The Holy Spirit and the Power of Meekness

When considering the power of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer, one should note that the Christian life is full of paradoxes. When you lose your life then you will gain it, for example. So it is with meekness. Meekness in the world is viewed as weakness. If anything, meekness is among the most powerful strengths of the true believer. In this blog, I am looking at the possibility of meekness and its strengths and how we, as believers in Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, should develop this aspect of Christian character.

The Holy Spirit and the Power of Meekness

Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5 NKJV)

The marvelous and wonderful ways of the Lord our God is that He can work through any individual in a powerful way. The Holy Spirit is fully capable of great and amazing things, if we only allow Him to do His work in us. The world and its ideological worship of the monetary and material tends to condemn those who exhibit kindness toward others. Random acts of kindness and gentleness, not expecting anything in return, puts many people on the defensive. It is quite entertaining when you attempt to just hand someone a cold bottle of water in the heat of the summer and they walk thirty feet away from you, as if you are attempting a carjacking. Some will ask questions and some it will take a few minutes for the action to register. Everybody reacts in accordance to their situation and their experiences. A meek, gentle, or kind person, when acting in like manner toward the world, is believed to want something in return. Remember that when the Lord Jesus Christ calls you out for service, He empowers you with the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the Will of God. So, the meek, when obedient to the call, will be blessed and inherit the earth. This means that those who are last and weakest of the earth will then be the strongest and the greatest and inherit all the earth.

One of the paradoxes of the Christian faith is that the first will be last and the last will be first. So, it is with the meek. These are the ones that the world would use as doormats and cast aside as insignificant. But, God sees strength in that person because of their apparent weakness it leaves room for the strength of the Holy Spirit to work. Therefore, the Lord uses those who are humble, repentant, and meek for their willingness to submit to the authority and power of the Holy Spirit. Are you willing to give the Holy Spirit authority in your life? The Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples that if they will act in meekness then they will inherit the earth. The disciples did not fully comprehend this concept of meekness until the Holy Spirit taught them and brought to their recognition all that Jesus had taught them. Understand that all the actions of the meek are not known to those outside of the act itself. If you choose to attempt service for the Lord, be sure you walk in the light and power of the Holy Spirit, then all things will be added to you. Fear is the greatest obstacle to service of God. The meek are those who do not want the spotlight nor any recognition for they are usually humble and with a repentant heart.

Meekness: Love and Patience Before Action

Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

(Luke 6:30-31 NKJV)

Jesus is not teaching how to be a coward, but He is teaching, as you see in verse thirty-one, for you to consider others before yourself. You know what? When you treat someone the way that you wish to be treated, it changes your perspective. Your whole world view becomes transformed. Jesus was meek in many ways. He was the example of all the beatitudes which is why He taught and demonstrated them so often. Today, people are on the defensive when it comes to safety. If they feel insecure or inferior, they begin to stock up on weapons because of the fear instilled toward the everyday person. Crime is on the rise around the world and domestically. If someone attempts to steal your car, do not fight them for it, let them have it and rejoice that your life was spared. It could be a wonderful opportunity for a testimony toward that person. The meek demonstrate a hidden strength that is unmatched when confronted in a crisis. So, do not underestimate a meek and gentle person, because their strength may be from the Lord and the Holy Spirit.

The person who treats others with contempt probably has been treated this way themselves in their past. It is sad but true. People react in large proportion to the manner to which they were raised. For many, it is extremely difficult to change the way that their worldview has been engrained in them. Pacifism, racism, sexism, and those related “isms” are reflections of those who raised us or most influenced our lives. My prayer is that you allow the Holy Spirit to intervene and truly change your life. The truth is that nothing can separate us from the love and patience of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is personal and loving toward us in the most intimate of ways. Once we choose to accept that then the Holy Spirit will be given authority in your life. The result is an enjoyment in the presence of the Lord that is an experience unmatched by any others you will ever experience. But you must change your attitude toward other for meekness, then you will inherit the earth.

Meekness: A Fruit of the Holy Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV)

The product of the life in Christ of a person who is meek is that they will show evidences or fruits of the spirit. This is not just any spirit, but it is the Holy Spirit. The interesting part of viewing the fruits of the spirit is that three of the nine fruits are ways of describing meekness. Most people do not understand the definition of meekness. When translated from the original Greek, it is referring to either kindness, goodness, or gentleness. These are different in various ways but are the same at their base. The Apostle Paul describes the fruits of the spirit as those things that flow from the heart. If you do not possess these fruits, then you will not evidence them before others. When Jesus spelled this out for the disciples, in the beatitudes, He gave them an eternal strategy for living life for God the Father. I believe that He knew that they could not live per the high standard set by those eight stages of spiritual sanctification and perfection apart from the Spirit of God to assist. But, He knew they would soon be given full understanding once His mission was completed and their path was firmly set before them. So, to understand these fruits of the spirit in relation to the work and guidance of the Holy Spirit, is to grasp the eternal implications of all that Jesus accomplished. He knew that the Father gave those individuals to Him for a purpose, even Judas Iscariot, the betrayer. The basic truth is that one cannot evidence the fruit of the spirit apart from a measure of meekness and love for others.

Let us Pray:

Heavenly Father, and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, make me mindful in my heart for the hurts of others that I may understand, sympathize, and see the world through Your eyes and act in Your Will. Guide me and lead me in accordance with Your Holy Spirit that I may grow into Your likeness in meekness, gentleness, kindness, and goodness toward others. My Your Love and compassion be experienced by others through me. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.