Enabled through the Holy Spirit

^15-17"If you love me, show it by doing what I've told you. I will talk to the Father, and he'll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can't take him in because it doesn't have eyes to see him, doesn't know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you! (John 14:15-17)

Yesterday, we learned about the calling of Jeremiah - a calling to a nation in danger of captivity, split by their sinful pride.  As we reviewed his calling, we were reminded of the promise that those whom God calls, he also equips or enables to do the work they are called to do.  One of the various ways we are "equipped" is with the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  The Spirit of Truth in our lives is resident with us as a result of our inviting Christ into our lives as our Savior.  

What does it mean to have the Spirit of God resident within us?  How does this equip us for the calling on our lives?  From this passage we see:

• We never walk alone - we always have someone with us.  The Spirit of Truth walks where we walk, there with us each step of the way.  No path we take is without his careful attention.
• We are enabled to love God - where the Spirit of God dwells, there is a love for the Father that is deeply rooted in heartfelt service to him.  
• We have his presence with us enabling us to keep his commandments - no steps of obedience are harder than those attempted without his guidance and care.

If we examine another portion of scripture, we find that the Holy Spirit resident within us also produces the evidence of a life change.  We hear this referred to as the "fruit of the Spirit".  Galations 5:22-23 tell us, "But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely."

Break that down:

• Affection for others - the ability to look outside of ourselves and see the needs of those around us.
• Exuberance about life - eagerness to live, no hesitation in our walk, freedom to embrace life.
• Serenity - the ability to keep our cool, peacefulness, composure even in dark or intimidating circumstances.
• A willingness to stick with things - we call this commitment - the attitude and drive to complete what we begin, regardless of the cost.
• A sense of compassion in the heart - moved by the needs of those around us to the point that there is action behind the recognition of that need.
• A conviction that a basic holiness permeates things/people
• Loyal commitments - this work of the Holy Spirit in our lives gives us focus, keeping us on track with Christ, and centers our every movement on him.
• Not needing to force our way in life - where the Spirit of God is, there is a freedom to enter, the very words to speak when we are asked to give an accounting, and an open door.
• Sufficient energies for life's challenges - no excuses for us - the energies we need for the journey ahead have already been provided.
• Wise use of our energies - along with the energies for the task at hand comes the ability to choose wisely how to devote our time, talent and energies.

As you can see, the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is indeed an enabling presence.  Those called are enabled - not halfway, but entirely.  There is sufficiency in all God does, all he provides, and all he prepares us for.  The next time you want to talk God out of "calling" you, you might want to consider just how much he does to provide all you will need for that calling.  The cost of rejecting his calling is sometimes catastrophic!

Enabled for Great Things

⁵"Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you.  Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations—that's what I had in mind for you."   ⁶But I said, "Hold it, Master God! Look at me.   I don't know anything. I'm only a boy!"  ^7-8God told me, "Don't say, 'I'm only a boy.'  I'll tell you where to go and you'll go there.  I'll tell you what to say and you'll say it.  Don't be afraid of a soul.  I'll be right there, looking after you."  God's Decree. ^9-10God reached out, touched my mouth, and said, "Look! I've just put my words in your mouth—hand-delivered!  See what I've done? I've given you a job to do among nations and governments—a red-letter day!  Your job is to pull up and tear down, take apart and demolish, and then start over, building and planting."
(Jeremiah 1:5-10)

Jeremiah was called into his ministry as a prophet during a time when Judah, the Southern kingdom consisting of mainly two tribes is Israel (Judah and Benjamin) that remained loyal to David's offspring after Solomon's death.  The nation of Israel was split into two kingdoms at this time - the Northern Kingdom and Southern Kingdom.  Those who made up Judah were loyal to the line of David - serving under a king from the line of David.  Josiah is king at the time he is called into his prophetic ministry.  Josiah is known as a "good king" because he called the nation back to worship of God and God alone - calling for the destruction of the idols that they had come to worship in the land.  Jeremiah did not have a great message to bring to the people of Judah - in fact, it was one of impending judgment if they did not fully repent of their idolatrous ways and return to their God.

Jerusalem was the capital city of Judah - the place of God's Temple and the center of the nation's worship.  During the ministry of Jeremiah, a heartless marauding Babylonian king by the name of Nebuchadnezzar would take Jerusalem and its inhabitants.  Jeremiah would undergo all kinds of torture, rejection and ill treatment during his ministry - beatings by his family, being placed into stocks by the priests, and then imprisonment by King Nebuchadnezzar.  If he had known all this would happen to him from the beginning of his ministry, I kind of doubt that he would have "signed up"!  

The fact of the matter is that the call of God is a difficult thing to avoid.  We may try to escape it, looking for all kinds of excuses for why we are not suited for the calling.  Jeremiah was no exception.  His first "excuse" for not being qualified to be a prophet to the nations was that he was "only a boy".  He wanted to show God how "disqualified" he was because he was untrained - really did not know whatever it was that prophets were supposed to know.  Alas, we see the response of God that age does not matter, schooling is really not significantly important, and the fact that when God calls, he enables.  

If there is a lesson for us in the life of Jeremiah it is just that - when God calls, he enables.  Jeremiah was called to pull up, tear down, take apart, demolish, and then start over with the rebuilding project of making a nation strong in its love and service to their God.  A pretty phenomenal task if you ask me!  My first inclination would be to ask God if he had the right person!  The nation was already torn into two - the pagan kings were rallying to take advantage of the divisions that had occurred.  Now God expected Jeremiah to rise up in his youth and prophesy about their sin, the need for repentance, and that if it did not happen, judgment would be swift!  Can you see why he did not feel he was qualified?

God's enabling is not something we realize at first.  It is often in the steps of obedience that we take that we begin to realize that the calling of God comes with the necessary enabling.  As we begin to dig into the Word, we find that he brings little tidbits of truth to the surface that help us to stand strong.  As we find ourselves stepping out into unfamiliar territory, he comes alongside to give us strength to face the fears head on.  The process of enabling is really the process of equipping.  What we need, we have at our disposal.  Even when we do not fully recognize it.

The next time we feel impressed by God to step out into unfamiliar territory, we will do well to remember that when God calls for our obedience, he also enables (equips) us for that very step of obedience he requires.  He places within us the exact words we will need.  He even brings us into the exact "audience" we need in order to accomplish what his purposes are for our life.  No encounter is ever accidental when we are walking in the calling of God.  We may not "feel" equipped at first, but when the need arises, we have all the moment requires.  This is what Jeremiah learned as he stepped out in faith to do what God required of him.  He had what he needed to face all the opposition, doubt, and lack of enthusiasm he would encounter.  Why?  Simply because God enables those whom he calls into service for him.

If you think that the "calling of God" does not apply to you - think again.  Each believer is called into service for the King of Kings.  Each believer is asked to step up, embrace the call of God on their lives, and to step out in faith to go where he directs, do what he requests, and touch those he brings across our path.  Remember this:  Those he calls, he equips.