In his book, Union with Christ, Rankin Wilborne asks us to consider two superheroes. Batman, a rich, strong man with “lots of cool gadgets” [1] and Spider-man, a superhero because of a bite from a radioactive spider. The encounter with the spider changed Peter Parker from within. He became Spider-man. Batman had to rely on his own abilities and possessions.
Who are you most like?
If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ, you’ve become a new man. Jesus Christ now lives within you. You’ve been changed from within.
Jesus told His disciples, “And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.” (John 14:16 NASB)
Paul confirms that the Holy Spirit of Jesus now lives inside of believers, fundamentally changing who we are. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, (Ephesians 1:13 NASB)
Spider Powers
Like Spider-man, we’ve been changed, but what are our spider powers? Although it would be fun, it’s not squirting webs to buildings and swinging through the air.
Consider the following powers: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 NASB)
These powers include a quality of love which is sacrificial beyond reason, joy and peace which transcend every circumstance, kindness and goodness which puts others first and looks past every offence, faithfulness and gentleness which becomes for others a soothing balm in all infirmities, and control to walk in these inner powers no matter how we’re feeling.
What Joy we’d experience if these powers of Christ continually flowed from within us.
But too often we forget about the powers within. We might ask God to give us patience and self-control, but that’s just asking God to change us.
He wants so much more. He wants to be our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control from the inside out.
There’s a real difference between asking God to help me and relying on His Spirit within to empower me.
Real Life Example
My dad struggled with alcoholism for decades. It cost him his marriage and almost his life. But things changed. He ended up not drinking the last fifteen years of his life.
One day I asked him how he did it. “I tried everything,” he said. “AA and countless programs, but nothing worked. I’d been asking God to help me quit, but it just wasn’t working. Finally, I said, ‘God you have to do it, I can’t.”
After praying this prayer, he cut the grass and opened a beer. He said it tasted awful. He spit it out, poured out the beer and never had another drop. My dad learned to depend upon the power of God to deliver him when nothing else did.
Prayer
Lord, Your Spirit has changed me forever. Please forgive me for living on my own. You tell me that apart from You, I can do nothing.[2] I’m tired of wearing myself out in my own strength accomplishing nothing. Trying to live without you is like Spider-man not using his powers is. Never again I pray. Please teach me how to live every moment of every day in the Living Waters of Your Spirit within. Stop me quickly when I do life without You and teach me how to utterly depend on You. Have Your way with me I pray. Amen
[1] Union with Christ, Rankin Wilborne, David Cook, p. 52-53
[2] John 15:5
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
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