In order to navigate the world and see things (at least, in parts) from God’s viewpoint, we need the Spirit of God. For us to make Godly decisions, understand what God is saying, be bold and courageous and crucially discern God’s definition of good from evil, we need God’s spirit to be with us.
Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. King David pleaded with God not to take His Spirit from him in Psalm 51:1-17. David understood from his predecessor’s experience – King Saul, that a troubled and confused mind lies in wait, should the Spirit of the Lord leave. The Spirit of the Lord; the Holy Spirit helps us in our journey through life. The Lord’s spirit signifies His presence with us. 1 Samuel 16:13-14, 1 Samuel 18:7-12
When the spirit of the Lord left Saul, tormenting spirits began to afflict him, causing him fear and anxiety.
Inevitably we all make mistakes, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The story of the prodigal son we examined last week in Luke 15, reveals the mistake a son made, asking for his share of his father’s estate before the demise of the father – that’s a sin. He then proceeded on the most profligate and sinful quest. Squandering his wealth, losing his soul and mind along the way. The longer the journey lasted, the more debasing things he engaged in. By eating with pigs, he had fallen completely from grace – at this point, he had completely lost his mind. However, there was always an opportunity to turn around and things didn’t have to get that bad before he chose to return home. Although the Father let him go, he left the door open in anticipation of his return. We don’t have to let things get completely bad for us before returning to God. The longer we wander without His spirit, the more confused our minds become about good/evil, right and wrong. The more calloused our heart becomes in our quest to possess the world – more fame, more power, more lust inadvertently leads to less satisfaction, peace and joy.
What does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul… …lose his mind. If we chose to not confess our sins and return to God, more confusion will ensue and we inevitably engage in things that will further defile us. Romans 1:18-32.
So isn’t time to come to our senses, acknowledge God, return home to Him, confess our sins, give Him thanks and worship him. Only then will a time of refreshing return. That is God’s definition of a normal world.