Update…update…update. For those of us living in the smartphone world, the word “update” is a constant in our lives. Let me take you back in time. Can you remember just a few months ago when Apple iPhone users were anxiously awaing Apple’s new, far-better-than-all-of-the-rest iOS 18? And, can you also remember that as with all previous operating systems, it was just a matter of days until Apple released an update for that operating system? Cupertino, California’s Apple headquarters soon released the 18.0.1 update only to be followed by the 18.0.2 update and then the 18.0.3 update and then the 18.1 update and then the 18.1.1… Since the operating system’s release, every iPhone user has witnessed multiple new security and feature updates. Wait, here’s a no-brainer piece of information. iOS 18 will continue to get bug fixes and feature updates until the release of iOS 19 and then the whole update system will begin on this new operating system.
Update…update…update. For those of us living in the real world, the word “update” should be a constant in our spiritual lives. From the day that our name was entered into the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 21:27) and we received a new operating system (Colossians 1:13-14, 2 Corinthians 5:17), there is an enemy that specializes in crashing and destroying operating systems with vicious, life-threatening, spirit-annihilating attacks (John 10:10). To write that we need constant spiritual updates might well be the understatement of the century.
What you and I need to know about these spiritual updates is found in this scripture.
“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,” Jude 20
As I have with so many of my blog posts, let me hit you with a super simple, perhaps way too simple truth. The updates provided for a walk of power and victory are found in the “ing” of these two key words – building and praying. The “ing” in these verbs moves the activity from being a one time event into something that is consistent and ongoing. It is through the “ing” activities that our spirit receives what is needed for that day from the Holy Spirit.
Let me share this example. You are not going to believe it, but it is true. Believe it or not, I still have in my possession the diary in which I journaled my daily events so that I could fulfill a task in our Royal Ranger program. In this diary from my childhood, I have an entry on Sunday, April 2, 1967 telling of my receiving baptism in the Holy Spirit. Now, as marvelous and glorious as was that Sunday night outpouring from heaven, if the truth be known, Monday came after Sunday and I needed an update for that new day and then another update on Tuesday and another for Wednesday and another… From the Sunday night that a 10-year-old Billy Burns received the promised gift from the Father (Joel 2:28-29, Acts 2:38-39) until today, for what is now almost 58 years the “ing” found in Jude 20 has been my daily source for power, protection, and provision. Thank God for the “ing”.
Is this too simple? Well, maybe. But, in all probability, we all could use a healthy dose of simple to remind us of our need for heaven’s daily download which only comes as we are consistently, continually building up ourselves as we are praying in the Spirit. One more time, thank God for the “ing”.
