Spirit Power vs. Self Power

I don't know about you, but I am weak... on many levels.  Last week in physical therapy, my therapist asked me to stand on one leg.  I giggled and sadly confessed that I can't balance on one foot when I haven't had surgery, much less on a weakened ankle.  Nothing shows you how weak your core is like trying to do anything that requires balance.

I'm also weak when it comes to getting up when my alarm goes off earlier so I can really study my Bible and spend time in prayer before my day begins.  One snooze turns into ten snoozes and me rushing out the door with barely enough time to brush my teeth, much less sit still at the throne of Jesus.

And like I shared last week, I'm weak when it comes to food.  I LOVE Mexican food.  I was getting dinner one night over the weekend with a friend and she asked if I wanted to get Mexican.  I told her "No" because right now I am trying to be conscious of triggers that cause me to overeat and chips and salsa rank at the top of that list.  Even if I said I would only eat a serving - I knew in that moment I was too weak to follow through on that.  So I said "No".  Sometimes we have to say "No" to things we want, that honestly are harmless, but can set us on a path to destruction in our weakened flesh.  And do you know where the ability to say "No" came from?  I wish I could tell you that it came from my own self control and mighty strength, but that'd be a lie.  It came from the power of the Holy Spirit that is living inside me.  Sometimes I listen to His voice and sometimes I don't.  But I'm trying to live in tune with His voice, especially in this area of my life.

"And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you." - Romans 8:11

Yesterday we celebrated Easter - the day that Jesus rose from the grave and overcame sin and death for all time. ROSE FROM THE DEAD. Like his body was dead and had been laying silent and still and then he sat up like he'd been taking a long nap and took off his grave clothes and stood on his own two nail pierced feet and WALKED OUT OF THE TOMB by the power of Spirit. Y'all - that's the kind of power I want to tap into. Choosing an apple over a brownie seems pretty small compared with overcoming death. But, I DO have access to that kind of power. I just don't utilize it. I am praying daily right now that the Lord would show me how to know more of the Spirit and how to fully experience his power.

So, what about you?  What area of your life do you need to experience some of that Spirit power in?  What is something that you need to say "No" to right now in order to move in a healthy direction?  It's hard, but dear one, it's so worth it.