Fuel for the Fight
- Pastor Bob and Janet
- Jul 23, 2017
- 3 min read
1 John 4:16-21
A fuel is any material that reacts with another material (usually oxygen) to produce heat energy used for work. Wood, coal, gas, and oil are burned to produce heat and power. We rely on these fuels to heat our homes and provide for us transportation. We have become immensely dependent on them, and some people virtually panic when they become in short supply. Think about what happens here in the south when we have a rare snow advisory? You would think there was a 4-foot blizzard on the way! Another fuel, Uranium, a radioactive metal, is a nuclear fuel that undergoes a process called fission. In a power facility, fission produces heat that boils water and turns turbines to generate power. Lastly, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats are the three main sources of dietary energy. These fuels are converted to high energy molecules called ATP. The energy stored in ATP drives all the cellular process in your body. Without fuel, there is no energy. Without energy, there is no production. While there is a functional understanding of energy sources for work, nuclear reactions, and digestion, how much do we understand about the energy source required to fuel the Christian life? What is the fuel that makes it possible for believers to walk with Christ?
The Gift of the Holy Spirit
Rather than what is the fuel, a more appropriate question is who is the fuel? It is a who that makes it possible for believers to do God's work. It is the person of the Holy Spirit. Everything in the Christian life depends upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit. While we may know exactly how physical and chemical energy works, why is there not as a complete understanding of spiritual energy? For some time, there has been an absence of teaching about the Holy Spirit. John Wesley was a pioneer of using methods to reach people for the Gospel. He realized that the pastor is not the sole proprietor of spiritual maturity. Wesley realized that there was no spiritual vitality or energy in most Christians or in the church. He devised a plan to set up organized classes in which people learned how to do evangelism and discipleship. The emphasis was training and doing. Remember, to produce energy, there must be a reaction between two substances. If we train, but never go out and practice, no energy is produced. Wesley trained a veritable army of lay witnesses to do the work, and energy was produced. He, along with George Whitfield, were responsible for the second Great Awakening.
The Growth of His Love
Once the Holy Spirit begins to work in our lives, he brings about in us spiritual maturity. James, the leader of the church in Jerusalem, understood spiritual maturity. He writes, "Count it all joy when you encounter various trials, for the testing of your faith produces endurance." A mature believer is able to be thankful for difficulties. Our spiritual maturity comes from our understanding of God's love. In turn, we must love others. Our love has to be mature for other people. We can't let anything get in the way of loving others. God is not a respecter of persons, and we must not be either. We must love all people, and our love must compel us to serve and witness.
The Freedom to Love
In verse 19, John explains why we have the freedom to love. "We love, because He (God) first loved us." He continues, "Whoever claims to love God, yet hates his brother or sister, is a liar." Hence, if you can't love all people, then you have no love for God. As a church, we must walk through the doors that God opens. We can help others like God would. We can feed and clothe others like God would. We can share the Good News with others just like Jesus did. We live is a chaotic world in which many are trapped in a lifestyle of material worship. However, with the fuel of the Holy Spirit, believers can have the energy it takes to love like God loves. A daunting task is at hand, but it can be accomplished with love that is not bound, not prejudiced, or not fearful. "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 Power Up!
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