“Just who is the Holy Spirit and what kind of power can he make available to us?” I remember asking my youth leader that question more years ago than I care to number. I grew up in the church and had heard about the Holy Spirit - or the Holy Ghost, as he was often called - but I really had no idea what he did. He was just that third name the pastor mentioned when he baptized people, “in the name of…” It all seemed a little spooky to me, to be honest. I really did not want a ghost (Holy or otherwise) in the room with me. But our leader was explaining how to be “filled” with this Holy Ghost, so I needed to understand just who he was. My leader sat down and explained the following truths to me, and quite honestly, my life has never been the same…
The Holy Spirit is God’s permanent presence with us. When Jesus left this earth, he told his followers that God was going to give them “another Counselor” to be with them forever (John 14:16-17). This was the Holy Spirit - the form of God that we receive when we accept Christ into our lives. He has several jobs that He accomplishes in our lives, but one of them is to enable us to understand the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:12). He also gives us assurance of being a child of God (Romans 8:15-16), helps us glorify Christ with our lives (John 16:14), and gives us the ability to speak to others about Christ (Acts 1:8). As you can see by the scripture references, the Bible actually has a lot to say about the Holy Spirit, even though many of us are not aware of his purpose.
We are unable to live a life pleasing to God OUTSIDE of the power of the Holy Spirit. We may want to really badly. We may try very committedly. But we will always fail eventually, because we just don’t have it in us to live that kind of life. Our own strength is inadequate. While I was growing up in the church, I must have “re-dedicated” my life twenty times. It was necessary all those times because even though I truly wanted to please God, and even though I could start out successful in my attempts, I always ended up failing because I was trusting in my own efforts to live the Christian life. So, I would find myself moved by a speaker, and headed down the aisle again to re-dedicate myself to being a better Christian. And I did it again, and again. My spirit was willing, but my flesh was weak.
Only when we use the correct power source are we able to live that Christian life. That source is the Holy Spirit, and when we are “filled”, or directed and empowered, by Him we are finally able to live a life pleasing to God. Will that life be perfect? No. Will we still sin, fail, and disappoint God and each other? Yes. But these failures will come much less frequently as we grow in our relationship with God and learn how to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith. God’s word commands us to be filled with His Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), and then promises that if we ask according to his will, God will answer our prayers (1 John 5:14,15). So, we can know that when we come to the end of ourselves, and ask God to now direct our lives, He hears our prayers and will give us the power through His Spirit to live for Him.
When we apply this truth to our lives, something remarkable happens. When we remember to ask for His abilities all through the day and not rely on our own, we will see real changes. We will find our lives producing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23). We will find that our prayer life and study of God’s word is more meaningful. We will experience His power over temptation and sin (1 Corinthians 10:13; Romans 6:1-16). And we will view ourselves and our responsibilities through God’s eyes and not our own. Our purpose in life will change forever.
So, if you want to truly experience His presence in your life, if you want to begin to think, speak, and act like you are His child, then all you have to do is “practice His presence” by being filled by His Spirit. It is not an emotional experience. It is a day to day–no, a moment by moment walk where we consciously choose to use His strength in our lives, rather than our own. You may find yourself able to handle the pressures of your job better. You may find yourself thinking more about scripture, and praying throughout the day. You may even find yourself speaking to family and friends about how they can know Christ personally, too. Walking in the power of the Holy Spirit won’t be spooky or scary, but it will be supernatural, and beyond your expectations.
points to ponder
- Are you depending on your own strength to live the Christian life?
- Have you experienced an up and down spiritual experience, leading to frustration in your life?
- Are you willing to surrender the control of your life to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to direct your life?
prayer
Father, I need you. I know that I do not always allow you to control my life. I do desire to be filled by your Spirit and to experience all that you have for my life. I confess the sin of directing my own life, and ask you to give me a surrendered heart. Fill me with your Holy Spirit, and show me how you can change my life and make me the kind of person you want me to be. I want to please you in every respect. Give me the faith to trust you more. I love you. Amen.