Uses of the Law: To Engage God’s Spirit (6)

T. M. Moore

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3.20

We scarcely ever scratch the surface of what God by His Spirit is able to do in and through us. One reason this is so is a kind of naïve humility: we don’t want to think too highly of ourselves. That’s fine, but it’s not “ourselves” that we should be thinking about. It is the Spirit Who gives life, bears fruit, imparts gifts, and wields power within us for righteousness, peace, and joy in the Kingdom of God: He should be the focus of our thinking and longing. We should want as much of Him to be at work in and through as much of us as is possible while we inhabit this vessel of clay.

The other reason we do not know this power at work within us is unbelief, and this takes various forms. We don’t believe that God can do great things in and through us, so we don’t envision ourselves doing them, we don’t desire them earnestly, and we don’t take the first steps in the direction of realizing them in our lives. Instead, we clutter our minds, poison our hearts, and give our time and strength to lesser interests and pursuits than those of seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. This is nothing but unbelief.

In another form, we suffer from unbelief because we do not have enough of God’s Word taking root within us to bring forth the fruit the Spirit desires for us (Ps. 119.9-11; Col. 3.16). Especially, if we neglect the study of God’s Law, we can hardly expect to know what good works God has before ordained for us (Eph. 2.10) that we might do each day and thus engage His Spirit at work within us to transform us into the image of Jesus Christ.

The power of God’s Spirit us unto the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 4.20). He helps us to seek the Kingdom. He brings forth the fruit of the Kingdom in us (Rom. 14.17-19). He empowers us to bear witness to the Kingdom and to call our neighbors to repent and believe the Gospel (Acts 1.8). If we are not experiencing this it can only be because the sin of unbelief is hindering our race (Heb. 12.1, 2); we’ve lost sight of our risen King, impoverished our minds for want of God’s Law, poisoned our affections to desire lesser things, and warped our consciences so that our values are not the same as those of the Spirit.

Begin reading and meditating in the Law of God and you will engage the Spirit more effectively with the resources He uses unto the ends that He, in His infinite power and wisdom, is working to bring to pass within your life.

For a practical guide to the role of God’s Law in the life of faith, get The Ground for Christian Ethics by going to www.ailbe.org and click on our Book Store.