Batteries Not Included

Let me describe what possibly could be every parent's worst nightmare. For months, your child has been hinting, begging, earnestly interceding for the latest electronic "necessity" of life. Although its price tag will take a large portion of your retirement savings, the anticipation of the look on your angel's face will make it worth the extreme sacrifice. On Christmas morning, the moment arrives. Excitement fills the air as your darling pushes aside package after package looking for the gift of all gifts. Upon finding what should be the package, wrapping paper flies through the air, then a shrill of excitement as the gift is ripped out of its package ... and then ... the moment of horror. You discover those words that are printed in microscopic print "Batteries Not Included." To your dismay, you can't find 16 AAA batteries and it's a 45-minute trip into town to look for a store that would be open on Christmas. Without the batteries, the gift can't do what it is designed to do. And now, you'll have to deal with the "ho,ho,ho" of Christmas turning into a big "no,no,no" ... no peace, no happiness, no quiet until the batteries can be found.

Here's the reason for this blog. Admittedly, there are millions of Christians who love Jesus and yet are not filled with the Spirit. Little do they realize that we entered into this world with the words "Batteries Not Included" stamped upon our spirits. Just like the gift on Christmas morning, we too can't do what we are designed to do without spiritual batteries. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill our God-given assignment. (Acts 1:8).

One more thought ... we need to daily charge our spiritual batteries. Whether you know it or not, we leak or drain. The pressures of this life, the size of our mission can drain us. We must constantly recharge our batteries by daily praying in our heavenly prayer language. (Jude 20, 1 Corinthians 14:4). The apostle Paul instructed the Ephesian church to renew itself by being filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18). The literal Greek translation tells us to continually be filled with the Spirit. The promise and gift from the Father (Acts 1:5) isn't a one time experience, it was only the beginning, the insertion of the spiritual battery. Now, we must daily recharge our batteries by our time of intimacy and fellowship with the Holy Spirit, praying in the Spirit!