Let the Spirit Buoy Our Attitude (Ephesians 1:18-1:21)
"God is the lifter of our head. For You Oh God are a shield for me. The glory and the lifter of my head."
Illustration:Kemmons Wilson, founder of an international motel chain, quoted some advice for planting a "garden" that would enhance our work skills:
Five rows of "peas"--prayer, preparedness, promptness, perseverance, politeness.
Three rows of "squash"--squash gossip, criticism, and indifference.
Five rows of "lettuce"--let us love one another, let us be faithful, let us be loyal, let us be unselfish, let us be truthful.
Three rows of "turnips"--turn up for church, turn up with a new idea, turn up with the determination to do a better job today than you did yesterday.
Today let’s evaluate our attitude toward our work. Do we see it as a necessary evil that deserves the least possible effort? As an unfortunate prerequisite to retirement? Or do we see it as an opportunity to serve God?
"Whatever you do," wrote Paul, "do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ" (Col. 3:23-24). With that attitude, we can work enthusiastically and wholeheartedly, not just for a paycheck but for the glory of God. (Our Daily Bread)
Work becomes worship when done for the Lord.
1. The Holy Spirit gives us the spiritual eyes to see possibilities rather than problems in people, situations and relationships. Paul prayed for this kind of spiritual insight for the Ephesians: "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope 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. 1:18)
Application: Ask the Lord to give you and your people spiritual enlightenment to see more possibilities and less problems.
2. The Holy Spirit helps you become more objective in your attitude and less oriented toward taking problems personally. Paul wrote, "Therefore, let us stop passing judgment on one another." (Rom. 14:13) Paul did not even judge himself since he left that up to the Lord.
Application: Ask the Lord to help you develop a thicker skin that is able to deflect criticisms and teach your people how to avoid judging one another.
3. The Holy Spirit teaches us how to think, talk and conduct ourselves as the person we wish to become like - Jesus Christ. It is necessary for a person to think correctly before they can grow into what they want to become. Paul wrote, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Rom. 12:2)
Application: Ask the Lord to teach you more about the way you should think, talk and conduct yourself, enabling you to grow into the best person God wants you to be. Solomon wrote, "As a man thinks within himself so he is." (Proverbs 23:7)
4. The Holy Spirit helps you be more of an overcomer than one frustrated by their circumstances. Paul wrote, "We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us." (Rom 8:37)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you develop more an attitude of praise, thanksgiving and confidence in God’s promises for victory amidst the strife.
5. The Holy Spirit gives you more of a courageous, bold and upbeat attitude than a mere maintenance perspective toward your ministries. Solomon wrote, "The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion."(Proverbs 28:1)
Application: Ask the Lord to give you greater confidence that there is victory in Jesus for your personal life and ministries.
6. The Holy Spirit convicts you when you are broadcasting your own personal problems in your conversations. Solomon wrote, "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." (Proverbs 10:19)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you avoid any tendency to broadcast your personal problems, grievances or criticisms in public. Instead, cast all your cares upon the Lord and He will sustain you with a buoyant spirit.
7. The Holy Spirit gives you the desire to treat everyone as an important person. Paul wrote, "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 2:4,5)
Application: Ask the Lord to give you more of a Christ like attitude of considering others’ needs, interests and problems as Jesus would.
8. The Holy Spirit helps you look for the best in every idea, every person, and every situation. Paul wrote, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love." (Eph. 5:1)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you look for the silver lining behind every dark cloud.
9. The Holy Spirit helps you find potential in overlooked or underrated opportunities. Jesus said, "Look to the fields as they are ripe for harvesting... The harvest is plentiful." (Matt. 4:35; 9:36-38)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you keep asking, seeking and knocking until you find the overlooked or underrated opportunities in your sphere of influence.
10. The Holy Spirit helps you find talents, gifts and abilities in yourself and others that have been neglected. Jesus said to the disciples, "Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men." (Matt. 4:19)
Application: Ask the Lord to give you greater confidence in the Spirit’s ability to help you find neglected talents, gifts and abilities in yourself and in the people you are ministering with.
11. The Holy Spirit gives you greater perseverance to stay faithfully obedient to do what He has called you to do. When the ministry seems to become nothing but drudgery, the Spirit has a way of helping us get a glimpse of God’s great rewards that are stored up for those who are faithful to His purposes. Jesus said, "Great is your reward in heaven." (Matt. 5:12)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you to be reminded of the great rewards awaiting all those who are faithful to keep plowing and harvesting where the Lord has led us to be.
12. The Holy Spirit helps you get around people who can help you see greater prospects in projects that you may have not yet seen. "Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer. "Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few." (I Sam. 14:6)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you get around people with positive, upbeat and courageous attitudes to help you learn the art and science of buoyant thinking.
