Discovering What You Already Have

This week I had an adventure. It didn’t involve travel or danger. It didn’t happen in a far away place. It occurred in my own home. I cleaned out my office. If you’ve never seen my office you can’t fully appreciate this adventure. My office had become so clutter and disorganized, so much more a store room than an office, that the thought of entry kept me away. But armed with determination and Tyler, an energetic twenty something, the adventure began. In a couple of hours we had piled together enough throw aways to fill the bed of two pickups. Just getting rid of stuff that should have been thrown out years ago was refreshing. But the real excitement came in discovering stuff I had forgotten I had.

I found a Lafayette phone directory from 1954. That alone could provide a day of adventure. I found enough folders, envelopes, paper clips, etc that I won’t have to go to Office Depot again, ever. Well maybe that’s over the top. I also found marvelous electronic devices that were disturbingly out of date. A hand held GPS that I thought was so cool when I got it, an electronic bible, a digital recorder.. these are just some of the devices I tossed out because their function is completely and more efficiently replaced by my iphone. 

There is a great sense of freshness and clarity that comes from discovering what you already have. Some things you can through away because they are no longer needed; but others can be put to use in your life. That’s the way it is with Spiritual Warfare. We have everything we need to  fully participate in the spiritual war that is raging around us. It’s not a question of having to acquire new skills or possessions. We have what we need.

Jesus has already won the battle and our position in Him that flows from our salvation is all we need for success in the spiritual war. But like the long-forgotten electronic devices, we may need to break out the owner’s manuals and do a bit of practicing. But the important point is we already have what we need.

In the days ahead, we should get familiar with these already possessed gifts. Give some careful thought to what you already possess in Christ, but which you might not have use in a while. 

Clean out your spiritual office and be blessed

Nick