Jude 1:20-21 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

This little letter gets overlooked by perhaps the majority of Christians, yet it has a number of very interesting, and helpful, things about it. For one thing, the last two verses are an absolutely glorious doxology, memorably set to music by Don Francisco. It is also significant that though Jude was a half-brother of Jesus, he refers to Him only in the most respectful, worshipful terms, (as in that doxology) claiming kinship only with James in verse 1 to identify himself. The motivation for the letter was false teachers who were threatening the Church from the inside. That has been an issue throughout the history of the Church. And then we have this passage. In the early days of the Charismatic Movement it was often quoted to teach people that praying in tongues would build them up in faith. (The ESV translation seems to try to avoid that interpretation.) In my experience, praying in tongues does build you up, but “praying in the Holy Spirit” isn’t limited to praying in tongues. He can inspire and guide us in any language! The thing that strikes me, though, is that we can have an active part in our spiritual condition. We aren’t to be passive, but rather active in building ourselves up and keeping ourselves in the love of God. That’s not at all to say that we can save ourselves, because we certainly can’t, but we are to be active participants in all that God has provided for us in Christ. As Jesus Himself said, we are to abide in Him, by our own choice and will. (John 15:4) The tension between God’s sovereignty and human free will is actually beyond the capacity of human intellect to resolve, but properly applied, it can really build our faith, because there are so many things we can’t understand, humanly speaking.

This of course applies to me, as an individual believer and as a pastor. There is indeed much I can’t understand, much less explain! However, I know from Scripture and from experience that if I will press into God for more of Him, giving Him ever more of myself, He will respond gloriously. I seek to help everyone grasp this principle, but the responses are all over the place. Some dive in wholeheartedly, and some seem to want everything handed to them on a platter. I’m not to put anyone down, but I am to speak the truth in love at all times, so that the lies of the enemy may be exposed and people set free. And I must never forget to keep pressing in myself!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your anointing and guidance in the message yesterday. Several people seemed to receive fresh revelation from it. I pray that my life, in every facet, would draw people into Your life, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!