Have your ever watched a movie that you’ve already seen? Maybe the first time it was suspenseful, but not so the second time because you know how the story ends. You know the good guy doesn’t fall off the cliff and the bad guy eventually gets caught. But you still enjoy the movie. In fact, since you’re not all tied up in the plot, you begin to appreciate other aspects of the film; clever dialogue, outstanding camera work, the use of a special effects, and so on. Since you know the ending you can enjoy the movie on a whole different level.
That’s how we can enjoy life— if we are viewing it for the second time. We don’t have to sweat the outcome because we know God’s ultimate outcome. We need not wonder if he will take care of us, or if he will cause all things to work together for his good. We know the outcome. We know that since Jesus conquered death, we can, through Him, conquer life. In the process, we can enjoy the journey. Every day is part of the celebration—even the tough days. That’s God’s promise.
If the spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through the Spirit, who lives in you.
The Holy Spirit reminds us of how much Christ loves us and the sacrifice he made so that we could regain fellowship with God. The Holy Spirit guides and strengthens us. It steers us away from danger and toward truth. When the Holy Spirit lives in us, we are healed, changed, freed and sent on missions because God lives in us. It opens our minds to receive God’s truth. It enables us to withstand all of life’s challenges. Without it, we will be defeated by the world.
Even after the disciples believed that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead, they did not become effective witnesses until the Holy Spirit came upon them. Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the Spirit came and filled them with his power and authority. The Christian mission depends on the ministry of the Holy Spirit for its success.
The disciples learned that it takes time and prayer to find one’s mission. Mission is based on taking time to assess the needs and what our strengths are. God wants us to have a heart for him and a vision for the world. He wants us to know, obey and share him with others. He entrusts us to live and teach the Gospel in spite of our faults and failures.
