Getting A Booster Shot Of Faith Series

Once again… it was like I had gotten a “booster shot” and my walk with Christ grew deeper and stronger.

There are a number of Christians who’ve undergone experiences like these.

Some call it a “Mountain top” experience”

I call it a “BOOSTER SHOT”

That denomination I spoke of earlier calls it “2nd work of grace”

I believe it is a real and true experience (pause) BUT.. I don’t accept the idea of a “2nd work of grace”. It’s far too limited an application. I believe what happens is a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and more works of grace. I believe that – if we let Him – God can repeatedly increase our level of faith and our heighten our connectedness with Him by His Spirit actively working in our lives.

II Corinthians 3:18 describes it this way: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (KJV)

We are changed (says II Corinthians) from glory unto glory. It’s like going up a flight of stairs. The closer we walk with Jesus, the more we take on His image and climb those stairs of maturity into His likeness. And I’m sure there’s more than “two” steps on that flight of growth the Spirit takes us on.

Sometimes the changes God’s Spirit would make in our lives will be dramatic… sometimes they’ll be subtle and almost imperceptible. But any Christian who satisfies themselves with putting their bedroll down in the entry way will miss all that. And they will miss the excitement and the adventure of growing up into Christ.

IV. How do I get this “booster shot” of God’s Spirit?

The idea (as it’s explained in Galatians 5) is that the Holy Spirit develops this fruit in our lives when we WALK with Him. Galatians 5:25 says: “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

If I’m “walking” with someone that means I’m spending time with them. It implies that I have deliberately decided to be in that person’s presence.

If I’m going to walk in the Spirit then I need to spend quality time with Him and allow Him to stretch me.

· That means going beyond a Sunday Morning worship experience. Sunday Church is important to us. But if that’s all I ever do with my faith… then I might be guilty of unrolling my sleeping bag in the entry way of God’s mansion.

· It even means going beyond Sunday School or mid-week Bible study. These activities are important because it allows me to be exposed to more ideas of how I can become a stronger Christian. But “walking” in God’s Spirit means I’m personally involved with Him.

· IT MEANS:

o Personally studying my Bible to see what God will TELL ME to do

o Personally praying in such a way that I visualize myself in God’s presence

o Try out things I find in Scripture… fasting for example.

o Occasionally going retreats & seminars to learn more of how to walk with Him.

I’ve also noticed that the times when people walk closest to God’s Spirit are times when they encounter difficulties and suffering in their lives. And - in my life – I’ve found that it has been at those times when I’ve grown most in my faith. As one person once described it: