What Spirit Are You Of?

Daily Scripture Threshing for Today, Thursday, September 18, 2025

Today's Text: Luke 9:51-56

Key Verse: Luke 9:55 (NIV): "But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and said, 'You do not know what kind of spirit you are of.'"

Things don't always go the way we want them. We are not always greeted by the kind of response we expect or desire. This is not just our reality. It is such as common to all. Even Jesus, our Lord, wasn't received the way He should. In Luke 9:55, He and His disciples encountered a Samaritan village that rejected them. This was a rude shock to James, prompting him and his brother, John, to ask Jesus if they could call down fire from heaven to punish the villagers, echoing the story of Elijah in 2 Kings 1:10-12. However, Jesus rebuked them, saying, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of."

The Master's reaction is God’s expectation whenever we are responding to opposition. We respond not based on what is coming for, to, or after us; but based on what spirit is in us. The spirit of Christ is the spirit of love and compassion rather than vengeance. We are like artists(es) or sculptors in any given situation, and everyone matters before us like a piece of paper or clay. Whatever the nature of the paper or clay, it is our touch, from the true image hidden within us, that will bring out the desired outcome.

Similarly, our actions and reactions reveal the true nature of our hearts and the spirit that guides us. Jesus's rebuke to these two disciples is a call to self-reflection, even to our generation. It is a New Testament position against the Mosaic "tooth for tooth and eye for eye" mentality. It is a direct position of Christ, urging us to examine the source of our motivations before we pray the next "die by fire" prayer. This is awake-up call to postmodern Christians to retrace our path back to the central theme of spiritual discernment and self-awareness. How much of our actions and inaction are born from the fruit of the Holy Spirit?

The mission of Jesus, whom we follow and look upon, is one of love, mercy, and salvation, not judgment or destruction. When the Samaritan village rejected him, among his disciples were James and John, who would rather react with anger and call down fire from heaven. But that is not the spirit of Christ. It is the spirit of vengeance. Jesus's teachings consistently point to a path of love and compassion, even toward those who oppose us. Following Jesus is rejecting our natural inclination to seek retribution and a desire to be right.

We must never let our old Adam's nature to blind us to the true spirit of the new Adam, who is Jesus Christ, the author and the finisher of our faith. God wants us to cultivate a Christ-like spirit: a spirit of love for all, which requires humility and a willingness to forgive. The spirit that requires us to respond with grace and understanding, just as Jesus taught us. If and when we truly embody the spirit of love and mercy, our lives will become a powerful witness to God's transformative power in the world.

Action Steps: Be intentional about examining your reactions to conflict and opposition. What spirit do you allow to guide you? Do you pause before you speak, or do you act spontaneously in moments of frustration? Strive to respond with empathy and grace, even when you feel wronged. Put yourself in people's shoes and try to understand others. Pray for a heart that aligns with Jesus's mission—a heart of love and mercy—asking God to help you overcome the temptation to act from a place of anger or vengeance.

Quote for the Day: "The spirit you are of is revealed not in how you respond to those who love you, but in how you treat those who reject you." (Simon Olatunji #quotablequote)

Let Us Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder to examine the spirit within us. Help us to act out of Your love and merc rather than from anger or pride. Give us the discernment to recognize our true motives and the strength to align our hearts with Yours—in Jesus's most glorious name. Amen.

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Thank you for being part of this journey. For additional reading on today's meditation, read: Matthew 5:44, Romans 12:14, and 1 Peter 3:9.

With all my love and prayers,

Rev Simon Wale Olatunji, Ph.D.

Your Darling Bishop (DaBishop)

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