God is always leading us forward into freedom. Past the sin, the stuck places, the disappointment, and the heartache of living.
Forward.
Always forward into hope, into more of Him, into deep change. He does transformative work with this double-edged sword called Spirit and Truth.
With this sword, two things are happening at the same time. On one side, the truth of God sets us free from lesser lovers and worldly appetites. He reveals truth and lies lose their power. We are cut free from bondage. On the other side, Holy Spirit comforts our spirit as we mourn our weakness and look for the courage to be changed. The Spirit cuts the cords of our complacency and apathy and we receive strength to be truly loved.
But to be clear, it is a deep cut into our current way of thinking. Spirit and Truth do not show up without us being painfully aware that Someone greater is on the scene. We are compelled forward.
It’s a complex thought I know, but so necessary for the days we live in. A friend and I were talking about Matthew 24: 12 which warns the “love of others will grow cold.” Look at the CEV version.
“Evil will spread and cause many people to stop loving others.”
Listen. If that doesn’t stop you in your tracks, I don’t know what will. Evil, from the enemy, will increase so much that people will stop acting like they know God.
How can this be? Remember Jesus’s command: Love God, others, and ourselves. Romans says we OVERCOME evil with good.
We overcome the evil that comes against our own hearts, our families, our tribe, our city, and our nations. I must press you today. Are you allowing the double-edged sword of spirit and truth to do its work in your life so that we can overcome the evil we all face?
Two verses come to mind that combat growing cold.
“Fan into flame the gift of God” from 2 Timothy 1:6.
“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10: 24
Jesus is calling us to a deeper more vibrant way of life. We are invited to be so alive with His love that it heals us as we go and impact others. And. It pushes back the evil of our day.
I recall the words of a Jenny Owens song. “I don’t want to be a flame, I want to be a raging fire.”
Push forward. Blaze bright. Overcome darkness.
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