Dealing with Anxiety – What is the Spirit-Filled Life? – Purity 1778
Purity 1778 10/02/2025 Purity 1778 Audio Podcast
Purity 1778 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Well, it’s Friday and as I contemplate the uncertain future of next week and the less than complete healing in my left leg, I am doing to my best to stay in the joy of the present moment and contemplation of being reunited with my wife, TammyLyn, later today.
I have spent the last week rehabbing my leg with light cardio workouts and yesterday I made an appointment to see my doctor on Monday because I am concerned about pain and weakness in my leg and my capability to perform all the possible rigors of my secular day job as a field technician for a telecommunications company. I have vastly improved since my injury in August but I am going to discuss the possibility of taking more time off from work to heal completely. I want to rush back to work if there is a possibility that I won’t be able to perform all functions of my job but I understand that decision will depend on my doctor’s opinion. It’s out of my control and ultimately I will have to accept what my doctor decides.
Whether I go back to work next Friday or get some more time to heal completely, is yet to be seen and because its uncertain, I have to be careful not to become anxious, (okay more anxious or continue to be anxious) about this unknown future pathway to the point that I can’t enjoy today and the time that will lead up to “decision time” on Monday.
Anxiety is said to result from having an uncertain goal. My goal is to have more time to heal but I don’t know if I am going to get it thus the anxiety. So how to I resolve this?
Situationally, this anxiety should resolve itself come decision time, Monday afternoon, but does that mean I have no choice but to remain consumed with anxiety until then?
Of course not, the uncertainty is not going to go away until a decision is made, but the anxious thoughts I have don’t have to continue to steal my peace of mind. I am experiencing anxious feelings because of anxious thoughts so to stop feeling anxious I have to change what I am thinking about. I have to redirect my thoughts to other matters that aren’t so upsetting – like the fact that I will soon be in the presence of my wife who dearly loves me and always helps me to find peace and joy. I can also reassure myself that, regardless of what decision will be made regarding my return to work date, I, with God’s help, am capable of accepting the outcome one way or the other. More time off? Great, I will rejoice and let God and physical therapy do their work on me. Request denied? Alright, we will trust the Lord to guide my path and to not give me anything that my body can’t handle, and if I run into a situation where I don’t think my body can hack it, I will have to take it slow, ask for help, or refuse to do it.
The logic of looking at these different contingencies helps us to take away the fear of the unknown. Granted, I can’t know all the details of my future at any given time but I can surmise cause and effect relationships and prepare myself for the possibilities and lean on God’s guidance and strength to help me.
God has revealed Himself and provided man with a better way to live our lives. When we walk in the Spirit, we will experience the peace of the Spirt but if we let fear cause us to forget about God’s sovereign love and power, we will be led done the wide road of the flesh and become reactively fearful of every turn in our road.
Speaking of Walking in the Spirit, the In Touch with Dr, Charles Stanely devotion for today ask the question: What is the Spirit-Filled Life? – and I am sharing it on the blog today to encourage us all to renew our minds to a peaceful place by following the Lord’s lead. Dr. Charles Stanely writes:
“What Is the Spirit-Filled Life?
If we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, we become more and more like Christ.
Ephesians 5:15-21
Although God wants all His children to be filled with the Spirit, many Christians are not sure what this actually means. Every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but the extent of His impact is affected by the Christian’s willingness to comply.
Think of this as a voluntary choice to surrender your life to the Spirit’s control—in other words, to be sensitive to His leadership and guidance, obedient to His promptings, and dependent upon His strength. The evidence of the Holy Spirit’s control is revealed in a person’s character. Those who have yielded their life to Christ’s leadership are continually being transformed into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18). The degree of surrender determines the level of transformation.
Even though good works and faithful service result from being filled with the Holy Spirit, in and of themselves, they are not necessarily signs of being yielded to Him. Remember, God prioritizes character over actions (1 Samuel 16:7). After all, it’s easier to serve the Lord in some manner than to love the unlovable or be patient with difficult people.
When the Spirit is in charge, He works through us to accomplish what we cannot do on our own. Godly character and fullness of the Spirit await those who choose God over self.” – Charles Stanley
Amen. You wouldn’t think a Baptist, like Stanley, or straight laced noncharismatic guys, like John MacArthur, would have much to say about something crazy like “Life in The Spirit” and that their advice would be to simply to just “believe and obey” or to “always do what is right”. But Stanley and MacArthur’s teachings on the Holy Spirit and living in the Spirit tell a different story. Their messages speak of a deep heartfelt connection to the Lord and of a dynamic interactive relationship with God and living in His presence.
Here Stanley with simple speech invites us into the grand adventure of life in the Spirit and lays down some principles that just might explain why so many Christians fail to experience God’s love and the abundant life of living in His presence.
“Every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but the extent of His impact is affected by the Christian’s willingness to comply.”
Here Stanley tells us that the extent of God’s impact on our lives is directly proportional to our willingness to surrender to His will. If we are actively seeking the Lord’s presence and will for our lives, we are much more likely to experience God’s powerful impact on us than if we are a casual bystander and make no effort to draw close to God.
Next, the paragraph that concludes with the statement: “The degree of surrender determines the level of transformation.” is absolute GOLD.
Reread if your blew though it, but its conclusion says it all – the degree of your transformation depends on the degree of your surrender. If you want more transformation, surrender more – forsake unproductive or distracting habits and entertainments & press into the spiritual life.
The next bit from Stanley basically tells us that doing good works – in and of themselves- don’t necessarily reflect or mean that someone is living in the Spirit.
While we are absolutely blessed when we respond to the Holy Spirit’s promptings and calls to action, our good works may or may not have the expected impact on our transformation or maturation, especially when our heart isn’t in them or if they are corrupted by our pride and desire to please others.
With that said, doing good works for God’s kingdom isn’t always some super spiritual event that shakes your soul. Doing good works can be a real bother but that drudgery can also be used to develop your character and grow your patience. So try to discern the spirit behind what you are called to do, but also try to let opportunities of service make you more selfless.
Which brings us to Stanley’s last statement: “Godly character and fullness of the Spirit await those who choose God over self.””
This is the key of living in the Spirit – we choose God, (His truth, and His ways) over our self.
Trust that God is all knowing and good – and take the logical leap of faith that it only makes sense to seek His ways for your life. Let go of your pride and submit to God’s love, and greater power and knowledge, to allow Him to change your life.
He is good and all-knowing after all so trust that He will be good and will teach you what you need to know for the life you always wanted to have.
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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/.
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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.
(While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling By John G. Kruis on Amazon )
This morning’s meditation verses come from the section on Peacemakers – Peacekeepers.
Proverbs 20:3 (NASB) Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, but any fool will quarrel.
Today’s verse is the second of four passages of scriptures that fall under the sixteenth point of our counseling reference guide resource section on Peacemakers – Peacekeepers.
16. Be patient. Bear with one another.
Today’s Bible verse guides us into the Lord’s pathway of peace by encouraging us to be wise by keeping away from strife and by realizing that only fools engage in quarrels.
Petty squabbles and needless arguments are not the way of the Lord. Honor is bestowed on those who can make peace in God’s kingdom economy for Christ said: Blessed are the peacemakers.
So be aware and be wise so that you are not drawn into foolish quarrels. Represent the Lord by the peace you have and the peace you make.
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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.com where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.
Today we continue sharing from “Day by Day Along the Way” By Jay E. Adams.
As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Adams’ books for your own private study and to support the late author’s work. This resource is available online for less than $20 at many sites.
Day 277
In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk! – Acts 3:6
Notice how Peter, early on, begins to attach the name “Christ” to Jesus’ earthly one (“Jesus, the Nazarene”). There is no longer any question in his mind that He is the promised “Messiah” (the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek word “Christ.” The English word is “Anointed One”). Jesus was anointed at His baptism when the Father poured out the Spirit upon Him without measure. Obviously, it was necessary for the One Who was to be our Prophet, Priest and King to be anointed (inducted into His offices), as all who exercised these tasks always were. Thank God that you have a Prophet Who spoke the truth, a Priest Who offered Himself as a sacrifice for your sins, and a King Who now rules over His church. When you read the word, “Christ,” don’t just gloss over it lightly as a mere title; think of all that it means for your salvation, sanctification, and eternal joy.[1]
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[1] Jay E. Adams, Day by Day along the Way (Cordova, TN: Institute for Nouthetic Studies, 2020), 285.
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