LIFE IN A SHELL
By Richard Swank
As Christians, we sometimes find ourselves inside a shell – a hard shell which we put up, or allow ourselves to be put into. This shell has two functions: Sometimes the shell hides us from the world, and sometimes it hides us from other Christians. If the shell becomes too hard, the Lord will have to crack it in some way.
It is true, we are in the world but we are not of the world; yet, we should be alert or sensitive to the moving of the Holy Spirit, to know when to speak or witness to a needy person.
In Acts ten, Peter was shown in a vision that – “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” God spoke to a Gentile by the name of Cornelius to send for Peter. Upon arriving Peter said, “Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” Cornelius says in the thirty-third verse, “Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.” Then, we read, “Peter opened his mouth, and said, of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.” Later in the chapter, Cornelius and his household are filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues; and then they are baptized with water in the Name of the Lord.
Peter was not hiding in a shell when those messengers came for him to go to visit Cornelius. He was alert and sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. What if Peter had not heeded the Holy Spirit?
I Thessalonians 5:19 says, “Quench not the Spirit.” This is a good admonition for all, but not always practiced. John 16:33 says, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Let not this verse in John 16:33 scare us into building a shell, because the tribulation in life will only enhance and glorify the victory that is ours through Christ. Does not Paul tell us in Romans 8:37, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us?” John 4:4, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” Also, in I John 5:4-5, we read, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” Power is in these words – power we have yet to learn the full meaning of. But let us not build shells. Let us learn more of God’s power through Christ and His Word.
When Christians build shells to hide from other Christians, they are trying to hide from Christ. Mark 4:22 says, “For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.”
In Act five, Ananias and Sapphira tried to hide something from God, and in doing so they died. We, Too, die a portion when we do not open up to the Lord and the Holy Spirit. The Lord has died for us, paid the penalty and price, plus, much more. Why then die or lose out on the victory the Lord has for us?
If a Christian’s shell becomes too hard then the Lord will crack it some way. With Ananias and Sapphira the Lord allowed death. With Jonah, God allowed a large fish to swallow him and take him where he was suppose to go. The Lord will use the way He deems best to crack the shell, so that His will is done.
Let us yield to the Holy Spirit to crack our shell. Call upon the Lord to give strength for this. Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Let us, allow the Lord to rid us of that burdensome shell that prevents the Holy Spirit from working in us. Let us be sensitive to God’s will in our lives. If there is to be any hiding, let us be “hid with Christ in God” – Colossians 3:3.
