Eliminating Friction In Our Lives By the Oil of God

 Zechariah 4:6 

Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.

Oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit.

Well here we are. The holiday season when Christmas cheer permeates the world and we all treat each other with kindness and gentleness. Yea right. Most of know that nothing really changes in this season. In reality the stress of what we’ve made Christmas into just makes us all even crankier and less patient with each other. We hate to admit it but most of us are far to “Scrooge” like than we should be.

Relationships are hard. Marriage is hard. Living with someone and dealing with them every single day can wear you out. Working alongside somebody day in and day out for hours at a time can really create conflict. It doesn’t matter where we go, when we deal with people there will be friction. Conflicts are a common occurrence of life. But do we really have to live lives filled with conflict? Does every interaction with people have to end up in a fight? Can we find a way around hurt feelings?

If you are a Christian the answer to this question is no. God has not destined us to the same old life of conflict as we had. Yet most of us are not living out the abundant life Christ speaks of.

In the world of mechanical engines and moving parts what is needed to reduce friction and save wear and tear? Engines need oil. Oil lubricates things and eliminates friction. God gave man the knowledge to develop engines that use oil. He designed us in the same way. We need oil.

In scripture oil is a representation of the Holy Spirit. Just as Olive oil and other oils were vital to the culture of the people of the Bible, so is the Spiritual Oil God has given to us.

Let’s see what God’s Word has to say.

Galatians 5:16-26
 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,  idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

That scripture reading is one of those “wow” readings. Packed with a lot of real meat we can find a lot to break down but for this case let us zero in on the application to relationships and the corresponding friction and trouble we all face in them.

If you’ve ever wondered why we just can’t seem to get along with each other in peaceful harmony then look at this scripture reading. We don’t walk in the Spirit and when we don’t do that we find ourselves in the throes of the works of the flesh. And the result of that is enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, and envy. Yep, that pretty much leads to problems. Most of our conflicts have at least one of those things going on, if not all of them.

Take careful note of the flip side of walking in the flesh, which is walking in the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Imagine how many conflicts would be resolved if these types of actions dominated our behavior.

As we saw earlier oil represents the Holy Spirit. Impart the behaviors of the fruit of the Spirit, which is the oil, and the result is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Imagine how all the conflict and fighting would dissipate in the presence of that kind of love.

But, you say, you don’t know my husband. You don’t understand my family members or my boss; they are impossible to get along with. But you see it doesn’t matter what they do. If we exhibit the fruit of the spirit into our environment and stay that course it will change the room. It doesn’t matter how messed up the other person is, it takes two to tango and no conflict can survive with only one combatant. But for this to work we must humble ourselves and let go our own prideful desires to be right. We must follow the command to die to ourselves as the Bible commands us.

The secret to less conflict is more Holy Spirit. So we pray for God to fill us each day with His Spirit. We do that. But then we wonder why we aren’t feeling filled. The answer is simple; we are too full of self. We must first empty the cup of self and then will God fill us with His Spirit. This, my friends, is what Jesus means in Matthew 10:38-39 where He says, “Whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Tired of conflict? Be the light of Christ in the middle of it. But in order to shine for Him your lamp needs oil. That oil is the Holy Spirit. Empty yourself and prepare to be filled by the pure Spirit of God. Then watch the room you are in change when His light is the light that shines.