More on revival in my life

After the Spirit’s initial pointing out my nine sins (mostly attitudes), which needed to be dealt with more severely, God tested me on one of them: the competitive desire to win.

At a baptism picnic I got into a discussion with a philosopher-type visitor. The conversation got intense as he outlined how God wanted evil in the world so people can contrast it with good; shortly I realized we had stepped into an intellectual swamp where I was trying to compete against him on an intellectual level, but to no avail.

Abruptly I withdrew from the discussion and emotionally limped away. With reflection, it became clear that I was out to win in my own strength, while the fellow was just having fun; it wasn’t a serious discussion for him at all. I had not been listening to the Spirit but trying to bring conviction with my words and intellect: what a foolish mistake!  Winning is nothing, being used by the Spirit to bring conviction is far better, and this requires denial of self.

I was able to apply this painful lesson in following week in a conversation with a 65 year old man. He declared he could not possibly accept the deity of Christ. So we took a look at Philippians 2, then I answered a few questions, and he said, “Now I can believe that Christ is God!”  That wasn’t from me! No argument, just the Word of God and following the Spirit’s leading. What a difference: joy in God’s working, no glory for me and not even a thought of it! This is the powerful freedom God wants us all to live in.

Freedom in the light