New wine must be put into new wineskins

Mark 2:21-22   No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. ²² And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

In Mark the religious leaders criticized Jesus for almost everything.  Healing on Sunday, eating with tax collectors and not fasting the traditional way with the traditional rules. Jesus responded with a comment that was not just about fasting but all the issues listed in Mark.  There is a new kingdom coming into the world that will not work with the existing traditional rules and expectations.

New Wine is a new level of Holy Spirit power.

Jesus said this new kingdom or new spiritual experience that is coming cannot co-exist with the structure and rigidness of the existing expectations.  The new kingdom can only exist in a new structure.  Trying to experience a new spiritual life without any change in their current behaviors and expectations would be a disaster.  Not only would it not work, but even the existing structure would break down in where you would be worse off than if you had not sought a new experience with Christ.

In my devotion, I began to meditate on this truth.  New wine needs new containers.  New patches of cloth can only be used on new material.  Obviously, Christ and the Holy Spirit are the source of the new vine or spiritual empowering.  But before we can receive this new ability or spiritual gifting from God there must be intentional work in our lives to prepare ourselves. A hunger for more of God. Submitting to spending time in the word and in prayer.

New wine preparation

Are you being challenged by new responsibilities or frustrated by your management ability?  Is God nudging you to deal with a sin issue or challenging you to be aware of an issue of your personality that could use refining?  Are you working harder on your daily devotions, work habits, or more concerned about a social issue that you never noticed before?  The Holy Spirit may be leading you in developing a new wineskin in preparation for a new spiritual assignment.   Allow this process to do its work.  Be determined with self-control and focus on these issues.  God is preparing you for some New Wine for some new assignment or influence in your world.

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you develop new wineskins to receive new anointing from the Holy Spirit.

The new wine is God’s work.  The wineskin is our work. God will give you guidance and ability but the work is yours.  It requires self-control, commitment, seeking truth and advice, adjusting your priorities and faith. Your lightnside will shine as new wine from the Holy Spirit is poured into your heart.