Taking Responsibility VII: Excellent Spirit

Message 9 October 2016 Taking Responsibility VII # Excellent Spirit

Daniel 6:3 - Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit [exceptional qualities] was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 

Numbers 14:24 - But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

Daniel and Caleb distinguished themselves as having an excellent spirit. A person’s spirit provides the inner stamina and fortitude needed to overcome life pressures and challenges. The bible says a man’s spirit sustains him in infirmity. But when the spirit is crushed, wounded or injured it takes away from the person the ability to cope with situations that normally others will be coping with (Proverbs 18:14). A healthy spirit gives health to the body and facilitates physical healing.  So, inner health helps in coping with outside physical situations. Lack of inner health can worsen or even cause physical unwellness. A person with a crushed spirit is easily crushed and overwhelmed by adverse situations.

An excellent spirit attracts favor with God and also often with people. A person’s spirit can be wholesome or wounded. A wounded or infected spirit is hurtful and contagious in relationships.  It can sow discords and strife. The spirit of a person comprises the invisible parts of the person such as the spirit being, emotions, attitudes, and ways of thinking, seeing and deciding.  The aspects which if they are unwell the medical doctor will still give you a full bill of physical health.  You therefore are often on your own when it comes to preserving and recognizing ill health of the spirit. The signs of ill health show in a person’s attitudes, speech and behavior. Sometimes the person is not aware of the signs and needs to pay attention to feedback from people.

A healthy spirit is noticeable by admirable godly qualities of the Holy Spirit: Love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, patience, faithfulness, gentleness and self control (Galatians 5:22-23). A health spirit is full of faith, hope and love. A person with a healthy spirit confidently trusts God Has a positive disposition to life. Has a positive expectation of the future. Has a positive perspective of situations. Has no guile (John 1:47).

At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. – Daniel 6:4

He that has knowledge spareth his words [uses words with restrain, says little]: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit [even tempered, calm]. - Proverbs 17:27

An excellent spirit shows itself in several ways that include.

>>What you do in the midnight hour. In times when trouble comes and things have gone wrong one’s spirit is tested. Daniel was threatened with the punishment of being thrown into the lion’s den if he did not stop worshiping Yahweh. He kept his faith despite the dangers (Daniel 6). He was thrown into the lion’s den but God kept him. Paul and Silas kept their confident trust in God when they were in chains and on the death row. God delivered them (Acts 16). An excellent spirit sees above and beyond the circumstances to see God and future consequences of present actions.

>>What you imagine in your mind when alone. The challenge with imagination is you can imagine anything. So when alone and reflecting on life situations, imaginations of the unseen and unknown have no limits. They can be positive, negative or exaggerated. It’s so very easy to exaggerate and be unreal. The bad report by ten of the spies in Numbers 13 exaggerated the threat in Canaan.   They reported that the land swallowed up its inhabitants and that they were like grasshoppers in the eyes of the giants (Numbers 13:32, 33). Both were far from reality and only existed in their own fearful imaginations.

>>What you say in interaction with people. It is easy to confess faith in private. When in conversations with people the pressure is strong to fit in, be culturally and politically correct. When people ask you about situations the tendency is to give answers they want to hear. You want to avoid being odd. Caleb and Joshua even though in the minority maintained positive and hopeful confession (Numbers 13). They did not follow the crowd. They were bold enough to stand up when it was necessary. They were more concerned about pleasing God than the comforts of this world. As such they believed, obeyed and spoke what God said. Daniel was renowned for providing solutions. ‘Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel (Daniel 5:12).’

>>What you conclude in the face of Giants. Caleb looked at the giants with eyes of faith. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it (Numbers 13:30). It’s amazing how a change of perspective changes everything. Caleb and Joshua remembered that God was much bigger than any giant. But the other spies looked at the giants from an earthly human point of view and concluded they are stronger than them.  All the spies saw the same giants but brought two different reports. An excellent spirit sees in the present reality God the hope, answer, solution, the author and designer.   It sees the bigger picture of God’s plan from the beginning. It sees the grasshopper in the giant. It sees possibility in impossibility. It sees morning beyond the night.

Remedy

1) Meditate on God’s word to strengthen your faith. Do whatever it takes to maintain a positive spirit.  Stay away from negative people and associations that sow a negative spirit unless you are able to dominate. Do not be a person who only sees the negative side of things and people. In photography, even negatives produce beautiful pictures. When a negative spirit takes root even when surrounded by the best people – best parents, best church, best spouse, and best background you will still be negative about them. Such people are hard to please or love because they cannot believe you. The problem is not the situation but the attitude you choose to embrace.  If the spirit is right the worst becomes right. If the spirit is wrong the best becomes wrong. By trusting God you are able to find a positive perspective even in worst of situations.

2) Ask for healing. Jesus came to heal broken hearts and crushed spirits (Luke 4:18). This remedy often requires that you release people or experiences that hurt you in the past. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled (Heb 12:15, Proverbs 6:19). Receive healing by faith and adopt a life style of thanksgiving and praise.

3) Repent of sin and ask God to renew a right spirit in you. In life you pick up all kinds of seeds into your spirit. But God is there to continually renew an excellent spirit in you. David after a year of hiding his sin cried to God - remake my heart and renew a right spirit and joy in me (Psalm 51). That year he had been serving as usual as king and a worshipper. He was doing the right things in a wrong spirit.  Check out the spirit behind what you do. Is it greed, pride, prejudice, to control, or show off. Seek to distinguish yourself by living out God’s principles of integrity.

Notes:
Beattitudes
Holy Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23

Message by Dr. Kurai Chitima.

Faith Ministries – Johannesburg Faith Life Center.

First Floor Dhando House,

66 Eloff Street Extension,

Village Deep,

Johannesburg,

South Africa