Ephesians 5:14
“He saith, Awake you that steepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.”
What of Today’s Verse…
Not all initiative is inspired. A man may say to you — “Buck up, take your disinclination by the throat, throw it overboard, and walk out into the thing!” That is ordinary human initiative. But when the Spirit of God comes in and says, in effect, “Buck up,” we find that the initiative is inspired.
We all have any number of visions and ideals when we are young, but eventually we find that we have no power to make them real. We cannot do the things we long to do, and we are apt to settle down to the visions and ideals as dead, and God has come to say — “Arise from the dead.” When the inspiration of God does come, it comes with such miraculous power that we are able to arise from the dead and do the impossible thing. The remarkable thing about spiritual initiative is that the life comes after we do the “bucking up.” God does not give us overcoming life; He gives us life as we overcome. When the inspiration of God comes, and He says — “Arise from the dead,” we have to get up; God does not lift us up. Our Lord said to the man with the withered hand — “Stretch forth thy hand,” and when the man did so, his hand was healed, but he had to take the initiative. If we will do the overcoming, we shall find we are inspired of God because He gives life immediately.
Words of Wisdom
In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call on him while I live.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that, they shall be heard for their much speaking. —The Spirit . . . helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself market intercession for us with groaning’s which cannot be uttered.
I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting holy hands, without wrath and doubting. —Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
Again, I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father, which is in heaven.
