The Israelites have crossed the Jordan - an illustration of entering the Spirit-filled life. But how do we know that we are filled with the Spirit? Is the manifestation of spiritual gifts the sign? Joshua chapter 4 gives us a beautiful picture of the true signs of Spirit-filled life.
Spiritual gifts are just that...wonderful, supernatural GIFTS from God. They are never more important than the Giver. Our focus should be on Jesus. The Holy Spirit will distribute gifts in the body as He sees fit. The purpose is to glorify God, not us. 1 Corinthians 12:4, 7, 11 says, "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. All these are the work of the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as He determines." God must be the focus of my worship, but I do love to talk about spiritual gifts and see how He has uniquely gifted believers. We are instructed to "follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts..." (1 Corinthians 14:a).
Joshua 4:4-7 says, "So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites , one from each tribe, and said to them, "Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever."
Joshua instructed the men to make a memorial that would serve as a reminder of God's greatness for generations to come. The Israelite fathers (and mothers) would be able to point to those stones and tell their children how God miraculously parted the waters. So too, we need to mark God's work in our lives and teach our children about His ways. It's particularly effective when fathers take the lead. In verses 8-10, Joshua also set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan where the priests had stood. Jon Courson points out, "There were two monuments. One was visible. One was out of sight. And that's the way it is with any work of the Spirit. The outward manifestations are only as valid as the inward, hidden work in one's heart."
The visible monument consisted of twelve stones stacked together, representing the twelve tribes fit together in unity. This was the sign that the Israelites had crossed over the Jordan into the Promised Land. 1 Peter 2:5 says, "...you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." Jon Courson offers this insight, "Peter says that, as believers we are living stones fit together in unity. When you come to church not out of obligation but because you want to be linked together with fellow blockheads and stones, your love for them is a sure sign of your being touched deeply by the Spirit. "All men shall know you are My disciples," said Jesus. "By your speaking in tongues? No. By your gift of healing? No. They'll know you are My disciples by your love (John 13:35). Courson also points out that in 1 Corinthians 12 & 14, Paul discusses spiritual gifts and their manifestations. But sandwiched between them is chapter 13 which deals entirely with love because "love is the defining characteristic of one who has had an encounter with the Spirit."The key to knowing we are filled with the Spirit cannot be limited to the expression of gifts. The fruit of the Spirit is love which shows itself in joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Spirit-filled people have a supernatural love for God and people. The monument, or proof of life in the Spirit, is the unity of the body. All gifts are secondary to love.
Love is not something we can do by trying harder. It is a supernatural work of the Spirit. We often keep trying to love, but fail to ask God. Luke 11:13 says God will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! The cry of Jesus' heart in John 17 was that His disciples would be one. In verse 24 He says "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
This is a good reality check for me. So often our focus can turn to the gifts or certain manifestations of the Spirit. But 1 Corinthians 13 says that without love, I am useless. It is harder to love, with true agape, sacrificial love, than it is to seek spiritual gifts. But love is the greatest sign of the Spirit in our lives.
Thought Question: Is there a situation in your life where you're finding it difficult to show agape love? Ask God to fill you with His Spirit and allow His love to flow through you.
