Given November 3, 2010
As I was praying and reading this morning, I was reminded of the gift of the Holy Spirit that resides in me and the potential of that gift for good. I realized, by the small still voice inside, that the Spirit in me was not being used anywhere near its potential. Then the scripture came to me from 2 Timothy 1:6 where the Apostle Paul was counseling Timothy, “For the which cause I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee through the laying on of my hands.” I thought, “Yes, I need to stir up the gift that’s in me, it’s been laying dormant.” You know if the fire in the fireplace or the campground is dying out, you get a stick and stir up the embers and it will flame up again. That’s what I want!
So I asked God, “Father, how do I stir up the gift inside me?” Immediately, the answers started coming. Pray – Time spent with God, in conversation, is the first way to stir up the gift. And not just asking God for things but conversing with Him; asking talking, listening. He will tell you things that stir you up! Praise & Worship – “My Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.” The first thing Jesus said when teaching his guys how to pray. When we forget all that’s around us and lift up praise to the King, we are stirred. I can feel it right now! Music – Music has always been a part of worship and most of us know the affect praise and worship music can have on our Spirits. Music can stir us up especially if used in conjunction with prayer and praise. Read the Word – God speaks to us through His Word. One of the most Spirit-stirring activities we can do is to read the Bible and allow the Holy Spirit to minister to us, teach us, and give us revelation. When we read a passage and suddenly get a new revelation of what it means, wow, what a stirring. And another good way to stir our Spirits is to Fellowship with Believers – As we get together with like-minded brothers and sisters in Christ, we can talk, discuss, testify, and share what God has revealed to us and encourage each other. We can stir each other up!
But, God also reminded me of another type of stirring. I was taken, in my mind’s eye, to the hardware store where the associate added a little squirt of color to a gallon of base paint then put it into the paint mixer. This process is not a gentle stirring to mix the contents but a violent shaking that quickly does the job. God reminded me that sometimes He has to allow us to be in a situation where we are shaken violently in order to stir us up to action. If that’s what I need to increase the power of the gift in me, then secure the lid Lord and commence the shaking!
