Wednesday: Symptoms of the Minus
WEEK 3
WEDNESDAY
SYMPTOMS OF THE MINUS
Ephesians 5:1-3
We come now to consider some facts among the disciples, showing the Spirit had not yet been given. True, they had a measure of the Spirit, but the Spirit had not been given without measure. He was with them but not in them (“for he dwells with you, and will be in you” [John 14:17 RSV, italics added]). They possessed the Spirit, but the Spirit did not possess them. They were using God; but after the coming of the Spirit, God was using them. What were some signs that the transition had not been made?
First, the disciples were struggling for position, place, and power. A dispute arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. They were assertive instead of surrendered. They were seeking first their own personal kingdom, where they could rule others, instead of the kingdom of God, where God would rule them. They were self-seekers instead of God-seekers, at least at times. They were a moral blur.
Second, they showed resentments against those who did not receive them in a Samaritan village, and asked Jesus if they should call down fire upon them, even as Elijah did. They mingled religiosity with resentments—“from heaven” and “even as Elijah did” (see Luke 9:54), quoting religious precedent. But stripped of this religious cloakage, there was just plain ugly resentment down underneath.
Third, there was self-righteous pride. “Though they all fall away . . . , I will never fall away” (Matt 26:33 RSV) Peter was taking a “they”-“I” relation to the rest—superior and full of pride. The humbling holiness of the Holy Spirit had not taken possession of them.
Fourth, they were spiritually impotent before the task of getting evil spirits out of a boy. They could not cast it out. The boy had a better case of devil possession than they had of God possession. They didn’t have enough within to match against outer demand—the without was greater than their within.
Fifth, they were behind closed doors for fear of the Jews, and this even after the Resurrection, which was great, but not great enough to get them from behind closed doors. Intellectually they were convinced, but emotionally they were held by fears—deep-down fears.
So unsurrendered self, resentments, self-righteous pride, spiritual impotence, and fear showed they were not filled with the Spirit.
O Lord, help me not to stop this side of my full freedom from these and other crippling sins. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I’m walking out from behind closed doors of fear by the power of the Spirit.