Source Ministries International

Dr. Lewis Gregory

During a fishing trip with my son Andrew, I observed something very interesting. He hooked a large bass, and attempted to land it after just a short while. I cautioned Drew to wait, because it looked like the fish had more “fight” in him. Sure enough, the fish gave one more surge, flipped himself free of the hook, and swam away. I suspect that anyone who’s ever fished has experienced this same frustration. Fortunately, Drew has caught plenty more to make up for it!

As I reflected upon this, I thought, how amazing it is that the fish had such strength. He was able to overcome a grown man, many times his size. I thought of the phrase “a fish out of water.” A fish, in his element, has phenomenal strength. Yet, once you get that fish out of the water, he is quite powerless.

Do you feel powerless, weak, or defeated? If so, then you are outside of your element. You are relying on your fleshly human strength instead of the Lord’s supernatural strength. And that makes you just like a fish out of water! In the Bible, the Holy Spirit is symbolized by water. Just as water is the element for the fish, so the Holy Spirit must be your element.

But that necessitates you being born of God’s Spirit. This occurs when you accept Christ’s death upon the cross as payment for your sins and invite Him to come into your life. At that moment His Spirit comes to indwell you. As a result you are “in the Spirit,” which means you have a new source of strength. Therefore, you are strong “in the Lord.” And since Christ is the source of your strength, you can now do all things through Christ! But you will only experience His mighty power as you walk in the Spirit. Therefore you must allow the Holy Spirit to take complete control of your life and lead you every step of the way.

Remember your true element. Once you receive Jesus Christ into your heart by faith, you are no longer in the flesh, but in the Spirit. Therefore, you should cease from all of your fleshly human efforts. Stop living after the flesh in dependence upon your natural human strength and abilities, instead start walking in the Spirit. Now, that’s your true element!

Source Ministries © 2009