Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God." John 1:32-34

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Deuteronomy 19:20

I don't have much of anything tonight or this morning at 2 am. Just a simple illustration.

I don't know this to be true but I would imagine if someone were having a heart attack, a near death experience their flesh would fight against the spirit to continue to live. A heaviness of their body might come over them, they feel they can no longer hold on and as they go to take a last breath, suddenly the spirit kicks in and brings the body back to life. The heart that was minutes ago slowly pumping, pausing between beats is now pumping blood so rapidly through the body putting life into every part.

I believe it's like the Holy Spirit when He takes over our dead bodies and brings them to life. At one point He sets before us life or death and gives us the freedom to choose. Our flesh fights against the Spirit but when we let go and die we are baptized in Him and filled with new life.

The life we lived before is no longer, our minds are renewed, we begin to have a heart for the things of God and the material and superficial things of this world have less meaning to us than before. As we go deeper with God, like the heart pumping back to life we are filled in every part of our life. God is no longer to us some distant genie, He is our Savior, our Creator, our Redeemer and every breath we take is now for His glory.

You can experience God and know Him personally. There is more to this life than just knowing you are on your way to heaven. He baptizes with the Holy Spirit, empowers you to live the life He has called you to live.

When you attempt to live the good life on your own by doing good works or witholding from sin in your own power, all of it is useless. But when God is the driving force behind a transformation in your life, He gets the glory not us. He cares about our hearts. I pretended for so long and then one day I experienced the healing power of Jesus Christ. My whole life and thoughts changed. Do I still wrestle with the flesh, every day. But there is life here again where once there was death.

Lord help us to choose life everyday in everything. God empty us of ourselves and fill us with Your Holy Fire. Amen

I close with Jeremy Camp Empty me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl85EU33jgo&feature=related

Dreaming Big of Life today!