Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
Looking Back on Powerful Moments
Today we have a verse that just reminds us and takes us back to those powerful moments in our life that we've seen God at work.
Our Verse of the Day is Haggai chapter 2, verse 5. "'My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.'"
Have you had something, not necessarily just spiritually, in your life that you look back to, these powerful, amazing moments in your life? Sometimes you look back to sports moments, maybe. Yeah, we went to state championship, or we did this, or I accomplished this. These are some different things that we have that we look back on in our life, that we got awards or ceremonies or recognition.
You cherish those moments. Then there's times, especially as you get older, that it's like you start losing different capabilities, either sports, where you can't compete at a certain level, or your memory or something else. It starts to fade.
Physical Versus Spiritual
The powerful thing about this verse is understanding the distinction when it talks about "My Spirit remains with you," the distinction in our physical versus our spiritual. As we all know, over time, physically, we just can't do what we used to be able to do. Don't you find that a little frustrating? It's okay. It's part of the process.
Conversely, it's important to understand that the spirit is actually the opposite. Paul identified this so powerfully in the New Testament when he said, "When my flesh is weak, You are strong."
When we start realizing and thinking, man, I can't do the things I used to be able to do, actually, as we develop and as we grow in our relationship with God, it's amazing how much more powerfully we understand His presence and His Spirit within us, and the power that that brings in our daily lives.
The Moment God Showed Up
Do you remember a time that God was powerful in your life? Some of you may look back: The day I got saved, it was amazing, and so much happened. Others may reflect back to something that happened a year ago, two years ago, three years ago.
Here's the amazing thing about what God is saying in this verse. He refers back to when Israel came out of Egypt, this powerful moment. This is hundreds of years after that when Haggai is writing this. Imagine that. That's the moment you look back to as the powerful moment that God worked. Catch what He's saying. It says, "My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid."
It's a constant reminder.
The Greatest Miracle
The greatest miracle—catch this—the greatest miracle in the Bible is the powerful and miraculous redemption of our souls, of Jesus' death and resurrection. That's the greatest and most powerful miracle in all Scripture that we get the chance of experiencing. When we look back at that moment, it's like the crossing of the Red Sea. Our moment is the moment we accept Christ and He comes into our life.
That's the power of what He's saying: "My Spirit remains in you." The same Spirit that parted the Red Sea, the same Spirit that I gave to you at the point of salvation. God is saying, I gave that to you, and He remains with you.
So often we get consumed by everything else that's going on in our lives, and we forget. We look back on those wonderful times with the Lord, the wonderful times that God showed up.
Staying Connected to the Power Source
Let me take some time in our last moments and share something practical. I love the new invention of rechargeable batteries. They are phenomenal because you can recharge them. You don't have to waste a whole bunch of batteries or waste electricity. You can charge it and you can go to work. The problem is when you don't use it and it sits there, and then you go to use it because all of a sudden you need it, and the battery's dead.
That's typically the way we handle our relationship with the Lord and the power of the Spirit that remains with us and in us. Instead of constantly being connected to the power source, we all of a sudden see it as, man, I really need the Lord. We focus on now. We recharge instead of always staying connected to Him.
I would just encourage you to take some time with the Lord today. When you have those moments where life is getting tough, do you feel like, man, I just need a recharge? Or are you living in the power of the Spirit that remains with us every single day, not looking back on the things that God did before, but knowing we live with and serve a living God that wants to be with you and part of you and powerful in your life?
Today, I pray for you as you find ways to live into the power of the Spirit that remains in you today.
