A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (December 19, 2017)
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. (Acts 17:16)
There are multiple places in the Bible where the scripture instructs us to be stirred up. Sometime the Lord himself stirs us up like in the Book of Haggai when the Lord stirred up the leaders and the people.
And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, (Haggai 1:14)
The Hebrew word used for stirred up is “uwr” which means to open the eyes, to fully wake up, to arouse, or to re-enkindle the fire. Zerubbabel was the Governor of Judah. His name means “born in Babylon” but it also comes from a root word meaning to “wax warm”. The whole story of the Book of Haggai was about the leadership and the people paying more attention to their earthly houses than God’s house. They had let the fire of God go down to just a small flicker. There was no fire and no since of urgency. You could say they had become lukewarm.
I believe the Holy Ghost (Full Gospel) church in the United States is at that point. The very part of the Church that should be on fire has been caught up in earthly pursuits, political correctness, and apathy. The fire of God, that was once burning hot, is just a flickering ember and we need to wake up and stir ourselves up. Listen to what the Apostle Paul said about this situation:
Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; (2 Peter 1:12-13)
Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:6-7)
Paul is the one that said, “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:” (1 Corinthians 2:4).
Christianity without the supernatural is not Christianity at all. It’s just religion. We need to get back to the basics of teaching about the Promise of the Holy Ghost, the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and the fruits of the Holy Ghost. All of us elders that have walked in this way for years need to return to our first love and fan the flames of the Spirit so that the younger generation can catch fire. We are the ones that are responsible for keeping the fire burning. I believe that the message the Lord spoke through the Prophet Haggai is also for us today.
Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts: According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not. (Haggai 2:3-5)
The Lord has not left us! His Spirit is still with us! We just need to get stirred up and then we need to start stirring up!!!
