"And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him" (1 John 5:14,15, KJV).
A friend who had participated in one of our lay institutes a few years ago shared with me his experience when he first realized the practical benefits of the biblical concepts which I like to call "spiritual breathing" - exhale by confession and inhale by claiming the fullness of the Holy Spirit by faith in accordance with the promise of 1 John 5:14,15.
This friend had agreed to teach a Sunday school class of young students. But there was one problem: he was apprehensive about the assignment because he had never taught studies (of the age)?
My friend planned to arrive at church early in order to make proper preparation for the arrival of his new class. He had asked his family to be ready to leave the house early on that Sunday morning.
As sometimes happens, the family was late in getting ready and, as he sat in the car in the hot sun, he began to resent his family's tardiness. He began to fume and fuss while waiting for them. The longer he waited, the more tense and irritated he became.
Finally, his family loaded into the car - and he was ready to explode with anger. Before he went very far, the Holy Spirit reminded him that his attitude and actions were not honoring to the Lord.
Furthermore, he knew that he would be sharing with the children in Sunday school about God's love, forgiveness and patience. Applying the principle of "spiritual breathing," he exhaled by confessing his sin and inhaled by appropriating the fullness of the Holy Spirit by faith. Filled with the Holy Spirit and overflowing with God's love, he introduced several young men to Christ that morning.
TODAY'S ACTION POINT: Whenever the need arises, I will practice "spiritual breathing" to help me experience spiritual victory and live a supernatural life. I will tell other Christians about the concept of "spiritual breathing."
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