Corona Devo 3063

We've all heard the saying, "The devil made me do it", and unfortunately, we all have some regrets that we'd like to give the devil full-credit for making us do.

But when was the last time that we could acknowledge that "God made me do it" about an action in our life? 

God does make us do things.  Or--the Lord at least prompts us to do and say things through His Holy Spirit. 

“If you love me, keep my commands. (16) And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— (17) the Spirit of truth. 

The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you...  

(26) But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  ~John 14:15-17, 26

Yes, the Father has given us the Holy Spirit as an advocate to help and be with us forever.  But--the question for us today is: Are we responding and obeying God's spiritual nudges and direction through the Holy Spirit? 

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. (27) And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 

(28) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  ~Romans 8:26-28   

~~~

The Spirit himself intercedes for us and the Spirit (also) intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

Is the Lord telling us to do something today through the interceding of the Spirit?  

Only you and I can answer that, but the Lord already knows that answer as well.

~~~

Sometimes, we know when God puts someone or something on our heart.  

Exactly how I knew that I was supposed to write a letter of encouragement to an acquaintance of mine, I'm not sure.  But, I knew it.  And to be honest, I wasn't excited to do it, because I don't know her that well, and we are quite different from each other.  I wasn't gung-ho about writing the note, but God made me do it, and so...I did.

If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.  ~James 4:17  

A few days later I received a text that came to my phone, but I knew that the sentiment was directed to the Lord because the note was His idea.  And when I read my acquaintance's text , it sounded more like we were on our way to becoming friends.  And I was glad that "God made me do it".


Sometimes, we know when God puts someone or something on our heart...but other times, we don't.  

A couple weeks back, I met up with a friend and sister-in-Christ and we had a delightful catch-up on our lives and our faith.  And we ended as we always do: in prayer.  We lifted up our families, our marriages, our husbands, and we specifically prayed for the protection and blessing of God over each of our kids by name. 

We hugged and went our separate ways, but within the hour she reached back out in urgent request for additional prayer because one of her kids had taken a powerfully-kicked (soccer) ball to the head at short range.  There was some blood, and a big headache, and quite a few tears.  

My friend asked for prayers but also immediately thanked me for the time that we had shared in prayer already that day, possibly at the very time that her daughter had gotten injured. 

Sometimes we know what God is nudging us to do, and sometimes, when we are simply living for Him...we are doing it.  

(P.S. There was no concussion or lasting effects from the blow-to-the-head, and my friend attributes the well-being of her daughter to prayers before/during/and after the injury.)

~~~

Jesus said that His Holy Spirit would come on us and into us, and then...what do you think that Jesus said we would do with the Holy Spirit?  
Sit on it?  
Muffle it?
Douse it?
Ignore it?

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  ~Acts 1:8  

If the Lord puts someone/something on our heart today...if God tells us to DO it today: then we must DO it.  

Do not quench the Spirit.  ~I Thessalonians 5:19 

We should not want to quench the Spirit.  There is a reverence to God within me that says that we dare not quench the Spirit.

And because of seeing God move in our lives and through His Holy Spirit in our lives throughout our lifetime: can we agree that there is an excitement in doing what God tells us to do?  And beyond that: there is a freedom in being-obedient to God.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  ~2 Corinthians 3:17

I pray that you won;t catch me saying, "The devil made me do it".  But friends, let's pray today that we will be caught saying, "God made me do it"!

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  ~Romans 8:14


Blessings,

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