30 August, 2011
Today's Free Devotional from Ellel Ministries International
Living Under full Power
"For this reason we also...pray for you...that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."
Colossians 1:9-10, NKJV
Some years ago I took some swimming lessons so that I would be able to learn how to swim laps. Even though I had known how to ‘swim’ for years I discovered that I really didn’t know how to swim. For years my head was in the wrong position, my body was in the wrong position, my arms were not being used effectively, and I was trying to swim with my legs and arms instead of with my body, assisted by my legs and arms. So I learned what it meant to ‘swim from my core’.
The other day I was riding my bike when I noticed that I was only peddling with my legs and not my body. I heard in my mind, “Peddle from your core, just like when you swim”. Now, I had never thought of riding my bike by using my core as the source of power to move me forward. I mostly used my legs to move me forward. That way I was wasting power and wasn’t as proficient as I could have been.
The core is the centre or trunk of your body, from the shoulders to the knees. Using your whole body to swim or ride a bike means that your body is functioning to its maximum potential. Just swimming with arms and a kick, or riding a bike just using your legs, means you can get somewhere, but not as effectively and efficiently as you might.
Likewise, if we try to live the Christian life without the power from God that is meant to enable us to live efficiently and effectively for the kingdom, we are not functioning as we were meant to. When Jesus enters our lives and fills us with His Holy Spirit we are able to be moved along in the stream of His Spirit. Then we’re able to fulfil our destiny, make a difference in our generation, and be an effective witness, disciple, and servant, under the sovereignty and lordship of Jesus Christ.
Ever find yourself flailing away at life under your own power and not getting along as effectively as you would like? In living the life of discipleship I often find myself trying to live like I’m trying to swim or ride my bike without using my core. It’s then that I need to turn to the Father and ask His forgiveness for relying on my own strength and not the strength He gives through Holy Spirit. I need to receive His love and forgiveness and gain the power to function in life that I
‘may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God’.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive me the times when I live my life under my own limited power and not in the power of Your Spirit. Help me to be able to live each day fully using all of the strength, power and grace that You desire to give me. Let me live each day pleasing to You and fruitful in everything that I do, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Today's Writer : Bob Stull Bob Stull serves, along with his wife Judy, on Ellel USA’s Leadership Team. Bob is a retired Anglican clergy whose passion is to see God’s people healed so that they might live in single minded obedience to Jesus’ call. He and Judy have one son and two fantastic grandchildren.
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