1 Corinthians 2:12
The scripture for today is 1 Corinthians 2:12
1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
Scripture makes a clear distinction between the two conflicting forces that are present in our life experiences; the spirit of the world and the Spirit of God. These are the only sources from which we receive direction with respect to the choices we make. Satan is the power source of the spirit of the world and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. There is nothing in between, no other source of direction; we will be led by one or the other. The issue for us is who will we choose to listen to and who will we choose to follow.
In the context of our chapter, the apostle is speaking of himself and those who were ministering with him. It is clearly God's desire, however, that all of His children hear, speak, and follow the things of the Spirit of God. And, in order to follow the things of God, we must have surrendered hearts and receive His Holy Spirit. "But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14
Without the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives, we are vulnerable to deception. In Numbers, chapter 13, twelve men were sent to spy out the land of Canaan. When they returned, two gave a good report and ten gave an evil report. All twelve saw the same thing; or did they? They really did not see the same thing at all. Ten of them saw with the eyes of fear and two saw with the eyes of faith. Ten made worldly choices and two made godly choices. These two did not listen to the spirit of the world, they listened to the Spirit of God.
God expects no less from us. He expects us to ignore the voice of fear, the voice of pride, the voice of selfishness and listen instead to the voice of His Spirit "that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God."
There are two sources that we can choose to listen to. One is the voice of a tyrant who, through deception, is "herding" the world to destruction. The other is the voice of love who invites whosoever will to come to Him and experience that which the world cannot give; unconditional, life-changing, everlasting love. That is what the Spirit of God offers; that is what we open our hearts to receive.
God bless you as you continue in His service.
Tim