The Holy Spirit Empowers



God speaks and the Holy Spirit comes to Jesus after he was baptized.




“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit

comes on you and you will be my witnesses

in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,

and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NIV)



Several years ago, a man at our former church used this verse as a way to instill interest in missions in our youth. He equated Jerusalem to our city, our neighborhood, or our part of town. He likened Judea and Samaria to our state or our region. He explained the phrase, ‘to the ends of the earth.’ as the work done worldwide.

Recently, as I prepared to work on this blog entry, I paused at the phrase, in all Judea and Samaria. “In Samaria?” I thought. That’s the region Jesus and all the Jews tried to bypass in their travels. The Jewish people believed they were the ‘chosen ones of God.’ Yes, they were and still are. But in Biblical times, they acted haughty about it. They considered the Samaritans inferior because some of ‘their’ people intermarried with inhabitants of that region.

The first Century Christians received the promised Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Because of this they were able to carry the message of God to all they met. From the world they experienced persecution. Because they had the Helper promised by Jesus Christ, their numbers grew.

*Is there a Samaria in our lives?

*Is there something we don’t believe we can do for the LORD?

*Is it something we don’t feel equipped to do?

*Or is it something that scares us when we think about it?

I believe, if we were honest, we would all say, “Yes.” I learned we can trust God’s Holy Spirit to lead us through these feelings of fear into a place where we can work for Him and help enlarge His Kingdom.

Dear Lord: We look to You for guidance. We lean on You for strength. Please help us as we decide on how to approach our personal Samaria, whether physical, mental or emotional. In the name of Jesus, we pray. AMEN

The Holy Spirit Constrains




God can close the door on our dreams,
if those things are not in His plans for us.

 



“Paul and his companions traveled throughout

the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been

kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word

in the province of Asia.” Acts 16: 6-7 (NIV)



From time to time in my Christian walk, I have wanted to do something that I couldn’t.

*Maybe the time wasn’t right.

*I wasn’t really gifted in that area.

*God had other plans for me.



Reflecting on a few of those times, I realize if I had been allowed to do them, I would have been grieving the Holy Spirit. My life would not be what it is today.

It seems Paul and his companions had wanted to go into Asia. But God closed the door on their plan.

Several years ago, a close friend asked me to pray about the possibility of her and another lady starting a business together. I took the need before God; I prayed several weeks for this. I asked my friend about their decision. She told me, “It’s not going to happen.” I felt led to not pursue the topic. My friend had received her answer.

Since that time, this friend has had several illnesses in her family. For over a year now, she has watched over her sister who had two strokes and is in a nursing home. In years past, her husband went through two medical crises. Her sister’s late husband developed Cancer twice.

Several years ago, she worked for a small business in our area of town. The owner suffered a stroke. My friend, with the help of her husband, and another employee ran that business until their boss and his wife could get back to the running of it.

God had other plans for her. Had she started that business as she thought, she wouldn’t have been able to be there for her family.

In everything she does, she stands for God. Even though He constrained her that many years ago, Holy Spirit works through her.

John Speaks Of The Holy Spirit



John Baptizing Jesus.




“I baptize you with water for repentance,

but after me will come one who is more

powerful than I, whose sandals I am not

fit to carry. He will baptize you with the

Holy Spirit and with fire.”

Matthew 3:11 (NIV)



John the Baptist spoke to the crowd of Pharisees and Sadducees. His words prophesied the importance of the One who would come after him, the Christ.

He tells those listening that Jesus is more powerful than he. John speaks for us all in this statement. We can not compare ourselves to Christ at all. We belong to Him because of His grace.

More importantly, Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to guide our lives until He comes again to rule the earth.

Jesus told the disciples He would send a Counselor to them. (John 16:7) He continues by speaking of what this Counselor will do. (John 16:13)

How often have we not allowed the Spirit of Truth to work out things in our lives?

When have we not followed His leading?

Why are we so disobedient?

What can we do to correct this pattern in our lives?



Dear God:

Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit into our lives. Please forgive us when we don’t heed Him. We ask that You guide us to a better knowledge of Your Spirit in order that others may see You in us. We give you all the praise. In the name of Jesus, we pray. AMEN

Evidence Of The Holy Spirit



A kind, strong, helping hand

 “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the spirit gives birth to the spirit.

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound,

but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.

So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:6, 8 (NIV)



Just as we don’t see the actual wind but the effects of it, we don’t see the Holy Spirit. We experience His working.

We notice a person’s peaceful demeanor when we are around them. They share in another’s joy. We see their loving concern when they inquire about someone’s need or that person’s health.

They wait patiently for answers to prayer and outcomes in their lives and in the lives of others.

The person who possesses the Holy Spirit displays gentleness and is faithful to his or her word. He or she always uses kind words when speaking of others.When that person is dealing with difficult issues in his or her life, he or she has their emotions under control.

All these qualities we see in others’ life are only present because of the Holy Spirit working in their lives. When someone possesses these qualities, they don’t have to say they are a Christian. Their attitude and conduct speaks for them.



Dear God:

Thank You for placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Thank You for letting Him change us into who You want us to be. Please guide us as we walk the Christian path that we may do all things to please You. In the name of Christ, we pray. AMEN

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

God's Spiritual Gifts for His people

“All of these are the work of one and the same Spirit,

and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.” 1 Corinthians 12: 11 (NIV)


Read 1 Corinthians 12

The Apostle Paul explains to us the qualities, or assets, the Holy Spirit gives to individuals in a body of believers. In this chapter he describes various strengths needed by churches in order to build God’s Kingdom.

From time to time, I have read about or heard of a group or an individual holding teaching seminar on asking for a certain Spiritual gift.This passage tells me God has a different approach.  I once sat in a worship service where the person in charge started to delve into this topic. Two of us had to remind the man that it was the Holy Spirit’s decision as to who received what gift. The man never spoke of that subject again.

While it is true that every believer receives one Spiritual gift, a believer can receive several but no one receives all of them. If a person has several gifts, those gifts are termed a ‘gift mix.’

At different times in my Christian walk, I have taken a ‘Spiritual Gifts Survey’. The one I was most familiar with was a study book that had descriptions of each gift and how they could be used in God’s Kingdom. The material cautioned us on how to recognize if we were abusing the gifts. I believe Zondervan published it. I researched this and found information on their website.

After we took the survey, our scores were compiled. Our three highest scores were our working gifts, our next three highest- our waiting gifts, the scores left were not our gifts.

In my experience of taking this survey I have learned: 1) The gifts usually hold true. The gifts we have in 2011 will be evident in 2012 and beyond. 2) Those waiting gifts are qualities that we can develop into working gifts. 3) Other people confirm our gifts.

The purpose The Holy Spirit has for giving us these gifts is to build God’s Kingdom. We should all be working toward enlarging it.

“God-Breathed”



God's Inspired Word

 “The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground

and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man

became a living being.” Genesis 2:7 (NIV)



When I read this passage, I feel humble. God created mankind from dust. But man was still without that ‘something’, that extra spark. The final step in the process came when God breathed His breath into man. Man then became a vital being.

Without God, we are nothing. Having His breathe in us gives us a very special life.

 ●Elihu, one of Job’s friends realized this. “The Spirit of God made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” Job 33: 4

Whenever we think of the Bible, we reflect on the thought that God breathed His breath into the many persons who penned the different stories of His Book; we call it His inspired Word.

●The prophet Ezekiel wrote of having the hand of the Lord on him, being placed in a valley, and seeing a field of bones. The Lord asked him a very basic question, “Son of man, can these bones live? Ezekiel answered, “O, Sovereign Lord, You alone know.” {Ezekiel 37:3}

God then told His spokesman to ‘Prophesy to the bones.’ {Ezekiel 37:4} They responded by joining together. Tendons and skin appeared.

The Lord then had Ezekiel ‘prophesy to the breath.’ {Ezekiel 37:9a} The spokesman called on the breath to ‘come from the four winds.’ {Ezekiel 37:9b}

The bones stood up before Ezekiel, God told his prophet that the bones were the

Nation Israel. {Ezekiel 37:11} It seems that Israel had kept telling the Lord ‘our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’

God told them He would restore their nation to where they had been spiritually.

He would do it in such a way that they would know it was from Him. {Ezekiel 37:14}

Are we, individually or as a nation, a valley of dry bones?

Have we lost our hope?

Will we again have God breathe into our souls?


Dear Lord:

Only You know if we have become ‘dry bones.’ It is only through You that we can regain life. We ask You breathe into us the breath of life. Allow us to be used of You for Your purposes. In the name of Jesus, we pray. AMEN

The Spirit of Truth

Jesus teaching the Disciples

“And I will ask the Father and He will send you another

Counselor to be with you forever-The Spirit of Truth

. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him

nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and

will be in you.” John 14: 16-17



I get excited when I read this passage.

Sometimes life gets to be so humdrum. I waken; I rise; I might get a little housework done; then Hubby and I go out for a while. When we return I may have to run to CVS or to the grocery store. Interwoven in between all these mundane chores I find time to write or do research. In the evening, I might have a meeting or church. If I’m home I watch television. I sometimes forget that God is there working in my behalf. But these words of Jesus tell me something more.

“. . . I will ask the Father . . .” The Son of God thinks so much of you and me that He goes before His Father, the Creator of the universe, and presents our needs.

“. . . and He will send you another Counselor . . .” Our God permits someone else to enter our messed up world to guide us through these days.

“. . . to be with you forever-The Spirit of Truth” This Counselor will be with us at all times, will never leave us. He has a name; Jesus calls Him The Spirit of Truth. His name tells me He comes from God.

“The world can not accept Him . . .” Even in the 1st Century A. D., God knew the world would reject Him. It had already rejected the prophets and other representatives He sent.

“. . . it neither sees Him nor knows Him.” We hear people say our world is imperfect. This is true but the description that best states its condition is that our world is fallen. As a child, I heard the adage, “Seeing is believing.” As I grow spiritually, I have come to realize that “Believing is seeing.” When we believe that Jesus is with us, we see Him working in the lives of people.

“But you know him,” Jesus reminds His disciples, then and now, that they (we) know and accept the Counselor and, whenever we need it, we have access to Him.

“. . . for he lives with you and will be in you.” Do we realize that God’s Holy Spirit dwells within us? On days that I don’t feel well or I have times of stress, I don’t always respond to circumstances as if God’s Spirit resided in me or in a way He would want me to. But God always instructs me and I am willing to learn how to rely on Him and His Holy Spirit.



Here are a few other verses about The Spirit of Truth:

“When the Counselor comes, whom I send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth goes out from the Father, He will testify about me.” John 15:26



“The Spirit of Truth will guide you (us) into all truth and will speak only of what He hears and will tell you (us) what is yet to come.” John 16:13.



“He will bring glory to Me by taking what is Mine and making it known to you.” John 16:14 (NKJV)



The work of the HS is to communicate and impart truth to those who receive Him. (Paraphrased from the writing of R. A. Torrey)



Dear God:

We thank You for your great love for us. It is because of that love that you granted Jesus’ request for a Counselor to come and be in us to guide us through our days. We give thanks for Your Word that we can learn of You and Your Son. In the name of Jesus, we pray. AMEN