Bible Reading: Ezekiel 18,19: James 4
“Ye adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the scriptures says in vain “The Spirit which dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resist the proud, But gives grace to the humble”. James 4:4-6 (NKJV)
Man was created with the Spirit that is also called the breath of God at the beginning. This is the account of the Scripture: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” Genesis 2:7 (KJV). When man sinned at Eden the spirit in man lost the life of God and became degenerated. At redemption, the fallen spirit of man was regained by coming in contact with the indwelling Spirit of God. This brought about the regeneration of the spirit of man which is called new birth. By the contact of the indwelling Holy Spirit the human spirit is activated to be in full devotion to Christ and not any other thing or person.
The Holy Spirit in us which dwells in every Christians prompts our spirit to make clear distinction between us and the world. The indwelling Spirit of God cannot condone carnality and immorality, hence the stern warning from Apostle James in his epistle James 4.4(KJV), “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” James 4:4 (NIV). The above Scripture explains the kind of boundary that is meant to exist between us and the world. You should ask yourself, have I drawn a boundary between myself and the world? What are the properties of the world that I still fraternize with? Just like a soldier who fraternizes with the enemy would be shot, in the same way, any Christian who fraternizes with the world shall no doubt shoot himself.
Similarly, the Holy Spirit ignited spirit that dwells in us also frowns against pride. It is sad to see today, the level of arrogance in the community of believers especially when God endows an individual with a particular gift over the other. Whereas, each of us should know that no gift is superior to the other. Pride has destroyed and will still destroy anyone who is not careful to caution himself. Remember a king by name Uzziah whom God used to do mighty exploit. When he thought, he had arrived, he came down. Hear what the Bible says: “But when the strength and success went to his head, arrogant and proud, he fell. One day, contemptuous of God he walked into The temple of God like he owned and took over, burning incense on the Incense Altar” 2 Chronicles 26:18 (MSG).
It is important for you to know that, the Holy Spirit that dwells in us does not and will never condone any life that is not of God from us. Therefore, if you shall have grace from God, you need to reject pride so that God would not resist you. Cut off any link with worldliness among which are: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Always remind yourself that the spirit that dwells in you longs only for sweet communion with the Lord. He does not want to share you with anyone. No matter your height, never joke with the smooth relationship you built with the Lord, sustain it by fellowshipping with Him always.
Prayer: My Father, remove from me everything that is making me to lose contact with You. Help me to let go completely things that are not exalting God in and around me in Jesus Christ name.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo