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Christmas Spirit vs. Spirit of Christ

We hear the phrases “Christmas Spirit” and “Spirit of Christmas” getting thrown around quite a bit this time of year. As my wife and I were doing a little Christmas shopping
recently, I wished a “Merry Christmas” to at least 6 people throughout the day, directing 

the expression toward store clerks, gas station attendants and food servers (not once
initiated by them, incidentally). It got me to thinking about how few of us are truly in the 

“Christmas Spirit.” This is verifiable by statistics that prove this season is a time when 

depression, suicide, stress, increased debt and family squabbles are at their annual 

extreme.

I began thinking about another phrase we don’t hear too often, that is, “the Spirit of Christ.” 

The expression is used only twice in Scripture, Romans 8:9 and 1 Peter 1:11. The Romans 

verse is worth looking at in both the Amplified as well as the New King James versions.

(AMP)
“But you are not living the life of the flesh, you are living the life of the Spirit, if the [Holy] 

Spirit of God [really] dwells within you [directs and controls you]. But if anyone does not 

possess the [Holy] Spirit of Christ, he is none of His [he does not belong to Christ, is not truly
a child of God].”

(NKJ)
“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now 

if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”

A few verses later (v 11), we read (AMP), “And if the Spirit of Him [the Spirit of Christ] who 

raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, [then] He who raised up Christ Jesus from the 

dead [the Spirit of Christ] also restore to life your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies
through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

I often receive requests from Christians in 3rd world countries to come and preach there. 

Today was no exception. I have a standard response for these brothers across the 

ocean, one that, I believe, can apply to multitudes of people. It goes something like this:

“…where God guides, He provides. If He wants me there, He will get me there. Nothing will 

hinder that. You must understand that I am not convinced that you need me there as much 

as you think you do; no more than I think I need any other man of God in my country to come 

and minister to me. We have the Holy Spirit dwelling within and working through us. He will 

teach us what we need to know and will direct our steps as well. That’s either true or it’s a lie. 

Think of it! That same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives WITHIN you and wants to 

work WITH you to advance God’s KINGDOM! You must simply renew your minds to that truth. 

Does anyone need a miracle? YOU do it. Does anyone need healing? YOU do it! Does 

anyone need anything at all from our King? YOU are part of the Kingdom of Priests and Kings…

so, YOU do it! You are well-able. All the while remember that you are merely His vessel. Like 

Jesus, you can do NOTHING without the Father. Depend upon Him. Do not be discouraged…

if I come, I come because God compels me to do so. Nothing will keep me from you in that case. 

If I stay, rejoice for He is using me in my own nation.

“Ask yourself, what is it you have at your disposal that God might want so that we can advance 

His Kingdom together. Like Moses who surrendered his staff, is a computer part of that answer? 

Can you forward messages - even mine - to many others in your nation? Can you print  these 

messages and preach from them? Can you distribute them, watching the Kingdom advance 

as they are circulated from person to person? We can make a difference every day - even in 

our sleep - at no cost, while others spend a fortune to win one soul. We can be such silly saints! 

If a computer can be a part of your arsenal, what else is there at your disposal?”

1 John 2:27(NKJ) reminds us,“…the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, 

and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning 

all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.”

The anointing comes from the Anointed One, defined by the word “Christ.” Jesus - is the King 

and it’s the King’s head that receives the anointing oil, NOT his body. However, because He is 

the Head and we are His Body, and His very Spirit abides in us, we have that same anointing.

Do you believe that? If not, therein lies a major problem within Christianity today for few are 

being taught this truth.

As I tell my 3rd world friends, I will serve them as an apostle - as a “sent one”- whenever I am led 

by the Spirit to do so. Until that time - until everything lines up as it should - I must grow where He 

has planted me. Saint Thomas, who was called to India, was not simultaneously called to visit 

Sweden, after all. But he may have made a call or sent an eMail there if he could have.

Is the Holy Spirit speaking anything to YOU, dear brothers and sisters, as you read these very 

words? Is there some ONE or some PLACE to whom YOU are being drawn to go and be a blessing…

the next cubicle or office perhaps? Is He telling you to STAY and be faithful with the little things right 

where you are…your dorm, neighborhood, workplace or community? When we show ourselves 

trustworthy, He promises to expand our realm of influence.

The point is, we who are carriers of the Spirit of Christ - Arks of the New Covenant - are already 

well-equipped to do the work of the ministry. Like Obed-Edom, the man on whose property King 

David unceremoniously dumped the original Ark, only to discover how much Obed-Edom had 

been blessed as a result, the very Presence of God who dwells within us WILL make a difference 

wherever we are IF we will boldly release that Presence.

I’m concerned that far too many Saints are relying upon those of us on whom we’ve bestowed 

religious titles to build the Kingdom.

The truth? It just ain’t happenin’. The problem? Far too many Christians are undergoing an identity 

crisis, not knowing exactly who they are in Christ. We don’t understand the level of spiritual authority 

we’ve been given. We underestimate the devil’s concern over our existence, explaining his intense 

hatred of us. We cannot seem to wrap our minds around the truth that we are all well-able to change 

our environment - from the workplace to the very communities in which we live, work and play. We 

settle for life-as-usual - even Church-as-usual, keeping things status quo and choosing to do our 

level best NOT to make any waves. We have the Spirit of Christ dwelling within us and, frankly, one 

would never know it due to the lack of readily observable fruit outside of church services.

This Christmas season, let’s purpose to emulate the example so graciously given to us all by the virgin 

Mary who submitted herself to the Holy Spirit to birth the Messiah into the world. Let’s allow ourselves to 

be used by the Holy Spirit to bring Emmanuel (God with us) - into our own world, our own realm of 

influence.