Key Passages: Ephesians 1:15-23; 2:11–22
Supplementary Passages: John 14:15–17;Romans 8:9–11
Fear happens.
Sometimes it's tiny. Sometimes it's enormous. Sometimes we can remove the thing
that scares us. Sometimes we cannot. Life amid fear requires courage.
For those who
trust Jesus, courage is possible because of the Spirit.
The Spirit is the
gift of presence. We who trust Jesus can act with courage because God is always
right here. God has made each believer and each community of believers his
home. The Spirit dwells in us, reminding us who we are in Christ and giving us
life that has not even a seed of death in it. We are in God, and God is in us.
In him, our lives are secure.
The Spirit is the
giver of presence. Through Christ and by the Spirit, we have a person-to-person
relationship with the Father. The Spirit lives in us, assuring us that we are
safe in Jesus. He develops our capacities and empowers us to serve. He is right
here, imparting wisdom and revelation.
His wisdom grows us toward the settled conviction that everything
concerns Jesus. The Spirit shines his light on the Scripture, helping us see
the truth and significance of God's Word.
By the Spirit, we
are one people of God by faith. We all have access to the same source of truth.
We are all the children of one Father. Our bonds with God and one another are
unbreakable. Our brokenness is revealed and healed. As those who trust Jesus
and walk in the Spirit, we have constant, direct knowledge of the One who is
our life.
Since we can have
courage, let us choose to act with courage. God is always right here. By the
Spirit, the Father and his supply are ready at hand. Let us ask God directly
for what we need. Let us bring concerns before the Father, freeing us to lay
all on the line for Jesus. Let us choose to follow Jesus by the Spirit and step
out into life with courage.
