And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:52 ESV

While at the beach one day, I watched some kids playing with a beach ball. They would hit it and it would soar into the air, but then gradually float back down to earth. The kids would hit it again, but gravity kept pulling the ball back to earth. Without some form of lift, the ball will always fall to the ground. Yet, if you fill a ball or balloon with helium, it will float on its own. Its natural state will be floating and it will rise because of what it contains.

My walk with God has often been just like that. I can fast, pray, worship, study and try to walk closely with the Lord, but whenever I let up, the world pulls me right back down to it. Up and then down, I am working hard to breath my own air into that ball and it can become exhausting.

We are to be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18) just like the Apostles were (Acts 13:52). When you are filled with the Spirit, you will soar just like a balloon filled with helium and you will not have to exhaust yourself trying to just stay afloat. This also involves prayer and such, but instead of earning something, we are building ourselves up in the Spirit.

It is a relationship, and maintaining a steadfast relationship with the Lord is often more difficult than it needs to be because of the to-do list that we have created in our minds. In the meantime, God says, I never told you to do all that. Be filled with the Spirit and you will fulfill all of that naturally. When you are filled with His Spirit, you will please Him.

You can huff and puff and try to do it all yourself, or you can take His advice and be filled with His Spirit and His joy like the Apostles did. Let go of the to-do list and instead seek to be filled with the very presence of God. You will find that the things that have been holding you will suddenly flee, the impossible will become completed, and the closed door will become open.

Prayer: Lord fill me with Your Holy Spirit just as You did the early Apostles. I choose to let You help me live my life from this day forth. Come into my heart and guide me in the name of Jesus I pray.

Note: For any who did not see the announcement, the newest chapter of the weekly Bible Study is now up! Here is the link to get started: http://www.refreshinghope.org/blogs/1/293/luke-chapter-9. We pray that you will be blessed by it and look forward to seeing your participation!