Inspiration for Life Today means many things. First, it means that inspiration is to be part of our daily life. Second, it means that we are meant to live inspired. Third, it means that we need today’s inspiration. Each day we need fresh inspiration from the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, others, and ourselves. We need inspiration for life today and every day.
Definition of Inspiration
Here is Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary definition of Inspiration:
- 1a. an inspiring agent or influence
- 2a: the quality or state of being inspired
- b: something that is inspireda scheme that was pure inspiration
- 3: the act of drawing inspecifically: the drawing of air into the lungs
- 4a: a divine influence or action on a person believed to qualify him or her to receive and communicate sacred revelation
- b: the action or power of moving the intellect or emotionsc: the act of influencing or suggesting opinions
This information on the word Inspire provides a clearer picture of the Spiritual application of Inspire and Inspiration for a Christian.
More on the Meaning of Inspire
When inspire first came into use in the 14th century it had a meaning it still carries in English today: “to influence, move, or guide by divine or supernatural influence or action.” It’s this use that we see in phrases like “scripture inspired by God,” where the idea is that God shaped the scripture in an active and explicit way.
The meaning is a metaphorical extension of the word’s Latin root: inspirare means “to breathe or blow into.” The metaphor is a powerful one, with the very breath of a divine or supernatural force asserted as being at work.
The metaphor developed further, with inspire gaining similar but somewhat weaker meanings. Someone who is inspired by a particular artist, for example, is influenced by that artist in a way that animates or intensifies their own work. Something that inspires people to action motivates them. And if we say that something has inspired an emotion, thought, or idea, we are saying that it somehow had a part in its coming to be.
The word inspire has also drawn on the meaning of its literal root over the years, with meanings like “inhale,” “to breathe or blow into or upon,” and “to infuse (something, such as life) by breathing,” but these meanings are not commonly encountered in modern use.
To Move or Guide by Divine Influence
The best example of inspiration is the statement that the Bible is the Inspired Word of God. What does that mean? It means that God exercised a divine influence in the lives of the people who wrote the scrolls that have become our Bible. The Bible is truly the “words” of God Himself and they are the inspiration for life.
To Infuse Something Such as Life by Breathing
God breathed His life into the first humans. Jesus then gave us the Holy Spirit as His breath of life into us. The Words of God in the Bible breathe God’s life into us and inspire us. If we get a flat tire, the Holy Spirit blows it back up!
What is Inspiration in the Bible?
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.“
Some translations use ‘inspired’ rather than God-breathed, but, as we saw in the definition of inspire, it means God-breathed.
The Greek word used here is “theopneustos” and literally means – divinely breathed in. Notice also, that the pass says “ALL” scripture. It’s not just a few verses, or one book, or only the Old Testament, it’s all scripture.
2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV expands on what Timothy said, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”The Inspired Word of God is alive.
Inspiration is an active force. It influences, moves and guides. The Passion Translation in Hebrews 4:12, describes the power of the Inspired Word of God, “For we have the living Word of God, which is full of energy, like a two-mouthed sword. It will even penetrate to the very core of our being where soul and spirit, bone and marrow meet! It interprets and reveals the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts.“
The God-breathed words are full of energy. They penetrate even the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts. All of this is what Inspiration means in the Bible and what it means in our lives. This is inspiration for life.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the one who gives life according to Jesus in John 6:63 TPT, “The Holy Spirit is the one who gives life, that which is of the natural realm is of no help. The words I speak to you are Spirit and life. But there are still some of you who won’t believe.”
The Holy Spirit breathed life into Mary, the mother of Jesus. He breathed Jesus into being in human form. Jesus helped us to understand the role of the Holy Spirit at our rebirth in John 3:5 TPT, “Jesus answered, “I speak an eternal truth: Unless you are born of water and the Spirit, you will never enter God’s kingdom.”
In John 20:22 Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit into His disciples. He blew on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit’s role in our life includes inspiration – breath. He breathed life into man in the beginning and then Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit into those who believe. The Holy Spirit is life and is our inspiration for life. He has many roles in our lives.
- Comforter – John 14:26
- Lives in us – 1 Corinthians 3:16
- Speak to us all the He hears God saying
- Teacher – John 14:26
- Convicts of sin – John 16:7-8
- Advocates (intercedes) for us – Romans 8:26-27
- Brings revelation and power – 1 Corinthians 2:10-11
- Guides us in truth – John 16:13
- Gives us gifts as He chooses – 1 Corinthians 12:7-11
- Seals us to God – Ephesians 1:13
The Biblical interpretation of inspiration is the same as the one we have – it is God breathing His life into us over and over, daily, moment-by-moment, and sending the very breath of God to live inside us in the form of the Holy Spirit.
The Importance of Inspiration
Here is what we need the Word and Spirit to do all the time – to influence, move, or guide by divine or supernatural influence or action.
Does it sound impossible to live in a condition of inspiration? Within our own power, yes, it would be impossible. However, because we are the temple of the breath of God, we have access to His inspiration at all times. This means we have inspiration for life.
Inspiration For Life
How can we live in a constant state of inspiration? It certainly doesn’t happen through the power of our will because our human will changes with every emotion or circumstance in our life. It’s unstable. However, we have multiple tools to help us be constant in our faith and inspiration.
First – the Word of God
The Word of God brings stability. It is an anchor in storms, a lifesaver in the floods of life, a rock to stand on that’s immovable and unchangeable. It gives us guidance, hope, peace, and shows us how God wants us to live. It helps us understand the love of God. All of these things, inspire us – they breathe life into us.
Second – the Holly Spirit
We have the Holy Spirit whose job we have already outlined. Whenever we need to, we can call on Him to help us and He will.
Third – Each Other
We have each other. There are those times in life when we need each other more than ever. Discouragement, fear, pain, loneliness, or grief may have overwhelmed us and we need someone to talk to. We need kindness, grace, and a listening ear.
We were made to need each other. Man was not meant to be an island. We were in community from the beginning. Yes, we botched it rather badly, but we still need one another. This means that I have a job to inspire you and you have a job to inspire me – we are supposed to inspire each other. Let’s look at the Biblical inspiration and actions we’re supposed to take toward one another:
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NASB, Therefore, encourage (“parakaleó – call near, invite, invoke) one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing.
Hebrews 10:24-25 NASB, and let’s consider how to encourage (stimulate, stir up, provoke) one another in love and good deeds, not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging (call near, invite) one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Ephesians 4:29 NASB, Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification (build up like a building) according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
Romans 14:19 NASB, So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.
Here we see the importance of inspiration for life. This is the way we need to help each other. We are building each other up like a building. We are a building! We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and the Church, the Bride of Christ.
Summary
I hope you see the need for inspiration for life, the need for the Word, the need for a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit, and the need for each other.
Most of all, I pray that you found inspiration to live an inspired life and to be someone who spreads Inspiration for Life!
You might also enjoy reading – What Is Encouragement?
Inspiration For Life Today uses verses from different Bible translations. To see more information about the copyright for each one, please visit this page – Scripture Citations.