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THE FIERY SPIRIT - Coptic Orthodox Electronic Publishing

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those who are under your leadership, at the same time help you<br />

in your own private life!<br />

Are you earnest to live a pure life? Do you consider<br />

purity as wisdom and impurity as imprudent and ignorance?<br />

You can flee from the place of sin and impurity. You<br />

can always avoid debased company so that you would not be<br />

contaminated. Ask yourself, who has control over your tongue?<br />

Who protects your vision? Who sanctifies your thoughts? Who<br />

uplifts your emotions and senses above all carnal desires? Truly<br />

you need the Spirit of wisdom, the Holy Spirit of God who<br />

leads you to chastity and holiness, freeing you from the slavery<br />

of sin!<br />

The Holy Spirit of God led Joseph with great wisdom<br />

along his path of suffering, from slavery to near kingship. He<br />

also led Moses with wisdom to free the people from Pharaoh’s<br />

slavery, to help them across the wilderness. This same Spirit led<br />

Joshua son of Nun to enter with the people the promised land,<br />

and apportion the land, after which God gave him ceaseless<br />

victories over the enemies.<br />

<strong>THE</strong> <strong>SPIRIT</strong> AND <strong>THE</strong> WISDOM OF MINISTRY<br />

A successful person is he who is capable, with the help<br />

of the Spirit of God, to minister others, through practical<br />

behavior as well as discourse and instruction. Moses ministered<br />

to Joshua, who was his successor, and who said about him, “A<br />

man full of the Spirit.” And the seventy elders who ministered<br />

with him, “God descended on a cloud and spoke to him. He<br />

took from the Spirit which is upon him and gave to the seventy<br />

elders.”<br />

May the Spirit of God bestow on you with an open<br />

heart and a broad mind to instill in others the spirit of ministry<br />

and love. May God employ you not only to minister unto others<br />

but above all to encourage others to serve.<br />

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