ROMANS 1:9 WITH MY SPIRIT God knows what no one else ever will. He knows every aspect of my service from motive to plans; from plans to preparation; from preparation to action; from action to completion. When we serve Him with our spirit, there is no area of deception that can impose itself between the true servant and his or her God. The human spirit is motivated by a conscious desire to maintain our relationship with God in good standing. When we were spiritually dead there was nothing of lasting value that motivated us to serve God or even want to. But like Paul, when spiritual life was generated by the Holy Spirit, everything changed. There was an immediate desire on the part of the apostle Paul to act in service for God. "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?"
Paul served with his spirit in the Gospel of His Son because it is part of the new nature that comes alive when one is born of God. There is an inner desire to see souls saved and the people of God we have been given family love toward, are in our hearts that they might be blessed by God. Names of people and places arise in our minds, and our spirit is stirred in us to get on quickly with the ministry of reconciliation that God has given to us. The Holy Spirit opens our heart to intercede in prayer on behalf of those laboring in places we have not been called to. Names and faces rise before us and as we think of them, and mention then to the Father in prayer, our spirit is joined with His who has placed those dear ones where they are. We are able to participate with them at least to extent of emotionally and spiritually entering into their service.
God is there with us witnessing to our interest and degree of involvement. He makes what we cannot know on our own, real, as the Holy Spirit joins in the intercession with "groaning that cannot be uttered." The intercessory work of our Lord Jesus Christ takes the mere mention of a name and fills in the blanks that I leave in my prayers. He knows every breathing of my spirit and every need of the object of my prayer and in His sovereign grace, meets that need.
Within my spirit there arises a response to what the Holy Spirit selects. And when my spirit is witnessing with Him, I respond to how He directs. Whether it is service or prayer, study or speaking, staying or going some place. Mt spirit within me will find no rest unless the path of His leading I trace.
There is something within me I cannot fully explain that came alive by the light of faith. It is called my spirit, of this I am sure, because it always responds to God's grace. That spirit that makes me aware of my God, and is moved at the sounds of His Word, Is the integral part of my being that moves my soul and body to call Jesus, "Lord."
My spirit can be calm in His presence to learn and in that way absorb God truth. It is often stirred to praise His name and declare what I know of His worth. Sometimes my mouth is opened to sing aloud as my soul is moved by my spirit. It doesn't really matter who else is around as long as my Father can hear it.
When sin is exposed whether in me or others, often my spirit is grieved, Until the Word and will of God is applied, then my spirit is greatly relieved. When guilt makes itself known my spirit immediately seeks a way to confess Whatever it is that has severed me from the One who wants me to bless.
The awakened spirit is always conscious that I am a child of God. It warns me and strives to keep me from evil and indulging in the sins of the world. Faith feeds my spirit with the milk of the Word and then spiritual meat gives me added strength. And my spirit seems to glow with what God lets me know when I'm in fellowship with Him at length.
Though I find it hard to fully define this spirit of mine, I know when it is alive and well. It first came to breathe new life when I could see, Christ had died to save me from hell. Now as I read God's truth and learn what is worth every effort to further tell of His grace. My spirit finds meaning that is in no way demeaning, when there's a price to pay for my faith.
"O Gracious God, my Father: my spirit seems to be singing its silent songs of praise and worship this morning. May every activity of this day have some meaningful reason behind it and may my spirit be able to soar in holy fellowship with Thy Spirit. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."