"Were it not for the work of the Holy Spirit there would be no gospel, no faith, no church, no Christianity in the world at all."
-J.I. Packer
One of my favorite books in the Bible is the book of Acts. I love reading about the power of God manifested in the daily lives of the believers as they became powerful witnesses of the love and mercy of God. Nothing excites me more than reading about miraculous healings, supernatural provision, Sauls becoming Pauls, and countless lives given to our Lord Jesus Christ. I think one of the reasons why I love the book of Acts so much is that it demonstrates to us what real Christianity looks like. The early church, despite their flaws and "growing pains" are a real life example of what God desires to do in us and through us. Though it is great to read about the miracles God performed, we must closely examine the source behind the power seen in the early church and apostles...the Holy Spirit. The hallmark in the book of Acts was not the miracles or healings, it was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the life of the apostles and believers. The Holy Spirit made all the difference! The power behind the miracles, provision, deliverances, and salvation all stemmed from one Person-- the Holy Spirit. Any and every success that the apostles and early church experienced can be attributed to this most precious individual. And if we desire to have any amount of success and victory in our Christian lives, we must both acknowledge and yield to the Person of the Holy Spirit. Only then can we truly follow Jesus!
Relationship with the Spirit?
Many times it is easier to picture a relationship with the Father because we can reference it to the relationship with our own earthly father. We imagine ourselves sitting on His lap and telling Him our deepest fears and worries as He lovingly hears us. Same goes for Jesus. We understand having a relationship with the One who died and shed His blood for our sins. When we think of Jesus we often picture Him preaching to the multitudes or having compassion on and healing the sick. But when it comes to the Holy Spirit, many of us have difficulty imagining a conversation with Him much less a vibrant relationship. I have often heard well meaning Christians state the following "I know that I am saved because I have Jesus in my heart". Yet no where in the Bible does it ever state that Jesus dwells in our hearts. The truth is that both the Father and the Son currently reside in Heaven. Acts 7:55-56 says the following "But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." As Stephen was being stoned, he clearly saw Jesus in Heaven. Therefore if both the Father and Son are in Heaven, who is here on Earth? In John 16:7 Jesus says, "But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." The Holy Spirit, our eternal advocate, is the one that is here with us on Earth. It is He with whom we should fellowship with.
Fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
One of the roles that the Holy Spirit has in our lives is to fulfill our desire for fellowship. You see in the beginning God said, "it is not good for the man to be alone" (Gen 2:18). Even though this was said in the context of a marriage covenant, as I read God's Word it is clear to me that God designed us for fellowship. We are social beings with a deep seated need for intimate interaction. Though fellowship with other believers is incredibly important (Heb 10:25), the primary way we fill the desire in our lives for connection is by forming a relationship with the Holy Spirit. As Paul wrote his closing remarks to the Corinthian church, he stated this "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Cor 13:14). Paul was telling the Corinthians, as well as each one of us today, that we are to have fellowship with the Holy Spirit. The word fellowship (Gr. koinonia) literally means partnership. It can also mean contributory help, participation, sharing in, communion. What does this mean for you and me? It means that the Holy Spirit's job is to have an active role in our daily lives. He is not meant to be a bystander watching our lives from the sidelines as we "attempt" (and consequently fail) at living the true Christian life. Nor should He be limited to an experience (i.e. tongues) as wonderful as it may be. The Holy Spirit desires to be in constant communication with us each and every day. His goal is to help us mature in the faith and grow closer to Jesus each day. Romans 5:5 says this, "God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." This means that without the Holy Spirit we would be unable to receive the love of God in our lives. Do you see how important He is?
The Greatest Teacher.
Did you know that the Holy Spirit is our teacher? Jesus said of Him in John 14:26, "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." The Holy Spirit bears the important task of teaching us the things of God and reminding us of Scripture when we need it. There is a somewhat shocking passage in John 16:12-15 in which Jesus tells His chosen disciples how He wished He could share more things with them but could not because they would be unable to "bear" (carry) them. Think about that for a moment. That not even Jesus in the flesh could help the disciples understand the words He spoke. When Jesus spoke to them about His coming suffering and crucifixion, none of them understood (Luke 18:34). Why? John 6:63 gives us a clue, "The words I have spoken to you--they are full of the Spirit and life." When Jesus spoke to His disciples, He spoke to them about spiritual realities which only the Holy Spirit could help them understand. This means that only the Holy Spirit can help us understand the voice of God. The Holy Spirit is the only one that can really teach us the Bible. I remember when I first started reading the Bible consistently. It was a frustrating and tedious experience. I would read and read several chapters at a time and walk away not understanding nor remembering anything! I would lose interest within minutes and quickly became frustrated at my inability to comprehend any of the narratives found in Scripture. Until one day, as I was dreading the idea of reading Psalm 119 (for fear of not comprehending any of it) I began to understand everything. It was as if a blindfold had been taken from my mind and suddenly the words on the page made sense to me. That day marked the first of many lessons the Holy Spirit has given me throughout His Word. The Holy Spirit makes the Bible come alive. After all He is the one that inspired the writing of it (2 Tim 3:16) and we have the awesome privilege of having the author explain His work to us each day!
Empowerment for Victory!
One of my favorite Bible characters is the apostle Peter. I've heard a lot of sermons where preachers speak negatively of Peter but as I read Scripture I cannot help but admire the transformation that took place in this man. While Jesus walked the Earth, Peter seemed to be the "hot-head" of the disciples. He was the first one to speak up (Matt 16:16), step out of the boat (Matt 14:29), as well as fight for justice (John 18:10). Yet out of all the disciples, He was the only one that denied His Lord three times (Luke 22:61-62). Peter was definitely zealous for the things of God but had no power to walk out His promises. But after Jesus ascended into Heaven in the book of Acts, I discover a quite different Peter than the one I read about in the Gospels. The old Peter that denied Jesus repeatedly, now gladly received beatings for the sake of the Gospel (Acts 5:41). The same man that hid from fear of the Jews now boldly preached the Gospel with signs and wonders following. What made the difference in His life? None other than the Holy Spirit. The man that had once acted cowardly was now courageous. And history records that the same man that once betrayed His master, actually became an early martyr for the love He had for Jesus. The Holy Spirit did not just empower his life to perform miracles but He also fueled his walk to be a true disciple. The Spirit filled life is one of constant transformation as He endeavours to help us become more and more into the image of Jesus. The Holy Spirit brings power into our lives to become true followers of Jesus.
We need Him!
Reader, the reason God sent the Holy Spirit on the Earth is because He knew we would never be able to follow Him without the Holy Spirit's help, guidance, and protection. But the Holy Spirit is more than just a helpful guide on our pilgrimage, He wants to be your closest friend. The one who you talk to first thing in the morning and last one you speak to at night. He wants to be involved in your life both the highs and lows. I have found Him to be such a faithful friend. Always listening, loving, and encouraging. He is my partner for life and I would not have it any other way. He is my best friend. I can tell Him anything. I want you to know that the Holy Spirit loves you and He wants to be invited into your life. Will you do that today? Will you say, "Holy Spirit I want you to be in my life and become my very best friend!" If you sincerely mean this, one day you will wake up to find that He has answered that prayer.
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