“Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19, NLT)
When we stifle the Holy Spirit, we are denying ourselves the very power we need to face the challenges of our days.
The Holy Spirit is wisdom, understanding, counsel, power, and knowledge. (Isaiah 11:2)
The Holy Spirit is living and active. When the Spirit urges you to move, do not stifle its impulses — move! – Luther
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17, NIV)
Freedom is not for the faint-hearted; nor is freedom for the weak-minded.
It is a double-edged sword: We have freedom from things — such as freedom from tyranny, from fear, and from slavery; and we have freedom to things — such as the freedom to choose, and the freedom to succeed. This freedom is not known everywhere in our world, which makes our heritage as a country even more special in the family of nations; not only for freedom’s benefits, but for its costs, as well.
Today’s scripture reminds us of a kind of freedom that is not limited by national boundaries or by physical borders. Its declaration is not written on paper or on parchment, but on the human heart.
As we celebrate and ponder today the gift of freedom in all of its manifestations, remember also the freedom purchased for us by the blood of Jesus, validated by His resurrection, and affirmed through the living testimony of faithful men and women. His Spirit not only reminds us of freedom’s benefits, but gives us the strength to bear its costs! – Luther
“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:6, NASB)
If it is true that we make trouble for ourselves because, as J. B. Phillips titled his classic book, “Your God is Too Small”; the same might also be said because we think some matters of our life are too small for our heavenly Father’s attention.
We ought to accept the biblical challenge to acknowledge God in everything — large and small — whether in decisions or in giving thanks.
Through the Holy Spirit — Whom Jesus Himself referred to as the “Helper” — we have a companion who knows well the path; we have an intercessor who knows the mind of God; we have an energizer to sustain us; a teacher to educate us.
However, the Helper helps only by invitation. If we have not, it is only because we ask not. – Luther
Daily Encouragement 