THE OTHER PERSON
WHO
LIVES IN YOU

               The story of my life seemed to be, “Lord, I want to, but I don’t know how.” Isn’t that the whole search for truth: man seeking how to control his world? Even if it’s just a small piece of the earth, he has that inner drive to control it, to make the most of his life that he can, whether it is making money, or a name for himself, or finding his special way to be loved.
               So much is said today about “controlling spirits”, but a Spirit of Control doesn’t have to be a bad thing. All control is not bad.
               In Genesis l:26-28 God created man in His own image and gave him dominion over all the earth. In verse 28a God says, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it:”
               To control and subdue are natural traits God built into His man/woman. Remember we are made in His likeness. God gave man everything he needed to carry out this assignment. 
               If you notice in Genesis, Chapter 1, God gave man dominion over all things except the spirit of man. That is reserved for God, Himself.
               So, if God has given us an area of the world to control, to see it multiply, then we have the joy of seeing that small world (our life) prosper. He will teach us “HOW.”
               He didn’t give us the right to control someone else’s property. He did not make us responsible for the success of another’s life except to love one another, encourage, share what knowledge we have…but never to force someone to plow their field exactly the way we are plowing ours.
               God reserves that right for Himself. He wants to be the One they come to to find the blueprint for the specific plans He has for their life.
               Jesus is the answer to everyone’s needs. His ways are right and simple when spoken One-on-one to the individual He created. Only God knows exactly what is best for this person, how to help him move ahead and prosper in the special part of the earth He has called him to subdue.
               And this Christian is never alone. When he receives Jesus as his Lord and Savior, there is now Someone living inside of him. There is Someone living inside of him Who he is made in the very likeness of. Therefore, this Someone understands him completely.
               After Jesus died for us and paid for all our sins, He went to Heaven and is seated by the right hand of God. There He prays for us constantly. (Oh, how I love John 17 where I can hear the actual prayer that Jesus prays for us.) But He did not leave us alone, He sent His Holy Spirit to abide in us…as a teacher, friend, guide, confidant. The Holy Spirit is also known as the Spirit of Truth.
               Now, when you seek wisdom and direction from the Holy Spirit, about “HOW” TO PLOW YOUR FIELD, He will not tell you to plow it like your neighbors. He will not use another man’s plans for you. God has created your very own set of plans on how to control, dominate, and subdue your world to His Glory. And when He is glorified, you will be, too.
               A spirit of success will be apparent on your life because you are now being led by the Spirit of Truth. He will show you exactly where to go and what to do…and you won’t always be wondering.
               He will say, “This is the way…walk here.” (Galatians 5:16 and Isaiah 30:21 Living Bible). And you won’t have to do it by yourself, because truly …another Person lives inside of you. You can trust Him when you can’t trust the world or yourself. He has all the answers just for you. Only He has all your answers.
               All it requires is getting to know Him and learning to hear Him. Then you can learn “HOW” to subdue, dominate, and control your world.
               So it is normal for each of us to resist being controlled by another person. And it is normal for them to resist being controlled by us. God never meant it to be so. Even He does not force His control over us. But we gladly submit when we understand how good He is to His children and has only good planned for us…if we will come to Him, fellowship with Him, and learn His plans for our individual lives. (Jeremiah 29:11).
               When we are convinced that God’s motives are pure and He has no other purpose than to see His children blessed, He will help us when we let Him.
               God is not a “controlling spirit”. He has given His authority to us to control our worlds. But He is that Other Person in us, who is always available to give us advice when we ask. And He is more than willing to teach us “HOW”.

               As I shared this message with my young friends in the picture above, I couldn’t help but think how well Bryan…the one at the head of the table, has taken dominion over his world…his life. God is number One in His life. His world is so different from mine, I can’t imagine telling him how to control it. A part of his world includes riding bare back in rodeos. At the end of each ride, he kneels, takes his hat off holding it to his chest, and gives the glory to God. Another area of his world includes studying to be a paramedic (you should see the size of the book he is studying), and he is also training to be a fireman. WOW!
                While at my home, he did a fantastic job of mowing, edging, and trimming trees (his brother Larry also helped and Julie was a delight as she enjoyed God’s beautiful river and wild life). Bryan leads us in prayer at each meal and we have the opportunity to talk about our Lord. He doesn’t do a lot of verbal preaching, but his life is one of the best sermons I have ever seen. He represents the words of my dear friend Olivia when she says: “I preach Jesus all the time…and when necessary, I use words.” J
               Oh, I am so “wordy”, but the Lord made me so. I can’t imagine me trying to fill Bryan’s shoes: riding a bucking bronco or climbing to the top of a tall cypress tree with a chain saw in hand to trim the limbs after the second flood at my house (which he did).  
               So the greater One in Bryan, lives His life through him, climbing to the top of a tree, or riding in a rodeo, or teaching a Sunday School class (which Bryan also does), and witnessing to his family and friends. At the same time, the Other Person, the Greater One, also lives His life through each of us no matter what our profession or who our contacts may be. He is always available to be a blessing and show us “HOW” to be fruitful, multiply, replenish, and subdue our personal worlds.