But He turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.’ And they went to another village. – Luke 9:55-56
Jesus rebuked the disciples for desiring to call fire down from heaven, like Elijah did, against those who did not accept Him. They assumed that just because Elijah did, they could as well. However, the situation differed completely. They were led by the flesh, not the spirit, so couldn’t, even if they tried. Jesus used the opportunity to teach them He didn’t come to destroy lives, but to save them.
When rejection comes, anger gets stirred up, and resentment can develop. It is tempting to react to rejection and opposition in the flesh, rather than respond in the spirit. When we feel our flesh rise to react to a situation, we should step back, move away if needed, and pray until we can walk in the spirit.
Jesus remained steadfast in His purpose regardless of the resistance, and so should we. We release the offense at the foot of the cross, receive His grace, and surrender to the Holy Spirit. It’s a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. Its fruits: love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control flow in and through us as we yield to Him. The key to respond the right way is to be filled with the spirit, from glory to glory!