4/17 Strength for Today

The spirit of the LORD

Isaiah 11:2
"And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;”

The example for the Christian is found in the life of Jesus Christ. When a person is called a Christian, they are saying about that person that they are Christ-like. That is what the word “Christian” means. If you want to know what you are to be as a Christian, then you need to look at the life of Christ and copy what He was on this Earth.

In the verse above, one of the attributes of Jesus Christ is displayed. We learn in this verse the attitude of Jesus while He walked on this Earth. Any time you see the word “spirit” in small letters, it is always talking about someone’s attitude or disposition. So when you study the verse above, you can learn the attitude or disposition of Christ that every Christian should try to copy.

We first learn that Jesus had a “spirit of wisdom.” An attitude of wisdom is an attitude that is very careful in its decision making process. Every Christian should display an attitude in which they are not quick to make decisions, but slow and wise when it comes to their decision making.

The next spirit that Jesus had was the “spirit of counsel.” This is teaching us that Jesus was a man whose spirit got advice and counseling. Though Jesus was the Son of God, He was not too big to get advice before making plans. As a Christian you need to have a spirit that is humble enough to get advice from people before you make plans to do something. If Jesus could get advice, then I believe no matter what position you hold, you should get advice.

Next, this verse says Jesus had a spirit of “might.” In other words, Jesus had a victorious spirit. He did not come across as a weak person; He came across as a person who was strong enough to overcome anything. Christians need to have a victorious spirit so when faced with difficulties, they don’t whine or run from them.

The next spirit is the “spirit of knowledge.” This was teaching us that Jesus was always willing to learn. Christian, never get too big to learn from others. Have a teachable spirit about yourself, for when you are willing to be taught, you will always have growth in your life.

The last spirit is the spirit of “fear.” Jesus kept God the Father in proper perspective when He was on Earth. He exemplified a respect of God's power. As a Christian our lives should exemplify a respect for the power of God. This attitude is evident when a person lives a right life, understanding that God has the power to punish and reward us for how we live.

Make it your goal in life to copy the “spirit of the LORD.” If you take the spirit or attitudes of Christ and copy them, you will find that people will respect you for having a right spirit.