How The Holy Spirit Helps Us To Always Experience a Winning Attitude - I Cor. 2:14-17
Illustration:Author Jamie Buckingham once visited a dam on the Columbia River. He’d always thought that the water spilling over the top provided the power, not realizing that it was just froth, that deep within turbines and generators transformed the power of tons and tons of water to electricity--quietly, without notice, not like the flashy froth on top.
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Let me tell about a man who in my book is a world-hugger. His parents called him Billy Frank. His wife calls him Bill. His face is drawn by the gravitational pull of years. The wrinkles on his brow betray a life of hard work and stress. His legs are weak. So, too, his arms. His hands tremble involuntarily. His voice, once strong, is tired. He’s an old man now. For most of his 82 years, this man has touched the world by holding before it the Christ of Christmas. Jesus knows the trembling hands that hold on to him with unflinching tenacity. He recognizes his faithful follower’s tender touch. He understands that the cause for which he came into our fallen world is the cause to which this frail fellow has committed his life. Since embracing the Savior as a teenager, Bill has carried in his heart a concern for all kinds of people in all kinds of places. The races of the world have been equally important to him. Since graduating from Wheaton College, this North Carolinian has walked his talk around the block and across the seas. Yes, William Franklin Graham is a living example of what it means to embrace others with the love of God. In Billy Graham we see an elderly (but,
nonetheless, enduring) hugger of humanity.
1. The Holy Spirit helps us to make the most of every situation with a positive attitude knowing that we can do everything God asks us to do with the help of Christ who gives us the strength and power. (Phil. 4:13) Trust the Lord to help you adopt a positive mental, emotional and spiritual attitude with Philippians 4:13 as a personal promise to you from God. Ask the Lord to help you gain a greater assurance of the Spirit’s ability to work this attitude into every part of your personal life, your relationships and every aspect of your ministry.
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Warren’s seven principles of how to last in the ministry:
1. Identification -- "Know who I am," he said. "Write down your strengths and be honest about your weaknesses."
2. Motivation -- "I must know who I am trying to please. Ask yourself: ’Why do I do what I do?’ Continually consider this. The ’why’ always determines the ’how long.’"
3. Prioritization -- "I must know my purpose. What does your schedule reveal about your priorities, and how can you change one thing to reflect more of God’s purpose?"
4. Education -- "I must never stop learning. Growing ministries require growing ministers," he said. "Ecclesiastes 10:10 says, ’... skill will bring success.’ Not dedication. If you go pick cotton with a tomato picker, no matter how much you pray, it won’t work."
5. Meditation -- "I must get alone with God often. If I don’t, I can become like a poor photo -- overexposed and underdeveloped."
6. Relaxation -- "I must take time off to enjoy life. Jesus went to the desert. I use this as a biblical example for a Palm Springs vacation," Warren laughed. "Matthew 11:10 says, ’Jesus came enjoying life.’ If you don’t take time to come apart, you will come apart. Rest is so important that God put it in the top 10 -- take a sabbath."
7. Concentration -- "I must focus my life. We think, ’I’ve got to do this or I have to do that.’ No, we don’t. We can get so many irons in the fire that the fire goes out. The more focused I am, the more effective I will be. I have just enough time to do God’s will. Figure out what God’s will is and do that and don’t worry about the rest."
2. The Holy Spirit helps us realize that true success is measured in God’s terms through greater love, righteousness, holiness and truth. Solomon wrote, "By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor and life." (Prov. 22:4) Ask the Lord to help you trust and obey God in all situations knowing that He will make you successful regardless of what others might say about you.
3. The Holy Spirit teaches us how the love of God overcomes all problems despite outward appearances, comments or assumptions. Paul wrote, "Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good." (Rom. 12:21) Ask the Lord to help you avoid giving into depression, criticism, or adverse circumstances. Trust the Lord to help all aspects of your personal life, relationships and ministries to reflect the faith that believes GOOD OVERCOMES ALL FORMS OF EVIL.
4. The Holy Spirit teaches us how to overcome abusers of power by remembering how Christ overcame all opposition. The writer of Hebrews wrote, "Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself (reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials), so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds." (Heb. 12:3 - Amplified) Ask the Lord to help you to remember Christ’s winning attitude regardless of how stiff the opposition.
5. The Holy Spirit teaches us that no temptation is beyond our ability to overcome it. Paul wrote, "NO temptation has seized you except what is common to man. God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (I Cor. 10:13) Ask the Lord to help you overcome all temptations to feel discouraged, frustrated or angry about your situations.
6. The Holy Spirit reminds us key scriptural promises when we are growing weary or faint hearted. Isaiah wrote, "The Creator will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint." (Isa. 40:28-31) Ask the Lord to renew your strength when you are feeling weary, tired and faint in your attitude.
7. The Holy Spirit shows us how to avoid taking bad reports, accusations or criticisms personally. Paul wrote, "I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me." (I Cor. 4:3,4) Ask the Lord to help you develop a teflon like exterior so that you do not let criticism get you to personally
8. The Holy Spirit teaches us how a positive perceptions can affect our emotional attitudes. Paul wrote, "Whatever is true, worthy of reverence, honorable, seemly, just, pure, lovely, lovable, kind, winsome, gracious, virtuous, excellent, worthy of praise, think on and weight and take account of these things (fix your minds on them. (Phil. 4:8) Ask the Lord to help you focus your perceptions on Christ’s positives so that it will enable you to always have a winning emotional, social, and spiritual attitude.
9. The Holy Spirit helps you to hang on to positive goals, purposes and satisfactions regardless of your present condition. Paul wrote, "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him." (I Cor. 2:14) Ask the Lord to help you to not give into any faulty beliefs or "mis-beliefs that deter you from Christ’s goals.
10. The Holy Spirit teaches us to realize that no person or problem can defeat, distract or inhibit us from doing God’s will as we pray and walk by faith. Paul wrote, "I keep asking that God may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may now him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hoe to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints and his incomparably great power for us who believe." (Eph. 1:17-19) Ask the Lord to help you to grow in all wisdom, faith and obedience so that you can more fully assured of God’s triumphal attitudes working in and through you!
Conclusion:Sometime back the Associated Press carried this dispatch: "Glasgow, Ky.--Leslie Puckett, after struggling to start his car, lifted the hood and discovered that someone had stolen the motor." The Holy Spirit is our source of power - do not forget it.
Associated Press.
Praise God for His attributes:
Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus as the Author and Perfecter of Our Faith – Heb. 12:1-3
Proof of Love – God demonstrated His own love for us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom. 5:8)
Practitioner of Good, Justice and Truth – You are the one who works in us both to will and to do of Your good pleasure
Passover Lamb – You are the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world
Preventer of Mistakes – Watch and pray that you enter not in to temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
Punisher of All that is wrong and evil – Vengeance is mine says the Lord, I will repay
Privilege Giver – In your presence is fullness of joy and in your right hand are pleasures forever more
Pleasure Source – Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Producer – I planted and Apollos watered by God caused the increase
Purifier – Cleanse me so that I might be white as snow. If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness
Peacemaker – Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God
Paul the apostle callers – Paul wrote, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ”
Preparer – You are the one who prepares for the day of battle and equips me for every good work
Placer in heaven giver – Thank you that Jesus said I go to prepare a place for you
Pathway Giver – You make a way when there seems to be no way
Promiser – Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness through the true knowledge of Him who calls us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises in order that you might become partakers of the divine nature having escaped corruption that is in the world by lust.
Perseverer – Praise you that you help us persevere even when we are tired and discouraged
Prayer Intercessor – Praise you that you live to make intercession according to the will of God
Presence – Praise you that you will never leave me or forsake me so I can confidently say the Lord is my helper what can man do to me.
Pastor – Praise you that you are the good shepherd so I do not have to want
Pasture Giver – Praise you that make me lie down in green pastures and restore my soul
Peace – Praise you that you give me peace unlike the world offers.
People Giver – Praise you that you give me the people of your choosing to train, love and disciple and fellowship with
Providence – Praise you that you always give us what is best for times ahead in all ways.
Purpose Giver – Praise you that you have a plan for us and your purposes are higher than man’s ways
Prosperity Giver – Praise you Lord that you alone know how to make our ways prosperous and give us good success
Planter – Praise you Lord that you know how to plant good seed where it will yield the most fruit for eternity
Potter – Praise you that you are the potter and I am the clay who must submit in all ways
Prolific – Praise you that you are the one who produces many offspring and mighty works
Propitiator – Praise you for giving us Jesus Christ as the way to satisfy the wrath against sin
Pentecostal Power Giver – Praise you that you gave us the Spirit for all nations and people groups
Power of Your Resurrection – Praise you God that you overcame death, hell and judgment
Proclaimer – Praise you for proclaiming truth, justice and love despite peoples’ response
Put Thoughts of Goodness in Our Minds – Praise God that you fill my mind with what is truth, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy
Put Off What is Evil – Praise you that convict and show me how to put away anger, fear, jealousy, impatience and unwholesome thoughts
Plenteous in Mercy for all who call upon You
Perfecter of our faith
