Renew Your Strength

Mark 3:9  And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.
Mark 3:10  For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.
Mark 3:11  And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.
Mark 3:12  And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.

Jesus had been healing many during his earthly ministry.  The more that healed, the more people flocked to him seeking a healing.  Jesus commanded that a boat should be made ready so that he could escape the press of the crowd.  The crowd understood the miraculous power of Christ as they pressed upon him, so that they could simply touch him and be healed.  In verse 11 it is revealed that the unclean spirits that possessed men recognized Jesus for whom he was.  They recognized him as the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ, the deliverer that had been sent to set the captives free.  Jesus forbid the unclean spirits from declaring who he was. Jesus wasn't fully ready for everyone to fully realize who he was.  He was still doing the preparatory work that would eventually lead him to the cross of Calvary.
The practical application that we can draw from this passage is that even Christ understood the need to spend time alone with the disciples in prayer.  Ministry can be a very busy place.  As we seek to use our spiritual giftedness for the cause of Christ, we can find ourselves burning the candle at both ends.  We are busy in the work that God has called us to, but we find that our energy reserves are quickly being depleted.  True ministry is only done through the power of the Holy Spirit of God.  To walk in the Spirit requires us to spend time in intimate fellowship with our Heavenly Father.  We have to make time to get away from the throngs and spend time in sweet fellowship with God.  It's during this time that we find our strength being renewed by his presence.

How are your energy levels today?  Is it time to take a moment and spend some quiet time with God in the place of prayer?