A DIFFERENT SPIRIT
The world keeps rotating from bad to worse on daily basis with disasters, strange occurrences, sad news/reports, injustice, inhumanity and so on. Yes it appears to be the tormenting beginning of a tragic end. But the influence of these incessant menace on us is determined by the varial individual spirits in we human beings.
In other words, some believe that "it's one of those things", therefore they let the devil eat deep into their hearts with terror, discouragements and failure and tag it "fate" which often ruin their lives. While those with different spirit see a different world altogether; a world enriched by a constant flow of milk and honey. And that's the kind of spirit a true child of God should posses through the divine revelation and confession of the word of God..."Darkness covers the earth. Thick darkness spreads over the nation. But I will rise and shine on you. My glory will appear over you"(Isaiah 60:2). O glory be to God....alleluyah!
God offers us everything good on earth to live on but the possession of these things depends on the kind of spirit one has which cultivates from inside of one and affects one's attitude, outward actions, inactions and reactions..."They gave Moses their report. They said, 'we went into the land you sent us to. It really does have plenty of milk and honey!...But the people who live there are powerful. Their cities have high walls around them and are very large...' Then Caleb interrupted and said, 'We should go up and take the land. We CAN certainly do it!"(Numbers 13:27-30).
Eventhough "the men spread a bad report about the land among the people of Israel" yet Caleb and Joshua stood their ground and became outstanding in their optimistic spirits of possession, relying upon the report of the Lord and God blessed them and gave them the promised land..."And you can just as sure that these men will not see the land I promised to give them...But my servant Caleb has a Different Spirit...so I will bring him into the land he went to. And his children after him will receive land there"(Num 14:22-24).
Many think that the world can be changed into a better place through the invention of technology, building, construction, creating one thing or the other to better the lives of people. But it is regrettably disappointing and unfortunate that the so-called good things created always turn out to be man's
major irresistible flaw and the source of his destruction. It is very ironic and ridiculous. And because we've relied and placed so much value on our own earthly knowledge which we've so much idolised more than our creator, the devil mocks us. The scripture tells us to be wise by fearing God; and to gain understand by departing from evil(Job 28:28). And this is what we should inculcate into our spirits if must make a change because change comes from within.
Therefore if you have a bad spirit change it now to a better one. Change that your spirit of discouragement, failure, setback,procrastination, inferiority complex and of fear into a Godly spirit of boldness, encouragement, success, decisiveness, positivity, "for God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind"(2Tim 1:7); and most importantly, fear God and remain steadfast in your hope, faith and love in Him which is the milestone of you changing your world. "For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways (James 1:6-8).
Yes the change is in your spirit no matter the circumstances surrounding you. Some people are busy topicalising and criticising with disgust the policies and activities of our present day government, and yet in the absence of an authoritative watch, they can't observe a simple law of sanitation. According to our Lord Jesus Christ, "...first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye (Matt 7:5). And that is to tell us that unless one changes one's internal environment, one cannot change one's external environment including people around him.
Spirit being defined as the vital force that is thought to be an element of human beings; is to make us understand that spirit is the major fundamental key to human living. If it is weak, the bearer would be weak physically and otherwise. And if it is strong, the bearer would definitely be strong in all aspects no doubt, for the spirit of a man is the driving force behind the goal of his target. In that case, one shouldn't allow the happenings around him or the spirits of others to influence or weigh down his own spirit. A victim of such can never be outstanding in what he or she does in life. He or she would rather remain like waves of the sea which the wind blows and tosses around (James 1:6).
You really need to possess a different spirit that will never let go of its ground on what you believe to make God's will in your life to manifest because according to Prov 16:32, he that ruleth his spirit is better than he that taketh a city. The word of God also informs us that "when men are cast down, then thou shalt say, there is a lifting up! (Job 22:29), but the manifestation of such proclamation is determined by one's spiritual position. In other words, it will work on a strong, positive and optimistic spirit and never on a downcasted spirit. Remember, "the spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit, who can bear?" (Prov 18:14).
So child of God, you see why you need to possess a strong different spirit that would never say never amidst adversity. That kind of spirit that made the deceased Shunem Lady to say "it is well" (2Kings 4:26). That different spirit that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego possessed when they encountered King Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 3:16-18). The same different spirit that Caleb and Joshua had; and so on.
This kind of spirit can only be ignited by the power in the word of God concerning one's life. Thus all we need to do is to locate what and what God says concerning our individual lives. Believe them, stand on them and work them out "for as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also (James 2:26). At the same time also, abide by God's instructions in all that we do, giving thanks and praise always to Him in the name of Jesus Christ; and everything will just work out fine. Alleluyah!