Tag Archives: Holy Spirit

January 18, 2026 · 5:10 pm

SARTORIUS AND RECTUS FEMORIS

I try to play football with my colleagues at least once every week to complete my weekly bodily exercise quota. From the period leading up to the last Christmas holiday season to the early part of January, I did not play football or get involved in any structured form of exercise for four weeks. When I got back from vacation, I decided to get on the green pitch again to get things rolling for the year. Before I got on the pitch that evening, I told myself that I was going to take things easy and play a defensive role to gradually get myself back into the flow having been away for a relatively long time.

When the game started and the adrenaline rush kicked in, I forgot my agreement with myself and made a dash forward and ended up scoring the only goal of the game for my team. In that process and without warning, my thigh muscle popped and that was my last kick of the game and further keeping me out of the game for a few weeks.

For fun, I decided to find out the muscles that were impacted by the injury and identified them as my Sartorius and Rectus Femoris. They form part of the four muscles that make up the thigh muscle known as quadriceps.

At that moment when I ran forward, I erroneously assumed that because I had played for a few minutes, I could go ahead and play at top form, without realizing that my thoughts and my muscles were not working at the same frequency. Reminiscing about this incident, I remembered how Samson thought he still had his superpowers after his head had been shaved.

Then she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the LORD had left him. Judges 16:20 [NLT]

Another similar story is that of Peter denying Jesus shortly after promising to die with him. He must have convinced himself that he was afraid on nothing and no one. He did not realize that his self-confidence was unfounded.

Peter said, “What do you mean I’m not able to follow you now? I would sacrifice my life to die for you!” Jesus answered, “Would you really lay down your life for me, Peter? Here’s the absolute truth: Before the rooster crows in the morning, you will say three times that you don’t even know me!” John 13: 37-38 [TPT]

Will power or brute strength cannot help us as we navigate our lives as Christians on this side of eternity. If we try to go it on our own and do things on our own terms, we will fail 100% of the times. When we have been in church for a long time and served in a particular capacity, there will be the temptation to depend on our ‘work experience’ in doing the work of God. We should never fall into this trap.

During the earthly ministry of Jesus, the apostles were with him all the time, they heard, they saw, they observed and touched Jesus. They had first hand experience that we can only imagine. Yet, that did not qualify them to launch their ministry without waiting for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before.  John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1: 4 – 5 [NLT]

…And when they eventually launched out, they depended on Him for continuous guidance and empowerment every time.

Next, Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.  Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there.  So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. Acts 6: 6 – 8 [NLT]

What Paul and Silas wanted to do was a good thing, but it was not what God wanted at that time. If they had solely depended on their experience and logical plans, they would have gone to Asia to preach the gospel, but they would have been on their own, doing the work of God without God.

We should never go on our own based on where we have been and what we have done in the past. This will ensure that our story is not like to story of my Sartorius and Rectus Femoris or the clean-shaven version of Samson. We should always defer to the guidance of the Holy Spirit every day, every time and everywhere. Then we will always be victorious and have good success.

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September 19, 2015 · 4:26 pm

TONGUES AND POWER

But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (AMP)

And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. Acts 2:4 (NLT)

Just before the ascension of Jesus Christ, He promised to fill the disciples (and all Christians by extension) with the Holy Spirit to enable them fulfil the work of the ministry that was handed over to them. Shortly afterwards, this promise was fulfilled and this team went on to become the greatest band of world changers that the world has ever known. They went on to preach the gospel, speak with new tongues, heal the sick, deliver the oppressed and in summary live out Mark 16: 17 – 18

These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” Mark 16: 17 – 18 (NLT)

The encounter with the Holy Spirit changed everything about them. Peter that denied Jesus in difficult times became a great preacher; recording about 5000 converts after his first major outreach. People brought their sick relatives to the streets so that his shadow would fall on them and heal them. All these happened because the Holy Spirit gave them the ability. The other disciples have similar stories of awesome exploits surrounding them. By the help of the Holy Spirit, even Stephen that was ordained to serve tables and share food also performed amazing miracles (Acts 6:8).

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Fast-forward to our generation. We have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit! Really, it’s the same Holy Spirit that worked in Peter, Paul, Stephen, Phillip. We speak in tongues and most times, that is the only evidence of this baptism. I really don’t think that was the whole plan from the beginning. We didn’t get the Holy Spirit just for speaking in tongues.

My thought is that when we receive the power of the Holy Spirit, we should live supernatural lives every moment of every day. It should make our church services unpredictable. It will make praise and worship more than just singing and dancing. It should make us pray for the sick as a first response to sickness. The power should enable us to turn people to disciples of the Lord and not just increase our church attendance. It should make us speak the Word of God with great power and not just eloquent speech. If we have that power, we will not allow ourselves to be manipulated by men to part our resources; instead, we will give bountifully and cheerfully. Moreover, the power imparts the excellent spirit in us, so that we stand out for the right reasons at the work place. We ought to be changed by the power and ability for the purpose of changing our world.

Where did we miss it? We need to get back to the culture of personal fellowship with God. The power to fulfil God’s purpose comes from waiting in His presence. The early church pioneers had to wait in the upper room until they were endued with power and ability. I believe that if we can wait, the same power and ability can be ours and we can fulfil God’s mandate effectively.

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September 9, 2014 · 11:29 am

ROWING WITH THE ANCHOR

I heard a funny story over the radio recently. A group of rowers wanted to undertake a challenge of rowing to another town in record time. The twist was that they would start the task at midnight with minimal illumination. They rowed as fast as they could all night, without stopping for a break. They had their minds set on the goal and they were not going to let a break cost them the record. At the break of dawn, with the first ray of light, they realized the unimaginable: they had not moved an inch. They were rowing with the anchor still firmly in place. 100% effort, but no productivity. Illumination makes a world of difference. It can indeed magnify your efforts.

By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path. (Psalms 119:105 MSG)

During the days of the stock market boom, quite a number of people that I know had fancy spreadsheets and charts for monitoring stock portfolios. That did not stop their fingers from getting burnt when the bubble burst. Many of the people did not really know the “way” of the stock market. It was just a fun bandwagon to join and everyone got on board blindly.

hamster

With benefit of hindsight, there are many wrong steps we’ve taken that we never would have taken if only we sought answers from the One that knows it all before taking the first wrong step . Many of us are stuck with the wrong partner, wrong job, wrong investments and I dare say many ministers have no business being ministers in the first place. Just becuase of failure to enquire of the Lord.

There are so many pointers in the Bible that encourage us to draw near and ask before leaping, but somehow we always contrive not to.

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. Prov 16 25 (NIV)

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30 21 (NIV)

“I am God, your God, who teaches you how to live right and well. I show you what to do, where to go. If you had listened all along to what I told you, your life would have flowed full like a river, blessings rolling in like waves from the sea. Isaiah 48: 17 -18 (MSG)

circles

Borrowing the words of the ageless hymn; “…Oh what things we often forfeit and Oh what needless pains we bear…” because we simply fail to ask in prayer and seek out the way from the Word. No matter what height we may climb to in life, we can never do without studying our Bibles and praying every day, with a view to becoming more like Christ. If this is not your normal way of life, I can boldly tell you that you are missing and you are most likely going to miss that ‘still, small voice’ when it comes to tell you which way to turn at the junction. There is so much light in the Word.

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