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We Have Spirit, How About You?
Isaiah 42:5
"Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:"
When you go to a high school ball game, you will often hear the cheer, "We've got spirit, yes we do. We've got spirit, how about you?" Normally, one side will start this cheer, and then the opposing team answers with the same. This cheer helps to keep the spirit in the gym where the teams are playing so that they can help cheer their team on to victory.
According to Webster dictionary, the word "spirit" means, "morale, energy, determination, vigor, or excitement of mind." This properly describes what God was saying in the verse above. The Scriptures say, "...he giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:" God wants His people to have spirit. He wants His people to have good morale. He wants His people to have energy and vigor. He wants His people to have excitement. We know this because God is the One Who gives spirit.
Let me remind you that we are on the winning side. There is no reason for a Christian to walk about having a defeated spirit. Every Christian should have a spirit of excitement. Every Christian should have good morale about the Christian life. Every Christian should put vigor into what they do. The reason is because we are on the winning side. The world certainly has spirit about what they do. What a shame that the world has more spirit about their sinful lifestyles than the Christian who is going to Heaven.
In order to have spirit, you must first decide to have it. Spirit is mainly attitude. You decide whether or not you are going to have spirit. There are many who will say that this is just not their personality. If that is you, then you need to change your personality. Christians should not allow their personality to be one of a defeated spirit. They should exemplify to the world a spirit of excitement and vigor about the Christian life. No lost person would want to be part of something that has a defeated spirit. They want to be part of something that has an energetic spirit of victory and excitement. If you are going to have spirit, then you must choose to have it.
Second, the Holy Spirit is the One Who gives the Christian spirit. Because the Holy Spirit gives the Christian spirit, then the Christian needs to do things that stir the Holy Spirit. When you get the Holy Spirit involved in your life, you will find that you will have a good spirit. If you wonder what would stirs the Holy Spirit, it is the works of God that stir Him. God gave us His Spirit so that we can do His works. God proved this when Jesus said in John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." John 14:16 shows us that when Jesus went to the Father, it was only then that He could send the Comforter Who is the Holy Spirit. Once the Holy Spirit has come, then we have the opportunity to stir Him so He can stir our spirit. In other words, when you preach, teach, soul win, help others, pick people up for church and love others, this stirs the Holy Spirit which in return will give your spirit that excitement and energy that each Christian needs.
I ask you, do you have spirit? Do people look at your Christian life and say that you are energetic about serving the LORD? It is a choice to have spirit. If it is not your personality, then change your personality so the world can see in you the vigor and excitement that God gives when we serve Him. The greatest testimony the world can see in the life of a Christian life is when their is spirit in everything we do.