Assassins Among Us #26: The Spirit as Daily Sustenance

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Yesterday we talked about following the Spirit’s leading. But following requires strength. And strength requires sustenance.

Israel didn’t just need guidance in the wilderness. They needed food.

MANNA FROM HEAVEN

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day.'” — Exodus 16:4 (ESV)

God didn’t give Israel a stockpile of food. He gave them daily bread. Every morning, new manna. Every day, fresh provision. They couldn’t hoard it. They couldn’t store it. They had to depend on God’s faithfulness day after day.

This was intentional.

“…that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.” — Exodus 16:4 (ESV)

The daily provision was a daily test. Would they trust God for tomorrow? Or would they try to secure their own future?

GREATER MANNA

“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.” — John 6:48-50 (ESV)

Jesus Christ is the true manna. The bread Israel ate sustained their bodies temporarily. The bread Jesus Christ offers sustains the soul eternally.

But here’s what we miss: the pattern is the same. Daily dependence.

“Give us this day our daily bread.” — Matthew 6:11 (ESV)

Jesus Christ didn’t teach us to pray for weekly bread or monthly bread or annual bread. Daily bread. Just like the manna.

THE SPIRIT AS SUSTENANCE

The Holy Spirit is how we receive this daily bread.

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” — Ephesians 5:18 (ESV)

“Be filled” is present tense, continuous action. Keep being filled. Be filled again and again. This isn’t a one-time filling at conversion. This is daily sustenance.

Just like Israel gathered manna every morning, we need fresh filling every day. Yesterday’s filling won’t sustain today’s battles. Last week’s encounter won’t fuel this week’s obedience.

The Spirit who dwells in you permanently must fill you continually.

WHY WE RUN DRY

Israel complained about manna. They got bored with it. They wanted meat and garlic and onions from Egypt.

“Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, ‘Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.'” — Numbers 11:4-5 (ESV)

They despised the provision because it wasn’t what they wanted.

We do the same thing with the Spirit. We want excitement, but He offers faithfulness. We want feelings, but He offers fruit. We want spectacular experiences, but He offers daily transformation.

And when He doesn’t give us what we want, we start looking back at Egypt—at the old life, the old patterns, the old sources of satisfaction that were never really satisfying.

TOMORROW: THE TRAGEDY OF DESPISING THE SPIRIT

What happens when we reject God’s provision and long for Egypt instead?

Most ministries stay in the safe middle. We bring marginalized truth back to the center.

THE PROPHET’S MARGIN Truth From the Narrow Place

ONE TRUE LIGHT MINISTRIES Damascus Road Journey: STOP. LOOK. LISTEN. LIVE. www.onetrulight.org