All in Holy Spirit
More likely than not, if you are reading this, you know Jesus; who He is, and about His life. If you are reading this you may have asked Him to come into your life, confessed Him to be your Savior, and gone down in the waters of baptism. My question to you this morning is two fold today... how deep has your relationship with Him become, and, have you asked to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
Do you hear the Word of Jesus and worship God as you should? We go to church and sing songs, pray together, chant, and recite creeds, but these are all physical manifestations of faith that anybody can do. What I am asking is... Do you allow your spirit to enter into worship with the physical you; in the religious things you do?
You have professed your faith in God, and accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, but now you are asking yourself... “what is the Holy Spirit, will I receive it, and how will I know when I do?” Let’s explore the breath of Jesus and the Spirit He breathes onto us. Let’s ask our Lord to give us His comforter, and teacher to be with us as we journey, and to provided us through His Spirit those things we need along the way.
When you talk with a friend about Jesus in a public place do you speak in hushed tones? When someone asks you about Jesus in a crowded room do you whisper in their ear, or just nod you head? If so, let me tell you a couple of stories, and give you some scripture, that might change your behavior.
Do you have a gift to offer God, but you just can't find the right moment to give it to Him? Are you standing before the altar with doubt in your mind wondering if He will receive your offering? Is your spirit unsettled and in a state that keeps you at arm's distance from God's will in some matter? In moments like this there is something not right... there is emptiness of spirit... listen as the Holy Spirit directs you in clearing away the obstruction.
God never leads us by the ear into salvation. He never forces us to acknowledge Him against our will, or badgers us until we finally give in. No, a tiny seed is planted within us and it becomes our responsibility to tend and grow it, or let it lie dormant and eventually whither away.
Do you claim the glory of God for yourself? When doing great things you have been called and gifted to do, do you puff out your chest and swagger as if they were about you? We are tempted as men and women of the world to claim rights over God's work when it moves through us into the physical world, but we must defeat that inclination lest we be humbled.
In Nashville we had a total eclipse of the sun this year (2017), and although it took a while to reach the totality, or period the of time in which the moon totally covers the sun, the totality itself lasted for two minutes or less. Quite often the period of time God shines His light of opportunity in our lives is short as well. If we miss the chance to see or to act upon the calling which God presents us, we may never experience that opportunity again.
Do you have an inkling of worthiness? Do you feel that you are owed forgiveness or that in some way you deserve to receive Jesus? If so then you are not prepared for His coming or the arrival of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist knew what it felt to be unworthy.
We say we are Christians but continue to live our lives of faith like suits of clothes; we treat our belief in Christ lightly and only let it brush up against our skin, when we should actually be taking Jesus into our very being, our hearts, making our faith like the communion meal reveals... part of us.
Would you recognize the voice of Jesus if you heard it? If He called your name would you know it was Him that called you? Probably not, but if, in an instant, He revealed all the moments in which He came to you in your life you would realize it was Him.
We all need to have a personal relationship with God, not just be casually aquatinted, but to know each other intimately. Is your faith the product of listening to others or do you have personal experience with God?
Have you ever stopped to consider that not every misfortune that you face in life is put upon you by Satan? Some are just natural occurrences of living, through which we exercise the lessons of faith we have been taught, but others are the correction of the Father as he chastises us.
Does God speak to you every day? If your answer is no, are you certain of that? It is my experience that God seldom shouts at us; His voice is gentle and requires a certain stillness of spirit if we are to converse with Him. Still yourself and listen.
Are you ready to step forward in faith into a new role of servitude? Our inclination is to go only so far and then fall dutifully in behind our spiritual mentors, allowing them to lead us from there. However, God would have use step through that moment and cross into a larger life with Him. This is an inevitable event.