Isaiah 52 (NIV)
1 Awake, awake, Zion, clothe yourself with strength! Put on your garments of splendor, Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again.
2 Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck,
Daughter Zion, now a captive.
God wants us as his true followers to operate in our optimal ability and capacity. To do this we need to be sharp and alert, and not allowing anything to impair our state of mind. Hence that's one of the main reasons we as Christians should not be given to wine. We are not expected to be drunk on wine but instead filled with the holy spirit. Drowsiness robs you of the capacity to make correct judgements. Also there are times when a drunk person can look as if they are ok, but just because they have their eyes open doesn't mean that their spirit is not slumbering.
The text in Isaiah 52:1-2 was written to the 'saints', meaning prophet Isaiah was talking to Christians, the followers of Christ. So in other words he was saying that those in the world are held down captive by the chains on their necks, but you as a christian need to start operating on a higher level by being 'awake'.
Ephesians 5 (NIV)
13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
From the above verses it is imperative that we must be awake as Christians so that Christ can shine on and in us. For Christ to shine in us we must be aware that everything about us becomes visible for all to see. Our character, our attitude, our intentions, the lot. So do not allow anything in your flesh make you asleep to the light of Christ.
The following are 9 functions of an awakened spirit:-
1. Enables you to enter into a corporate worship with other Christians, and to fill the environment with Gods presence. Your worship begins in the spirit and flows to the soul. A slumbering spirit is not awake to usher in the presence of God as the spirit itself is not alert.
2. Enables you to have personal devotion with God. You are able to freely experience Gods love which is ever present for us.
3. Enables you to listen to God. You become someone who is able to hearken onto Gods words in the form of dreams, visions, and getting revelation through reading the scriptures.
4. Enables you to receive inspiration. An awakened spirit is able to be still to be inspired by God, and these inspirations can come in the form of songs, poems, new ideas, teachings of the word.
5. Enables you to transcend time. You are able to be in Gods presence without ever taking notice of time. You are engrossed in the awesome presence of God and time is of no significance.
6. Enable true communication. As the awakened spirit is aware and conscious of its maker, it is in one accord with Gods voice and Gods with yours. You are then able to tell God as it is, pouring yourself out so he can fill you up again.
7. Enables you to enjoy the pleasures of marital sex. This can be explained by Proverbs 5:15-20 (NIV):-
15 Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. 16 Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? 17 Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. 18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. 19 A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love. 20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife? Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?
Your awakened spirit helps to keep you with your husband/wife and ensures that the pleasures that are to be benefited in marriage are kept alive. It helps you to understand that you will receive everything from your partner and not from anyone else that's not married to yourself.
8. Enables you to maintain good health. Proverbs 18 (NIV)
14 The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?
Proverbs 17 (NIV)
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
A spirit that is slumbering, that is crushed, that is not alive and active is susceptible to being sick.
9. Enables you to have a true good working conscience. We have 2 types of conscience -
a remorseful conscience and a good conscience.
A remorseful conscience is one that acts without thinking of the consequences. Then once the act has been done, it becomes sad and remorseful at whats been done.
A good conscience is one that is alert to the speakings of the holy and is led by it to do the right thing at all times.
How to heal a slumbering spirit: -
1. Open your eyes and see it. Most times we are aware of the fact that our spirits are in a slumbering state, and all we have to do is make a conscious effort to return to the presence of God. Then it becomes a matter of choice whether you want to awaken your spirit or leave it in its slumbering state. We all know what the choice should be.
2. Check your history in your family. Sometimes just checking the background of family members can reveal the reasons why a person has a slumbering spirit. If the family members you were used to growing up all have slumbering spirits, it's quite possible that you take after what they do hence why you also have a slumbering spirit. You now need to know God for yourself, and believe in Jesus Christ as your personal savior. In the process of knowing God more and more, your spirit will become awakened.
3. Begin again to read children's fantasy books, go to places that incite excitement. This is because when we were in the womb and even when we were born, we came with an awakened spirit. So doing these activities will help to rediscover the child in you. Laugh more and more and become sensitive.
This message was preached by my pastor who is more than a pastor, but a teacher. The above is what i got from the message. Thank-you Pastor O.
