Living in the spirit means that I trust the Holy Spirit to do in me what I cannot do myself. This is completely different from the life I would naturally live of myself. Each time I am faced with a new demand from the Lord, I look to Him to do in me what He requires of me. It is not a case of trying, but of trusting; not of struggling, but of resting in him.
Dependence on God
Robby Dawkins
How often do we realize a need, or a question, or a yearning and … yet we do not ask God?
Feeling despair? Ask God to open your eyes to see the good around you.
Feeling tired? Ask God on how to get more rest.
Feeling afraid? Ask God how to go to the root of the issue and deal with it.
Tension in the home? Ask God how to see things from His perspective.
Family member or friend with a hard heart? Ask God for how He would have you partner with Him in praying for this individual and speaking love to them.
Dallas Willard
To “grow in grace” means to utilize more and more grace to live by, until everything we do is assisted by grace. Then, whatever we do in word or deed will all be done in the name of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:17). The greatest saints are not those who need less grace, but those who consume the most grace, who indeed are most in need of grace—those who are saturated by grace in every dimension of their being. Grace to them is like breath.
Max Lucado
Before we give real attention to the ways Jesus wants to transform our lives, we must reach a better understanding of his complete familiarity with our lives. He’s comfortable with us. He knows us intimately—even those things no one else knows. When we come to him with our needs, when we realize that we can bring our emptiness to him, we’re finally in a place where we can see his power at work in us.
Bob Goff
Some people speak with a great deal of authority about what God is doing right now. I’m always amazed because I can never figure out God that quickly. I usually understand what God is doing by seeing it through the rearview mirror. Only then can I connect the dots, and even then, it’s a pretty dodgy sketch. Maybe that’s why the Bible described what we are often doing as looking through a mirror dimly. The Bible says that right now we only know “in part” and that one day, after we’ve gone, we’ll know “in full.” That makes more sense to me because it means our understanding will always have gaps and gaps are good because they leave room for God to fill in the spaces.
Darlene Cunningham
Your life should be based on the values of knowing God and hearing His voice… Others can confirm what God is saying, but at the foundation, you must have the word of the Lord for yourself, and be God-appointed for your call. The truth is, we NEVER feel qualified. We often think “I can’t do this job.” But when we know we are God-appointed, we become God-anointed. John 15:16: “You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” If you are only self-appointed…, you will seek approval from other people. But when we are God-appointed, Jesus said He would be with us and give us the authority to do everything He has called us to do (Matthew 28:18-20). Walk in the appointing and anointing of God.
William Law
We are looking for our own virtue, our own piety, our own goodness, and so live on and in our own poverty and weakness – today pleased and comforted with the seeming firmness and strength of our own pious tempers and fancying ourselves to be somewhat. Tomorrow, fallen into our own mire, we are dejected, but not humbled; we grieve, but it is only the grief of pride at the seeing our perfection not to be such as we had vainly imagined. And thus it will be, till the whole turn of our minds be so changed that we as fully see and know our inability to have any goodness of our own as to have a life of our own.
Julia Loren
A child’s heart is open to fresh revelation, new understanding and increased experiences. Children embrace all that life has to offer them every day. When you lose that child’s heart of humility and excitement and think that you have become an expert in the things of God and life, you level off in your development and stop growing. The more mature you are, the more childlike you should become in receiving the things of the Kingdom of God. When you shift from ongoing dependency on Him to an attitude that you can handle it from here, that you know all there is to know and can do things for yourself now as one who is all grown up, you lose the innocence, dependency and wonder of being with Him.
Suzy Larson
When you come to the edges of yourself, and you see the limits of your love, your generosity, and your willingness to give of yourself; instead of despair, just whisper a prayer to the God who loves you. He’ll do for you, in you, and through you what you cannot do for yourself. He never rolls His eyes or breathes a heavy sigh when He looks at you. He loves you.
Jack Frost
The secret of abiding in love rests on Christ, not on me. In Christ and in my spirit there is no striving, no drivenness, no anxiety, and no condemnation.