Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:3-8
This is the mystery that is greatly debated and possibly the most discussed portion of scripture among the scholars. It is the mystery of … Jesus laying down His divine powers and taking the human form of a man. To me in my simple view … this act shows me several things; genuine love, humility, unselfishness, and a willingness to accept extreme conditions and pain for … me …us. To go to the ultimate sacrifice and humility to bring us back to Himself into full and complete relationship. This to me shows me the heart of the Father more than any other thing. AND we are to allow Him to do that in us … and bring us to that realization that humility, unselfishness, and genuine selfless love … is the ‘way’. How can we do that? Nothing like that can be achieved without the Holy Spirit .. and the very power of God. Do we seek Him to do that work in us… or are we just about living our own lives?
The more we grow in and with the Holy Spirit — unselfishness and humility are the markers of our progress. His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) becoming more and more manifest in our daily lives. How much time do you spend thinking about yourself versus others? How much do you think of what God wants throughout your day? Do you ask Him? Do you engage in communication with the Holy Spirit throughout your day? Do you take the time like Jesus did to go off and spend time with His Father… regularly? Does God ever give you … revelation? Do you ask Him about it … or do you run to all the others asking them what they think of the little thing you just received? Do you have any secrets between just you and God? And I’m not talking about your secret sins, I’m talking about revelation that He has shown you or given to you that you just discuss between the two of you? “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7 Can God trust you with sensitive information? Can He trust you to pray for someone without discussing it with anyone else? Do you check with God after receiving something from Him as to when you can share it with others? Jesus understood ‘timing’, and keeping His Father’s …sensitive information until the ‘time’ had come.
Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” John 7:6-8
Have you worked on your relationship with the Holy Spirit to the point that you can hear His whisper in your mind? His gentle small promptings for you to do something?
And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. 1 Kings 19:11-13
Press in with Him …before the storm, and before the noise of all the distractions and busyness of life.