The Sound Mind of Christ

Have you ever found yourself in such a frightening situation that it pushed your “panic button”? Some people face that kind of fear because of a dreadful circumstance. Others may fear failure, rejection, illness, or death. Children often fear the dark and want their parents to hold their hand as they walk into a dark room. Whatever you fear, you don’t have to handle it alone by working harder, trying to control things, living in denial, or worst of all, backing away from God and His promises. God does not give us a spirit of fear. 

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Challenges that seem beyond our abilities and make us feel inadequate aren’t intended to make us fear, but rather to drive us to our Lord Jesus Christ Whose grace is sufficient, so that we develop a God-confidence that cannot be shaken. As we honestly admit what we’re afraid of, our fear can actually draw us closer to the Lord than we ever thought possible. Reading God’s promises in the Bible gives us assurance that we are not alone in this fearful circumstance. God has promised to be with you in every situation and to never leave you or forsake you, so you can put your trust in Him. He is the source of our courage and security, as the Holy Spirit gives us His power, love, and a sound mind. He alone can turn our fear into faith.

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A word study of 2 Timothy 1:6b-7:

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NASB: kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you…for God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

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Amplified: stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you…for God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

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NLT: fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…for God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

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Living Bible: stir into flame the strength and boldness that is in you…for the Holy Spirit, God’s gift, does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them.

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Phillips: stir up that inner fire which God gave you…for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power and love and a sound mind.

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Wuest: keep constantly blazing the gift of God…for God did not give to us a spirit of fearfulness, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

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Young's Literal: stir up the gift of God…for God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

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Kindle afresh (anazopureo from ana = up, back or again + zoos = alive + pur = fire) means to keep in full flame. Stir up the fire. Add fresh fuel. Cause something to begin again, to reactivate or to cause to begin to be active again. The present tense conveys the sense of progressive, continuous action. Keep kindling the gift afresh or make it your aim to continually keep it at full flame.

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Gift (charisma from charis = grace, English = "charismatic") means a gift of grace (the result of grace), an undeserved benefit. The suffix –ma, indicates the result of grace and refers to that which is freely and graciously given. 

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Spirit (pneuma from pnéo = to breathe) means a blowing (wind), a breathing (breath) and can refer to the seat of the inner spiritual life of man, capacity to know God.

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Timidity (deilia from deilos = fearful, timid) means lack of mental or moral strength, timidity (lacking courage, self-confidence, boldness or determination), reticence (inclination to be silent or uncommunicative in speech), cowardice (lack of courage or resolution) or shameful fear that is generated by weak, selfish character. The picture is one who is in a state of fear because of a lack of courage or moral strength. Deilia is never used in a good sense, whereas another word for "fear" (phobos) can be used in either a good sense (fear of the Lord) or a bad sense.

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Power (dunamis from dunamai = to be able, to have power) power especially achieving power. It refers to intrinsic power or inherent ability, the power or ability to carry out some function, the potential for functioning in some way (power, might, strength, ability, capability), the power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature. Dunamis is the root from which we derive the English word dynamic, (synonyms = energetic, functioning, live, operative, working) which describes that which is marked by usually continuous and productive activity or change. That which is dynamic is characterized by energy or forces that produce motion, as opposed to that which is static. Another English word dynamite, is derived from dunamis and since dunamis is used by Paul to describe the "power of God," some have suggested that the gospel is "God’s dynamite". This is misapplication of this English derivative in an attempt to try to picture the lifesaving power of the gospel. Dunamis does not refer to explosive power, as if the gospel will blow men to bits but as discussed above, it refers to intrinsic power. The gospel is dynamic, God’s dynamic, and so is powerful in the transformation of human lives.

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Love (agape) describes the unconditional, unselfish, costly love that God is (1Jn 4:16) and which God shows (Jn 3:16) and which was "poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us" at the time of our new birth (Ro 5:5). Agape love is produced in the heart of the yielded, surrendered saint by the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22) and has as its chief ingredient, self-sacrifice for the benefit of the one loved (Jn 3:16).

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Discipline or "sound mind" (sophronismos from sophron in turn from sozo = save + phren = mind) so literally this word describes "a saved mind" or "a sound mind." Not only is such a mind secure and sound but it carries the additional idea that this mind is self-controlled, disciplined, and properly prioritized. Sophronismos describes sound-mindedness in action and the opposite mindset is one predisposed to excessive self-indulgence or lack of good sense. Sophronismos describes the individual marked by a sense of sobriety (temperance, moderation), sound judgment, exercise of prudence, moderation, prudence (prudence includes the ability to govern and discipline oneself, sagacity or shrewdness in the management of affairs, skill and good judgment in the use of resources, caution or circumspection as to danger or risk).

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Pastor David Jeremiah writes: “We have been released from the spirit of fear by the Holy Spirit, who has placed us in the body of Christ. We have received the Spirit of adoption. This adoption provides for every believer release from the bondage that he once knew. The picture that Paul uses is the contrast between slavery and sonship. Slavery, with its fear and isolation, stands for our old lives before knowing Christ. We are told by the writer of Hebrews that Christ died that He might destroy the one who had the power of death and release those who were subject to a fear of death (Hebrews 2:14–15). The perfect love of God has cast out the fear to which we were once enslaved (2 Timothy 1:6b-7; 1 John 4:18). Anything that involves a believer in fear of bondage cannot possibly be the work of the Holy Spirit of God. It must come either from his own heart of unbelief or as a temptation of the evil one. Our sonship implies perfect spiritual liberty and the absence of all legal features which would bring us once more under the Law."

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Have you ever found yourself in such a frightening situation that it pushed your “panic button”? Some people face that kind of fear because of a dreadful circumstance. Others may fear failure, rejection, illness, or death. Children often fear the dark and want their parents to hold their hand as they walk into a dark room. Whatever you fear, you don’t have to handle it alone by working harder, trying to control things, living in denial, or worst of all, backing away from God and His promises. God does not give us a spirit of fear. 

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Challenges that seem beyond our abilities and make us feel inadequate aren’t intended to make us fear, but rather to drive us to our Lord Jesus Christ Whose grace is sufficient, so that we develop a God-confidence that cannot be shaken. As we honestly admit what we’re afraid of, our fear can actually draw us closer to the Lord than we ever thought possible. Reading God’s promises in the Bible gives us assurance that we are not alone in this fearful circumstance. God has promised to be with you in every situation and to never leave you or forsake you, so you can put your trust in Him. He is the source of our courage and security, as the Holy Spirit gives us His power, love, and a sound mind. He alone can turn our fear into faith.

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Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your Word that promises Your presence with me, giving me Your resurrection power, Your agape love, and the sound mind of Christ. You have said that when I’m afraid, at the very point of my anxiety, I can put my trust in You and experience Your peace and protection. I am able to accomplish what You ask of me only through Your power. Thank You for Your Word because in it I learn that You are my sufficiency! May my confidence always be in Your finished work on the cross. No matter what dark and frightening circumstances I may face, help me to trust You and stir into flame the strength and boldness that Your Holy Spirit gives me every day. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

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Look up – Meditate on 2 Timothy 1:6b-7. Pray to see what it reveals about the character of God.

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Look in – Meditate on 2 Timothy 1:6b-7. Pray to see how you might apply it to your life. Be propelled to ask galvanizing questions about your discoveries: “Because God is ______________, I will ______________.”

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Look out – Meditate on 2 Timothy 1:6b-7. Pray to see how you might apply it to your relationships with others. Let the nature of God impact on every relationship, for your good, and for His glory.   

Let the Peace of Christ rule in your heart

Word Study inspired by I Thessalonians 5:23-24:

I Thessalonians 5:23-24--May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

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I Corinthians 6:17--But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit..

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I Corinthians 3:16--Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?

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II Corinthians 6:16--What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."

Colossians 3:15—Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

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Scripture teaches us that humans are made up of three components: spirit, soul, and body. My body may have been hurt and my soul—the seat of emotions—may have been injured, but my spirit—the innermost part of my being, where the Spirit of Christ dwells—cannot be touched. Therefore, what defines me most has never been touched. God taught me that the more I allowed the Spirit of Truth dwelling in me to take authority over my body and soul, the more the wholeness of Christ would overtake every part of me. In other words, God taught me to live from the inside-out. I seek to allow the strongest, most invincible part of me—the spirit—to have dominion over all else, thereby sanctifying them (setting them apart as holy) just as I Thessalonians 5:23-24 suggests. Now I live most consciously out of my healthiest part—the Spirit. Through the years, the health of my spirit has been gloriously contagious to my soul and even to my body. According to I Corinthians 3:16 and II Corinthians 6:16, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. In some ways, broken temples can be rebuilt. The Spirit of Christ dwelling within me has overtaken my whole being.

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God created us as to be whole creatures made of three different components: body, soul, and spirit. As long as we see God as Lord of our spirits alone, we will continue to live in areas of defeat. God is as surely Lord of our souls and body as He is our spirits. It’s all His turf. In fact, take a refreshing look at I Thessalonians 5:23-24. “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” 

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First of all, please celebrate the glorious fact that God Himself is the One at work in you and through you. He hasn’t just assigned you a mighty angel. God is thoroughly interested and involved in every single part of you: body, soul, and spirit.

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Second, notice that the verse identifies God specifically as the God of peace. The Word of God is perfectly inspired; therefore, every identification of God, every name He is called, is in perfect context. In this case the inference of the title is that the believer will be awash with God’s peace when every part of the life—body, soul, and spirit—is surrendered to His wise, loving, and liberating authority. I know far too well how distant the peace of God is when we refuse to bow a part of our lives to His rule. 

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Peace is the fruit of authority. God’s authority. As Colossians 3:15— says, “Let the peace of Christ rule. Christ brings His peace where He is Prince. That’s what the title “Prince of Peace” represents.

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Third, don’t miss what God Himself desires to do. I Thessalonians 5:23-24 proceeds to tell us that this glorious God of peace wants to sanctify us “through and through.” The original Greek word for “sanctify” is hagiazo, meaning “to make clean, render pure…to consecrate, devote, set apart from a common to a sacred use…to regard and venerate as holy, to hallow.” In other words, God deeply desires for us to grant Him total access to set apart every single part of our lives—body, soul, and spirit—to His glorious work. Always keep in mind that anything to God’s glory is also for our good. The two concepts are never at odds. God’s inclusion of the physical body is proof among many others in Scripture that He cares deeply what happens to these tents of flesh in which we dwell. Indeed, our physical bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit.

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For just a moment, let’s think of ourselves like triangles. Imagine each point of the triangle being labeled as body, soul, or spirit. If the triangle is sitting on its base, only one point is “up.” Imagine that point being the one in present control of us. For instance, when distinguished from the spirit as in I Thessalonians 5:23-24, the soul represents the seat of our emotions and our personality. 

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If the “soul” is in the upward, authoritative position in our lives, then we are ruled by our feelings and our personality types. All of us know what kind of trouble results from being under that kind of authority! Our feelings and personalities are given to us by God, but they are not meant to control us. 

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Now picture that the “body” is in the upward position and momentarily ruling over our triangular selves. We don’t have to be terribly bright to imagine what can happen because we’ve all experienced the upheaval firsthand: our fleshly appetites and physical drives and habits take over. Our “appetites” become our masters. Certainly, our physical bodies are gifts from God “fearfully and wonderfully made,” but when they control us, the result is bondage. Also understand that one area exerts tremendous influence over the others. As you know, our feelings can drive our physical appetites just as our physical appetites can drive our feelings.

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The “point” we need in the upward position to live in victory is the Spirit. All of us were born with a “spirit.” When distinguished from the soul, it represents the part of us created in the image of God to know Him and enjoy His fellowship. It is the primary component in us that sets us apart from all other creatures. Until we are redeemed and inhabited by Christ (Rom. 8:9), our spirits are no better off than our souls and bodies. But, glory to God, when we receive Christ, His Spirit takes residency in ours! 

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I Corinthians 6:17 speaks of this supernatural consolidation: “he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.” The key to victory as we occupy this triangular temple is to bow daily, perhaps a half dozen times daily, to the control of the Holy Spirit over our lives. Our bodies and our feelings and personalities are wonderful components sanctified by God when the Spirit is in control. I am convinced that a huge part of wholeness in the life of a believer is when God has been allowed to sanctify (take over and set apart) our whole spirit, soul, and body. 

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The question of authority is one we are challenged to answer every single day. The concept of rededicating our lives to Christ only at infrequent revivals or conferences can prove disappointing and defeating. Joshua 24:15 suggests a far more workable approach: “Choose this day whom you will serve.” Christ repeated the concept when He called us to take up our crosses daily and follow Him. 

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Do you want to know something wonderful? A daily recommitment is not to ensure that we’ll never fail, but to help us develop the mentality that every single day is a new day—a new chance to follow Christ. Obedience to God is not some diet we suddenly blow. It is something to which we recommit every single day, no matter how we blew it the day before. 

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Victorious living is not an instant arrival. It is the pursuit of one victorious day at a time until the sun sets on enough to begin forming victorious habits. 

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So, are you just about to give up? Good. Give yourself up to God, to the authority of His Holy Spirit. Both Galatians 5:22 and II Timothy 1:7 tell us that self- discipline is a work and a quality of the fruit of the Spirit. Stop feeling guilty because you don’t have any self-discipline on your own. Neither does that together-looking person next to you. None of us can master ourselves. Some yokes may be more obvious than others, but all of us have had them. God is the only One who can sanctify and make every part of us whole…“and He will do it.” All He wants is our trust, our belief, and a little time…For without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5) and with Him, we can do anything (Phil. 4:13).

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II Timothy 1:7--For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 

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Galatians 5:22-23--When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

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Suppose you wanted to start an apple orchard. In early spring you carefully cut dozens of twigs from an apple tree and stick them in the ground twenty feet apart. You water and fertilize and watch and wait. But in the fall, you have no apples to pick. Why? Because those twigs could not mature and bear fruit once they were not rooted in the tree they came from. The same is true with spiritual fruit. It is only when we belong to Christ and stay close to him that his Spirit lives in us and produces the virtues, or “fruit,” listed in Galatians 5:22-23.

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Self-effort won’t produce this fruit. Good intentions won’t produce love, joy, peace, patience, or kindness. Instead, as we yield ourselves to Christ, his Spirit lives and moves freely through us and touches others through our lives. We express his gentleness as we respond to children, his great patience as we encounter difficult people. We demonstrate his faithfulness as we keep commitments, and we share his goodness and kindness as we bless others. 

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Corrie ten Boom writes: “I have a glove here in my hand. The glove cannot do anything by itself, but when my hand is in it, it can do many things. True, it is not the glove, but my hand in the glove that acts. We are gloves. It is the Spirit of Christ in us Who is the hand, Who does the job. We have to make room for the Hand so that every finger is filled.”

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LORD, teach me to yield to the authority and control of the Spirit of Christ Who dwells in the innermost part of me. How I realize that none of the virtues reside within my flesh. But this understanding is a gift from You that enables me to humble myself before You and rely wholly on Your Spirit rising up within me. Do so, Lord, and may the fruit You produce draw others to You! In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

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Look Up—meditate on I Thessalonians 5:23-24… pray to see what it reveals about the character of God.

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Look In—as you meditate on I Thessalonians 5:23-24… pray to see how you might apply it to your life. Be propelled to ask galvanizing questions about your discoveries: "Because God is_________, I will_____________."

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Look Out—as you meditate on I Thessalonians 5:23-24 … pray to see how you might apply it to your relationships with others. Let the nature of God impact on every relationship, for your good, and for His glory.

 

Power of the Holy Spirit

When I saw this beautiful artwork by Krista Hamrick, I felt led to do a word study based on Romans 15:13:

ESV: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Amplified: May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.

NET Bible: Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Greek = “in the believing” or “as [you] believe,” with the object “him” supplied from the context.

NIV: May the God of hope fill you with great joy and peace so you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

NLT: I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Phillips: May the God of Hope fill you with joy and peace in your faith, that by the power of the Holy Spirit, your whole life and outlook may be radiant and alive.

Wuest: Now the God of the hope fill you with every joy and hope in the sphere of believing, resulting in your super-abounding in the sphere of the hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Young's Literal: and the God of the hope shall fill you with all joy and peace in the believing, for your abounding in the hope in power of the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Ray Stedman writes: “What a magnificent verse! Whenever I am asked to give an autograph, I almost always include this verse in it. It is such a beautiful expression. Look how much you have got going for you. All the great words of the Christian faith appear here: hope, twice (once it is called "overflowing hope"); and joy, great joy; and peace, calmness and confidence; and trust, belief in a living God; and finally, the power of the Holy Spirit, the invisible force that can open doors and no man shuts them, and can shut and no man opens -- the power of God released among us.”

The God of Hope - The truths conveyed are that God is both the origin of hope and the object of our hope. God is the Source of hope and the Giver of hope. Stated another way, the great benefits (hope, joy, peace) Paul prays for the saints at Rome, cannot be possessed apart from God. In the same manner, believers today can possess them only as He gives them to us.

Pastor John Piper in discussing the name God of hope writes: ”Everything starts with God. If there is hope for joy that is deep and eternal it will be hope that is founded on God. Any other foundation will fail. God is, and God is a God of hope. This we must believe.”

Pastor Matthew Henry writes on the importance of God's names like the God of Hope: “It is good in prayer to fasten upon those names, titles, and attributes of God, which are most suitable to the errand we come upon, and will best serve to encourage our faith concerning it. Every word in the prayer should be a plea. Thus, should the cause be skillfully ordered, and the mouth filled with arguments. God is the God of hope. He is the foundation on which our hope is built, and he is the builder that doth himself raise it: he is both the object of our hope, and the author of it. That hope is but fancy, and will deceive us, which is not fastened upon God (as the goodness hoped for, and the truth hoped in), and which is not of his working in us.”

May...fill (pleroo) means literally to fill "to the brim.” Metaphorically, “pleroo” means to make complete in every particular, to pervade, to take possession of and ultimately to control. This is the same verb used by Paul to command the saints at Ephesus to be continually "filled with the Spirit." The idea is that what fills a person, exercises control over the person's affect, attitude and actions.

Pastor J B Phillips paraphrases this prayer: “May the God of Hope fill you with joy and peace in your faith, that by the power of the Holy Spirit, your whole life and outlook may be radiant and alive.

Abounding in hope ideally should be the description of every follower of Christ. Of all people, the Christian should be the one who manifests the inner strength (and Spirit) to look ahead with a contagious enthusiasm. God has given us hope, the absolute certainty of that God will do good to us in the future.

All joy and peace - "All" in Greek means all without exception. In other words Paul is praying not for a percentage, portion or fraction, but for all the joy and hope that God has promised to those who love Him! God is not a stingy grinch, but He is a gracious Giver and Paul desires that the saints at Rome (and you and I dear child of the Most High God) experience this supernatural joy and peace to the max!

Pastor Alexander Maclaren has a beautiful description of the joy given by the God of hope...”If I am living in an atmosphere of trust, then sorrow will never be absolute, nor have exclusive monopoly and possession of my spirit. But there will be the paradox, and the blessedness, of Christian experience, ‘as sorrowful yet always rejoicing.’ For the joy of the Christian life has its source far away beyond the swamps from which the sour drops of sorrow may trickle, and it is possible that, like the fabled fire that burned under water, the joy of the Lord may be bright in my heart, even when it is drenched in floods of calamity and distress.”

Joy (chara from chaíro = to rejoice) is one of Paul's great themes, with charas being used by him 21 times. The Christian life is to be a life of "JOY." It is founded on faith in Jesus, whose life on earth began as "good news of great joy for all people.” Joy is the deep-down sense of well-being that abides in the heart of the person who knows all is well between himself and the Lord and is independent of whether circumstances are favorable or unfavorable. Joy is God’s gift to believers, a component of the fruit of the Spirit. Nehemiah declared, "The joy of the Lord is your strength.” So Paul prays that they would be filled with all joy, that inner gladness and deep seated pleasure which is independent of one's external circumstances. It is a depth of assurance and confidence that ignites a cheerful heart. It is a cheerful heart that leads to cheerful behavior.

Pastor John Piper writes: “The pathway that the Spirit cuts through the jungle of our anxieties into the clearing of joy is the pathway of faith. Luke says of Stephen in Acts 6:5, that he was “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit,” and he says of Barnabas in Acts 11:24 that he was “a good man full of the Holy Spirit and of faith,” The two go together. If a person is filled with faith, he will be filled with the Spirit, the Spirit of joy and peace. The most important text in Paul’s writings to show this is Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Notice that it is in or by believing that we are filled with joy and peace. And it is by the Spirit that we abound in hope. When we put those two halves of the verse together, what we see is that through our faith (our believing) the Spirit fills us with his hope and thus with his joy and peace. And, of course since hope is such an essential part of being filled with joy by the Spirit, what we have to believe is that God is, as Paul says, the God of hope. We have to rivet our faith on all that he has done and said to give us hope.”

Pastor Jerry Bridges writes: “It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we experience the joy of salvation and are enabled to rejoice even in the midst of trials. The Holy Spirit uses His Word to create joy in our hearts. Romans 15 contains an interesting connection between God and the Scriptures. God is the Source. The Scriptures are the means. Every believer needs this divine encouragement because our opposition is relentless, and there are plenty of disappointments along the way. Sometimes we think we’ve turned the corner on a particular sin, only to discover a few days later that we’ve merely gone around the block and are dealing with it again. But there is hope in our battle with sin, and it lies in placing our dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit, our ever-present Helper.

Pastor Warren Wiersbe defines joy as "that inward peace and sufficiency that is not affected by outward circumstances. This "holy optimism" keeps him going in spite of difficulties."

Pastor Donald Campbell writes: “Joy (chara) is a deep and abiding inner rejoicing which was promised to those who abide in Christ. It does not depend on circumstances because it rests in God’s sovereign control of all things.”

Peace (eirene from verb eiro = binding or joining together what is broken or divided) means literally that which has been bound together. It is freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions. Peace in this verse is that inward state of quiet which is independent of circumstances and is that inner attitude which God's Spirit gives His people. Note that this peace is only possible after one has been justified by faith and experienced peace with God. In short peace with God must precede and is the basis for the peace of God.

In believing - The Greek literally reads "in the believing" or as Pastor Kenneth Wuest renders it "in the sphere of the act of habitually believing."

Believing (pisteuo from pistis; pistos; related study = obedience of faith) means to consider something to be true and therefore worthy of trust. To have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy or ability of something or someone. “Pisteuo” means to entrust oneself to an entity in complete confidence. “To believe in” also conveys the implication of total commitment to the one trusted. To be confident about or to be firmly persuaded as to something. “Pisteuo” is in the present tense which pictures this believing is one's practice or lifestyle.

Pastor Ray Stedman helps us understand how “all joy and peace” is related to the phrase “in believing” as he writes: “What we need is to believe what we read in Scripture, and believe what we pray--that is the answer. These other things are merely mechanics which make possible the believing, but believing is the real answer. It isn't Bible reading, or prayer or Christian fellowship that unlocks the power of the Holy Spirit. It is believing what you read or what you pray. When you believe that Jesus Christ indwells you, when you believe that He is all that you need, when you believe that He intends to act through you, then you can act! You discover that all that he is becomes visible through you and accomplishes all that needs to be done. The result is power and joy and peace, as Paul prays here. This is the way I learned to drive a car, didn't you? I believe that, when I get into a car, there is gas in tank (and usually I am right) and there is an engine under the hood, and I believe that these are fully adequate to take this car over any road I choose to drive it, and I believe that all of it was designed to be responsive when I turn on the key and step on the gas. So I do it, and it works. I don't get into a car, and say to myself: "I believe there is gas in the tank, I believe there is an engine under the hood, I believe that it will work," then get out and start pushing! No! I do it, I try it, I step out on it, and it works! That is exactly what Paul is talking about. The God of hope cannot fill us with joy and peace if we don't believe -- which means to act on what we know. But it is when we believe and act that the power of the Holy Spirit begins to work through us and causes us to abound in hope -- for all around us are the evidences that God is at work accomplishing His purposes in our lives.

May abound (perisseuo from perissos = abundant, exceeding some number, measure, rank or need, over and above - from peri = in sense of beyond) means to cause to superabound, to be superfluous, to overflow, to be in affluence, to excel or to be in abundance with the implication of being considerably more than what would be expected (and in the present context certainly far more than we deserve!) Notice also that “perisseuo” is in the present tense which pictures the saints as continually abounding in this great quality of Spirit empowered hope. “Perisseuo” carries the idea of exceeding the requirements or of overflowing and is pictured by a river which overflows its banks! It means to exceed a fixed number or measure and so to be more than enough. Thus, “perisseuo” was used to describe what was "left over" of the loaves after Jesus had fed the 5000! God's supply exceeded their need. When the God of hope supplies hope there is more than enough so that some is even "left over" so to speak!

Hope (elpis) in Scripture is not the world's definition of "I hope so.” Hope is defined as a desire for some future good with the expectation of obtaining it. Hope is confident expectancy. Hope is the looking forward to something with some reason for confidence respecting fulfillment. Hope as the world typically defines it is a desire for some future occurrence of which one is not assured of attaining. The ancient world did not generally regard hope as a virtue, but merely as a temporary illusion. Historians tell us that a great cloud of hopelessness covered the ancient world. Philosophies were empty; traditions were disappearing; religions were powerless to help men face either life or death. People longed to pierce the veil and get some message of hope from the other side, but there is none outside of Christ. Hope is a unique word in Scripture, where it indicates “confident expectation.” The person with hope has complete assurance about the future. And the overflow of the hope we have as we trust in God fills us with joy and peace.

Power (dunamis) refers to inherent power residing in something by virtue of its nature. Here the power Source is the Holy Spirit. In the context of Romans 15, we learn that the Holy Spirit's inherent enabling power is the means by which unity will be accomplished as He causes believers to abound in hope. The Holy Spirit supernaturally enables the stronger and weaker brothers to abound in hope and to see each other’s positions in a clearer (eternal) perspective which causes them to refuse to let their differences mar the unity that they have in Christ. Christ is our Hope and to paraphrase an old hymn, when we fix our eyes on Jesus "the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace" and the result will be true spiritual power to accept one another.

Pastor Arthur Pink has some wise words on the meaning and practical significance of the power of the Holy Spirit: “The Father is the Giver, but the Spirit is the Communicator of our graces. Though it is the Christian’s duty to be filled with joy and peace in believing and to abound in hope, yet it is only by the Spirit’s enablement such can be realized. Here, as everywhere in the Word, we find the kindred truths of our accountableness and dependency intimately connected. The joy, peace, and hope here are not carnal emotions or natural acquirements but spiritual graces, and therefore they must be divinely imparted. Even the promises of God will not produce these graces unless they be divinely applied to us. Note that it is not merely "through the operation" but "through the power" of the Holy Spirit, for there is much in us which opposes! Nor can these graces be increased or even maintained by us in our own strength—though they can be decreased by us, through grieving the Spirit. They are to be sought by prayer, by eyeing the promises, and by looking for the enablement of the Holy Spirit. That hope is but a vain fancy which is not fixed on God and inwrought by Him.”

Notice Paul’s words in Romans 15:13, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” The power of the Holy Spirit provides for us the things that human effort and human religion and human righteousness could never achieve. He is there to empower our living with a glorious sense of joy, peace, and hope that can carry us through the trials and hardships that are the inevitable by-products of life in a fallen world. The power we need is found in a Person Who has been sent by the Father to bring fullness to our lives. In a world that is in mad pursuit of happiness, we can have JOY by the power of the Holy Spirit. In a world that is crying out from the grief of constant conflict, we can have true PEACE. In a world that is filled with empty despair and a bleak future, we can have a bright HOPE. Why? Because the power of the Holy Spirit can equip us for life in a way that the world cannot grasp. His power can enable us to experience the things that the world craves and cannot secure, but are ours by the Spirit. This is the ABUNDANT LIFE Jesus spoke of (Jn 10:10) —a life that is full and rich and deep and lasting. A life that is lived by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Practical strategies for growing in God’s joy, peace, and abundant hope:
• Begin each morning by spending time in God’s presence, reading and meditating on His Word, praying, and singing. If you lack joy and peace and hope, ask God to fill you with these qualities for His glory.

• Memorize some of God’s wonderful promises that kindle joy, peace, and hope in your soul so that you can meditate on them throughout the day. Romans 15:13 and many other verses like them will help you to set your mind on the things above rather than on the problems that are getting you down. The Psalms are loaded with verses of trust in God in the midst of life-threatening situations.

• Immediately confess all grumbling as sin and instead deliberately think each day of things that you can thank God for. Begin by thanking Him each morning for sending His beloved Son to save you from your sins. Thank Him that you have His Word to guide and sustain you. Thank Him for all your blessings and even for your trials, which help you to grow.

• When you feel overwhelmed with despair or depression, talk to yourself: Tell yourself again and again to hope in God. The depressed psalmist did this repeatedly: “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence…Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God…Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God…Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.”

Have you ever been on an airplane as it flew through a thunderstorm? All around you, you see and hear the storm’s beating rain and the wind whipping against the cabin wall. Looks of worry and panic cloud passengers’ faces, and they wonder, When will we ever get to the other side of this storm? They long to see the sun, and even before the plane has landed, a few of them may have begun forming a line to get off. On such a turbulent flight we can dramatically experience the light and peace after a storm almost instantly. Peace replaces anxiety in just a moment as we break through a cloud and see the sun and its radiance just on the other side of the storm. As God’s children we do not need to wait until our personal storms have passed in order to see and experience the light and peace of the Son. The Word of God, his truth, not only sustains us in the storms of life but also opens our eyes to see the Son, the radiance of God’s glory, while we are soaring through them.

Heavenly Father, we do thank You for the peace and joy and righteousness that are gifts to us from Your Spirit at work in our hearts. Thank You for the liberty and freedom that you give us in these areas. We want to know Your will. We are willing to do Your will, and we will wait, in hope, for your truth to lead us in it. No matter what storms of life we may face, we will keep our eyes on the brightness of Your Son—the radiance of Your glory! In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Look Up—meditate on Romans 15:13 …pray to see what it reveals about the character of God.

Look In—as you meditate on Romans 15:13 …pray to see how you might apply it to your life. Be propelled to ask galvanizing questions about your discoveries: "Because God is_________, I will_____________."

Look Out—as you meditate on Romans 15:13 ...pray to see how you might apply it to your relationship with others. Let the nature of God impact on every relationship, for your good, and for His glory.

what wrecks you...

artwork by Tamara Peterson

Something about TamaraPeterson’s beautiful work of art posted on the Artful Story—Journaling Facebook page, came to my heart when I first heard this anointed new hymn, Good, Good Father, by Pat Barrett and Tony Brown of Housefires, a group of musicians from Atlanta, Georgia. I was wrecked by the simple beauty and authenticity of this new hymn, which speaks literally of God’s goodness, and paints a simple picture of His identity, even as it underscores our own identity in Him. Any person who’s ever felt lonely or unloved will be ministered to by this hymn, because it declares something we’ve always wanted: identity and purpose. We are loved with a superabounding love by our Good, Good Father...drawing my heart for a word study of surpassing or superabounding from  Ephesians 1:18-19…

Amplified:  By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones), and [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength.

NLT:  I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power.

Phillips: That you may receive that inner illumination of the spirit which will make you realize how great is the hope to which he is calling you—the magnificence and splendor of the inheritance promised to Christians—and how tremendous is the power available to us who believe in God.

Wuest:  The eyes of your heart being in an enlightened state with a view to your knowing what is the hope of His calling, what is the wealth of the glory of His inheritance in the saints and what is the superabounding greatness of His inherent power to us who are believing ones as measured by the operative energy of the manifested strength of His might.

Young’s Literal: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, for your knowing what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what the exceeding greatness of His power to us who are believing, according to the working of the power of His might.

A word study of surpassing or superabounding [huperballo from hupér(above) bállo (cast)] which literally means throwing beyond the usual mark and figuratively referring to a degree which exceeds extraordinary, a point on an implied or overt scale of extent. Expressing a degree beyond comparison. Extraordinary, extreme, supreme, far more, much greater, to a far greater degree. To transcend. Immeasurable. To overshoot, outdo, surpass, prevail over, to go beyond, exceed, absolutely to exceed all bounds, to go on further and further.

God's power goes far beyond all other power. The power of Christ applied in the believer’s behalf can't be defeated because the Creator's power exceeds all. Huperballo is in the present tense (present-active-participle) indicating that this is a power which is continually surpassing or excels all other power. There will never be a day when it is not sufficient to accomplish what God purposes in us and through us to the praise of His glory. What He does in and through us will be seen by others, who give Him praise and glory because they realize that it is a supernatural, not natural, work. Join me in praying daily that we surrender to the authority of the Spirit of Christ, Who dwells in the innermost part of us, energizing our walk, elevating it from a natural to a supernatural walk.

As Greek scholar, Dr. Kenneth Wuest translates, the superabounding greatness of His inherent power to us who are believing ones as measured by the operative energy of the manifested strength of His might. It is difficult to give a clear distinction between the three Greek words that expand on the meaning of the surpassing greatness of His power, but in simple terms it pictures the piling up of similar terms in an attempt to convey the magnitude and capability of God's incomprehensible, infinite power. God's surpassing, superabounding power is available to believers because we are in Christ and He is in us, these positions picturing a union, a oneness, a solemn and binding covenant relationship. Commentators tell us that they can distinguish differences of meaning between the words, in that the first of them is the more active and outward, and the last of them is the more inward, comparing them to fruit and branch and root. The surpassing power which God uses in ministering to our spiritual needs is in accordance with, commensurate with, His infinite, immeasurable divine energy. Praise His Holy Name!

Pastor Adrian Rogers is quoted as saying, “Now, I want to ask you a question: Are you sitting in this auditorium, this morning, or are you sitting in heavenly places? The answer is yes, yes, yes. Physically, we are here; but, in Christ, we have been raised. When He died, we died. His death had our name on it. When He was raised from the grave, we were raised from the grave. When He ascended, we ascended. When He is seated at the right hand of God, so are we, in Christ. If I were to put you in a barrel and put that barrel in the Mississippi River, where would you be? In the Mississippi River, right? Well, if you're in Christ, and Christ is at the right hand of God, where are you? Seated with Him…as the Apostle Paul wrote, I am praying that your eyes will be opened, that you will be enlightened, that you will understand this (Ephesians 1:18)… surpassing, superabounding, exceeding greatness of His inherent power in and for us who believe (Ephesians 1:19)"…

He’s a Good, Good Father…it’s Who He is, and we’re loved with a superabounding love by Him…it’s who we are…it's Whose we are…in Christ...

Good, Good Father, I am so grateful that You have drawn me with cords of loving kindness to know and experience the surpassing, superabounding, exceeding greatness of Your inherent power in and for us who believe. Thank You for giving me a heart which yearns for Your Presence, a yearning for You that draws me over and over into Your Presence, a yearning that makes only a few days without time in prayer and Your Word seem like an eternity. Thank You for giving me a heart which is motivated first and foremost by a desire for You, not for what You can do for me, but a yearning for Your Presence. Thank You for giving me a heart that wants You more than anything else You could give, to love You and know You more than anything in life. Thank You for giving me a heart that takes what You have made known to me and makes You re-known to everyone else, a heart that makes Your name and renown the desire of my heart. Thank You for giving me a heart to feel Your Holy Spirit woo me once again to the place where I meet You. In the simplicity of my prayer time, thank You for giving me a heart to be suddenly confronted by the majesty of my Redeemer—the One Who is responsible for any good in me. Lord, each morning, thank You for giving me a heart that welcomes Your fresh mercies which fall like manna from Heaven, and once again move my heart. I gratefully surrender all. Morning after morning. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Look Up—meditate on Ephesians 1:18-19 …pray to see what it reveals about the character of God.

Look In—as you meditate on Ephesians 1:18-19 …pray to see how you might apply it to your life. Be propelled to ask galvanizing questions about your discoveries: "Because God is_________, I will_____________."

Look Out—as you meditate on Ephesians 1:18-19 …pray to see how you might apply it to your relationships with others. Let the nature of God impact on every relationship, for your good, and for His glory.


* If you liked this post, you’ll love this book – Name Above All Names Devotional: Focusing on 26 Alphabetical Names of Christ


Weekly LinkUps…

reviewing our resources...

artwork by Tamara Peterson

When I saw Tamara Peterson’s beautiful work of art, I immediately thought of the beautiful hymn with that title written by John Mark McMillan. These words remind me of the Truth in Ephesians Chapter One, Scripture passages I wrap around my heart, like the Loving Arms of my Savior Jesus Christ, when I feel discouraged.

I remembered reading years ago about an old Navajo Indian who had become rich because oil had been found on his property. He took all the money and put it in a bank. His banker became familiar with the habits of this old gentleman. Every now and then, the Indian would show up at the bank and say to the banker, "Grass all gone, sheep all sick, water holes dry." The banker wouldn't say a word—he knew what needed to be done. He'd bring the old man inside and seat him in the vault. Then he'd bring out several bags of silver dollars and say, "These are yours." The old man would spend about an hour in there looking at his money, stacking up the dollars and counting them. Then he'd come out and say, "Grass all green, sheep all well, water holes all full." He was simply reviewing his resources.

That is where encouragement is found—when you look at the resources in God’s Word which are yours, the riches, the facts which undergird your faith. Here are just a few of those treasures found in Ephesians 1:3-4:

NASB: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him in love.

TLB: How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every blessing in heaven because we belong to Christ. Long ago, even before He made the world, God chose us to be his very own through what Christ would do for us; He decided then to make us holy in his eyes, without a single fault—we who stand before Him covered with his love.

Amplified: May blessing (praise, laudation, and eulogy) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual (given by the Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm! Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.
 

Phillips: Praise be to God for giving us through Christ every possible spiritual benefit as citizens of Heaven! For consider what He has done—before the foundation of the world he chose us to become, in Christ, his holy and blameless children living within his constant care.

NET: Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. For He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in His sight in love.

Wuest: May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be eulogized, the One Who conferred benefactions upon us in the sphere of every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, even as He selected us out for Himself in Him before the foundations of the universe were laid, to be holy ones and without blemish before His searching, penetrating gaze in love. 

Young’s Literal: Blessed [is] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who did bless us in every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, according as He did choose us in him before the foundation of the world, for our being holy and unblemished before Him, in love.

Heavenly Father, thank You that in Christ I am blessed with every spiritual blessing. I know that I know that I know that because I have placed my trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ, I am redeemed by His precious blood, He has crowned me, surrounded me, encircled me with His glory and blessing. Jesus is alive, He has come and is coming again! Thank you for surrounding me with the shield of your love and favor. Thank you for how Your favor is operating and functioning in my life. It surrounds me and encircles me like a shield. Your favor goes before me and prepares my way. Your favor opens doors of blessing and opportunity in my life. Wherever I go and whatever I do, Your favor is with me, surrounding me, encircling me. Your favor fills my life with overflowing blessing, peace, joy, fulfillment, and abundance. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.


Look Up—meditate on Ephesians 1:3-4…pray to see what it reveals about the character of God.

Look In—as you meditate on Ephesians 1:3-4…pray to see how you might apply it to your life. Be propelled to ask galvanizing questions about your discoveries: "Because God is_________, I will_____________."

Look Out—as you meditate on Ephesians 1:3-4…pray to see how you might apply it to your relationships with others. Let the nature of God impact on every relationship, for your good, and for His glory.


* If you liked this post, you’ll love this book – Name Above All Names Devotional: Focusing on 26 Alphabetical Names of Christ


Weekly LinkUps…