Enjoy the Spirituality of God

We can be so rigid, calculated and forced in our relationship with God that we miss out on the light, flowing, peaceful spirituality of him.

I want to draw your attention to Acts 13. There is a light trail of what some may call Evangelistic work by Barnabas and Saul. Acts 13 is called The "First Missionary Journey". It reminds me of what our lives should be like. Ebbing and Flowing with he Holy Spirit. Instead, sometimes we move like robots or puppets.

In Chapter 13 Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit for work in which the Holy Spirit called them. Let's start there. This was simple, they felt in their Spirit they were called for a work, so they went. Verses 5 - 12 talk about their preaching in Salamis. What I want to call out it what happened at the end.

Verse 13: "Now Paul and his companions sailed from Paphos and came to Perga"

You know what this is, a PIVOT! If there is one thing, I have learned in the past few years is the ability to pivot is requirement for a peaceful, spiritually flowing life. We can get so stuck in one season, location, or people group that we miss the opportunity to sail on or pivot.

It was the spiritual guidance of God that told Paul okay, you've completed your work here... let's move on to the next. That is the flow I want to live in. I had been so rigid and calculated in my relationship with God that I hadn't allowed his Spirit to lead me. Now, when the Spirit says move, I move.

Let the Spirit be your guide!!!

Now, in a whole new location, verse 16 is tells us what Paul did next. "Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand, he said..." Paul got up and started talking! He gave a lengthy speech or sermon. He convicted them, he encouraged them, and the spoke of things to come. Paul and Barnabas continued to speak their message and in time there were people who came against what Paul and Barnabas had to say. Verse 50 tells us that the Jews instigated persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.

Do you want to guess what Paul and Barnabas did next? PIVOT!!!

Verse 51 says "they shook it's dust from their feet and went to Iconium"

They moved on! The Jew's were coming against them, they didn't stay to prove anything, they didn't beg to be accepted, they moved on! We get so stuck somewhere trying to prove to someone our value, abilities and significance when sometimes God is telling us to dust our feet and keep it moving.

Guess what happens after that:

verse 52 "And the disciples were continually filled [throughout their hearts and souls] with joy and the Holy Spirit.

As the disciples are flowing spiritually here and there, talking to people, encouraging them, disagreeing with some and being pushed away they are being filled with Joy in the process! It is in the ebbs and flows, the ups and downs, the sunshine and the rain that we experience a heighted guidance from the Holy Spirit. When we relinquish the control that we know so well and instead allow him to be our guide we find peace, solace and joy through the Spirit.

I hope you would allow yourself to feel the freeing, graceful love of your Father God through his Spirit instead of seeing him as the rigid dictator that we've come to know so well.