Newbold Community Church - Putting up your sail to catch the Wind of the Spirit.

Putting up your sail to catch the Wind of the Spirit.

Putting up your sail to catch the Wind of the Spirit.

Last week we had Dave Latham to preach. I wonder how much you remember of his sermon and have thought about in the last week. It’s good to have a sermon that is stirring and encouraging, but we also need to meditate on those good things during the week and consider how to put them into action in our own lives.

One thing that struck me from last week was Dave’s analogy of going out in a yacht and deciding to row with oars rather than putting up the sail to catch the wind.

Jesus when talking to Nicodemus said this in John 3:6-8

Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again.” The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.’ So first we are born again by the spirit and then we must continue in the Spirit.

When you try to serve God in the flesh - to ‘row’ makes you very tired, but when you put up the sail into the wind, (walking by the Spirit) the wind provides all the power for the forward motion.

One of the meanings of the word trust is confidant expectation.

So, I’ve been asking: how do I put up my sail into the wind of the Holy Spirit, with the confidant expectation of his power taking over and providing the forward motion into the purposes of God?

A few thoughts on this came to me.

  1. Rest in the Lord, wait on him and listen for his voice.
  2. Use your prayer language lots – so pray in tongues long and often
  3. Trust - confidently expect - the Lord to move by his mighty power
  4. You do your part and expect him to do his – remember Jesus saying in Matthew 11:29, 30: Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
  5. Meditate often in the Word of God
  6. Decide you are going to be led and guided by the Holy Spirit. In Romans 8:5, 6 Paul writes: Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
  7. Remember to keep each other in prayer – especially when you know someone is struggling.

Eph 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Romans 8:26-27 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. 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.

 

Credit: David Latham with Brenda Critchley.

Credit: Photo White Sail Boat by Kelly Sikkema at Unsplash

 

 

Credit: Amanda McCulloch, 6 o'clock analogue clock icon vector by Art192 from Vecteezy.com

 

 

 

         

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