Saturday Open Heavens Devotional - Spiritually Motivated?

                                   

Memorise: Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Romans 8:37

Read: Romans 8:33-39, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. ³⁴ Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. ³⁷ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Motivation is the act of providing someone with a reason to act in a certain way. Christians can motivate or encourage one another to have greater confidence in God and to be very bold in living out their faith. Spiritual motivation drives away the spirit of fear and helps to develop the boldness required for the correct application of God’s Word to life situations. No leader can achieve anything without boldness. It takes courage to follow God. It takes courage to obey God. Anyone who lacks courage will be full of fear. If you are afraid, you cannot take any progressive stride.

A hireling fears and hides when the sheep is confronted by wolves because he thinks of his safety before anything else. A shepherd on the other hand is bold and resists any wolf even at the risk of his own life. In John 10:11, Jesus says,

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

A true shepherd is not afraid of danger. Some pastors or leaders are not available when their members are in distress; but that is when you should be there to stand with them in faith and prayer, and guide them properly. You cannot allow a strange beast to take advantage of your flock. You must fight all intruders and send them packing. This takes boldness; your ability to be bold in the face of danger enhances your power base. Some leaders are very chickenhearted. Every little situation gets them into a panic. Meanwhile, 2^nd Timothy 1:7 says,

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Therefore, be spiritually motivated because the Spirit that God has deposited within you is of power and sound mind.

Do you know that even great leaders suffer from fear? One outstanding leader with a great congregation in Bible times who lacked boldness was Joshua. As near perfect as he was, Joshua was afraid. He was afraid to stand in Moses’ shoes. He was afraid when he realised that he was asked to finish the assignment that his predecessor – Moses, with all the anointing to open and shut Heaven could not finish. He got scared whenever he thought of the sudden promotion he got from being a servant to a national leader with millions of followers. He was afraid when he remembered that he was called to lead an unruly congregation who were capable of revolting and stoning their leaders to death. Why are you afraid? Do not look at the nature of the assignment. Do not look at the size; do not look at the fierce looking faces. Do not focus on the situation of lack of resources. Focus on the One who has called you, He will see you through. Ask for the Spirit of boldness to manifest in every area of your life from today. The battle is already won and you are more than conqueror.

Prayer Point: Father, please give me the boldness to face all my fears in Jesus’ name.

Bible in one year: Jeremiah 51, Psalms 61