THE MANNER OF SPIRIT YOU ARE

Lk 9:51 - Lk 9:56 (KJV) And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives, but to save them. And they went to another village One of the things that are baffling today is the extent of hatred and bitterness being demonstrated in the body of Christ. The rate at which enemies or enmity is being made seems to cast a shadow on the origin of Christianity itself. The origin of Christianity is Love; for God so loved the world and he gave his only begotten son. What we have around today being portrayed as Christianity is not what God intended it to be. Almost anywhere you turn to now, you see brethren staring up strife and bitterness. They are taught to hate and destroy anyone who seems to be hindering their progress in life. The question we need to ask is where this spirit of hatred did come from; since God said He has not given us the spirit of fear but of love, power and of sound mind. (2Tim 1:7) When we gave our lives to Christ, God gave us of his spirit and that spirit shed His love abroad in our hearts. Rom 5:5 (KJV) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. If anyone therefore is truly operating from the spirit of Christ, such a person cannot manifest the spirit of hatred. Hatred is a product of the flesh and is not in line with the nature a believer is made of. Hatred is competitive and is a sign of lack of reliance in God's capability to deliver us from all our enemies. It is a means of wanting to fight our battles ourselves, thereby not believing in the finished work of Christ. In Christ Jesus, we have been delivered from the hands of all our enemies, Lk 1:74 (KJV) That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, and we have been made more than conquerors (Rom8:37). In Luke chapter 9, the disciples of Jesus were not received in a village of the Samaritans and as such they became offended because their ambition was opposed by the villagers. Their response was not so different from what is obtainable today in the church. They asked Jesus for permission to command fire to come down from heaven and consume the people. Let's imagine how many innocent souls have been destroyed with our Holy Ghost Fire prayers; yet we rejoice in what God is sad about. We send to hell men whom God would have loved to be saved. We assume the position of a judge and sentence to destruction, men and women that stood against our ambitions in their ignorance. We sentence them under the name of witches and wizards by covering our wickedness with the Old Testament law "suffer nor a witch to live", yet we are not Old Testament saints, but New Testament brethren. If we chose to live under the heavy burden of the Old Testament, then Christs death is in vain over our lives. Jesus, knowing the danger of hatred rebuked the disciples that they do not know the manner or behaviour of the spirit in them. The spirit in us is the spirit of Love and not of hatred. As a believer, I have no capacity in me to hate, but only to love. Even Solomon, an Old Testament personality, when asked by God to make a request only asked for wisdom and understanding, he never asked for the neck of his enemies, no wonder God gave him rest and peace all around. When the way of a man pleases the lord, he makes his enemies to be at peace with Him. (Pr 16:7) 2Chr 1:11 (KJV) And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: As believers, our enemies are not our problems, our problem lies in our inability to please the Lord. Too much energy is being expended today in the church to fight the enemies rather than to please the Lord. Gods injunction to us in the New Testament is that we should sit down at his right hand; He will make our enemies our footstool (Heb 1:13). To please the lord is to sit at his right hand of fellowship and to do His will. Pleasing God is our responsibility and not killing the enemies. It is Gods responsibility to deal with our enemies, and that he did on the cross by spoiling the principalities and powers by making a public show of them. Hallelujah. Considering the fact that right now, we have learned so much to operate in evil than to live in that which is good, we need to call ourselves to order. Our father craves for our attention more than the devil and the enemy is getting. It is what we magnify that becomes real to us. Lets magnify our father and saviour above the enemies. We must stop being alien to our nature, our nature is that of love and not hatred, we are of God and God is Love. When next we are motivated to act in hatred, let us pause and ask ourselves "Whence cometh this manner of spirit"? ; Definitely not from God but from the flesh or the devil. Rom 16:19 - 20 (KJV) For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.