Mark 1:12 (ISV) "At once the Spirit drove him into the wilderness."
I like to see God's Holy Spirit as 'The Spirit of Love.' In this spirit are contained numerous different attributes such as joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self control, faithfulness, and yes, even wrath! All these attributes of the Spirit are wrapped up in word; LOVE.
The Spirit of Love drives me into different dimensions of God's wide and vast love, tempting situations inclusive. This Spirit drove Jesus into the desert to be tempted! Considering that Jesus had just been baptised and The same Spirit of Love had declared God's love for Jesus, this didn't seem very reasonable! Jesus was tempted with his greatest need at that point, food. He had been in the desert 40 days without anything to eat or drink and so bread was a 'good' temptation at that point! However, we see from that story that Jesus overcame the devil's temptation because the same Spirit of Love was present in Him. If the Spirit of Love is present within me, there will be no temptation that He will not help me overcome.
The Spirit of love should also be at work within me, driving me to recklessly abandon myself to doing God's will no matter the cost. Jesus went to the cross and therefore accomplishing God's will and purpose because the Spirit of Love was within Him.
The Spirit of Love drives me to keep loving God passionately. The book of Songs of Solomon expresses the passion and intensity of two lovers for themselves. It also describes how passionately God loves His bride, the Church. Only the presence of the Spirit of love in me can enable me love Jesus with passion and intensity continuously. Can I love God through the pain of failure or bad circumstances? Only the Spirit of love can drive me to do this.
The Spirit of love also drives me to the dimensions of loving God's Word. The Psalmist said in Psalm 119:97, "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long." I must constantly be in touch with God through His Word. I realize that I do not give enough time to keeping in touch with God through His Word. But, "What I love, I will have time for."
The Spirit of love at work in me drives me to obedience of God's commands. Ezekiel 36:27 "And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." Only the Spirit of love can drive me to obey God's commands.
Because I love God, I will seek opportunities to serve Him. The spirit of love drives me to do this without complaining.
And finally, The Spirit of Love drives me ultimately into a perfect love relationship with my Master. In this relationship, I will experience safety and security until He finally comes to take me home...
Is the Spirit of Love at work in me? Am I willingly allowing Him drive me to the different dimensions of God's love? Have I recklessly abandoned myself to God's will?
No matter the dimension of God's love that The Spirit of Love may drive me to, because He is present in me and with me, He will sustain me....
Thank You God, for The Spirit of LoVe...
