Morning by Morning—Daily Prayer Journey with Tommy Hays

Friday, March 13, 2020

Morning by Morning, March 13 - "A Different Spirit"

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome You here in my heart and every moment of my day. I'm listening now for Your leading -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God ...

"My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it" (Numbers 14:24).

Caleb, along with his companion Joshua, had "a different spirit" than the others who went into the land to see what You had set before them. The others saw the land, but what they saw above all else were the giant enemies that seemed too big and too powerful to overcome (Numbers 14:28-33).

Caleb and Joshua were full of faith, ready for the adventure, and excited for the opportunity to trust in You, to take the land and take hold of the promises of God. They had a spirit of faith, while the others gave in to "a different spirit," to a spirit of fear and all that it brings -- faithlessness, discouragement, hopelessness, and despair. Soon their fears fed their mistrust and rebellion, until they found themselves on the opposite side of the favor of God for not trusting You and Your word. "And the Lord said to Moses, 'How long will this people despise Me? And how long will they refuse to believe in Me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? I will strike them with pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they" (Numbers 14:11-12). None of those who gave in to fear instead of trusting in faith would ever be able to enter into the Promised Land (14:22-23).

Whatever giant enemies we face in our day -- coronavirus, concern of economic collapse, challenges in the midst of chaos and panic, and all that comes with it -- let us be a people of "a different spirit." Let us be a people filled with the Holy Spirit -- full of faith and not fear, trust and not terror, peace and not panic.

Instead of fixing our eyes on the giants, let us turn our eyes to the potential fruit of a great harvest. Yes, this is a crisis and a challenge, but it's also an opportunity and an invitation to arise and shine in the midst of the darkness, to stand firm in the faith in the midst of the fear. Let a world overwhelmed with fear see faith in us and turn to the One in us who gives us "a different Spirit."

This is our time to shine! This is our time to lead the way to the One who's not afraid and who's always in control to bring us through whatever we face. "Arise, shine! For your Light has come, and the Glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and His glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your Light and kings to the Brightness of your dawn!" (Isaiah 60:1-3)

That Light that shines before us, that Glory of the Lord that rises upon us, that Brightness of our dawn that draws others to You through us, is "a different Spirit" within us -- the Holy Spirit of the Living God, who gives us courage and faith to live into the fullness of our Promised Land. And who empowers us to see the potential of the harvest and gives us opportunities to lead all who will come into their Promised Land in You as well. There's no enemy we'll ever face between us and our Promised Land that's too big or too powerful for us to overcome when our eyes are fixed on You! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My friend, may you be filled with "a different Spirit" -- with the Holy Spirit of the Living God, to overcome all you face and lead many into their Promised Land in the opportunities before us, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!