reflection:
As you think about His influence throughout Scripture, how do you see the Holy Spirit drawing you closer to Jesus in your life today?
- The the Holy Spirit is thirsty?
As we continue to read the story in Genesis, you’ll notice that this servant is now on his way to find a wife for Isaac. He meets by the well a young, virgin woman who is beautiful to behold. In this passage, Rebekah represents the church, the bride of Christ, who is called to walk in purity and drink from the well of salvation. Mind you, this servant had men with him and many camels that carried goods. But he asks this question of Rebekah,
Genesis 24:17 NKJV “And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.””
He could have gotten that water from the well himself, but this was a test. His thirst was her test. If she gave water to him and his camels, she would be the chosen one.
What if I were to tell you that the Holy Spirit was thirsty?
He desires your attention.
The Holy Spirit is a gentleman so waits to be wanted and invited
He desires fellowship with you.
He wants you to talk to Him.
Yes, Jesus told us that if we are thirsty, we can come to Him and drink of the Holy Spirit, but if the Holy Spirit is thirsty, can you give Him a drink (John 7:37-39 in the last days of anyone thirst let them come to me and I will give them rivers of living water, He spoke concerning the Holy Spirit)? Can you hear His sweet voice asking for a drink?
If we break down the verse, we can see powerful representations for today.
PLEASE: this indicates a petition, not a command. He doesn’t want to force you to fellowship with Him. He is not ordering you to, but rather asking this of you as a friend.
LET ME: this reveals the Holy Spirit is God, but He is also a Person who has feelings and affections and longs to be invited.
DRINK A LITTLE: Could you give Him a little attention every day? Pause during your busyness. Stop what you’re doing, and just acknowledge Him.
FROM YOUR PITCHER: This could represent your daily life/your calendar. We all have the same 24 hours, and our pitcher needs to be refilled every morning. He desires to drink from your pitcher. He wants your attention, your affection. We let everyone else drink from our pitcher; it’s time to let Him drink first.
Reflection:
The best thing you can do right now is to stop reading this and go spend some quality time with this wonderful Person. Develop a daily habit of constant communion with the Holy Spirit. Talk to the Holy Spirit if you desire to walk in the Holy Spirit.
Let’s Pray:
Holy Spirit, can you teach me how to get to know You?
John 14:26 NKJV “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
- We should desire to know Him more
Rebekah gave him water from her pitcher and then volunteered to water his camels.
On average, a camel drinks 140 to 250 gallons of water. That’s a lot. And he had more than one camel.
That’s a lot of work!
But she volunteered; he didn’t ask her to do that.
I can imagine the scene: the men watching this young woman carrying water for all those camels. Little did she know that the camels she was watering held expensive gifts for her and her family.
Everyone wants the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but we must focus on giving the Holy Spirit our water—our time.
Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
Genesis 24:19 NKJV “And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.”
As we desire to know Him more, we should volunteer to water His camels—the local church.
Sign up to volunteer at the kids’ ministry. Look for a place to serve, not a platform to shine on. Do the work that maybe others don’t want to do.
James 4:8 NKJV “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
The Holy Spirit is watching everything. While others are seeking gifts, you water the camels. You will be surprised how His gifts will eventually flow through you. If you water the camels, He will give you His gifts. As you serve God’s cause on this earth, He will empower you with His anointing. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not jewelry, but they beautify the life of a believer. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are tools for service to accomplish God’s work with God’s help.
Many people don’t have these gifts because they are not passing the test of serving in the local church. The Holy Spirit wants to use us to build His kingdom. Therefore, He will test us first by watching whether we will water the camels or go on begging for gifts so we can show off. Today, many want to use the Holy Spirit to build up their name, ministry, and fame.
Focus on watering the camels; focus on working for the Lord with the gifts and talents you already have. Do the natural; the Holy Spirit will add the super to your natural.
Reflection:
In my life today, are there areas where I am serving with my whole heart? Where could I find a need and fill it?
Let’s Pray:
Father, thank you for your constant love and faithfulness. I pray that you would highlight to me where I can serve the body of Christ best. Use my life as you desire. Guide me Holy Spirit. In Jesus’s name, amen.
John 1:16 (AMPC) “For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift.”
You and I can live in victory today because the Holy Spirit is empowering our lives to beat HIS FRUIT and HIS teaching us to pray. He helps us ask God for what we need rather than trying to make things happen on our own. The Holy Spirit is the One Who brings every good gift into your life, everything you need. His multiple roles as Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby can be summarized by saying that His purpose is to get as close to us as possible and cause our lives to work out for the glory of God. God is interested in every detail of your life. He wants to help with everything in your life. He stands by us at all times waiting for the first available opportunity to enter in and give us the help and strength we need. Ask for help as often as you need it.
