The Power

This whole series "Tackled by the Holy Spirit" is going to bring great understanding to the roles of the Holy Spirit in our lives. I have been involved in many different belief systems in one way or another; whether it be working for them, doing events, speaking or training, and it never fails, each place has its own spin on what the Holy Spirit's "role" is.

Questions are constantly asked - "How do you receive the Holy Spirit?" "When do you receive the Holy Spirit?" "What happens when we receive the Holy Spirit?" There are different debates and beliefs, the whole "we have the right answer" syndrome. What I do not get is why the "right way" causes divisions among us. Why is it, when we talk about the Holy Spirit, there is all this disunity and fragmentation of the body of Christ.

John 14:15-18 (NLT) "If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate (Counselor, Comforter) who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans - I will come to you.

If this scripture is true and the Holy Spirit is our Advocate and leads us into all truth, why is truth bringing so much division? When we are truly living lives filled with the Spirit, it is very clear what tends to spill out of our lives.

Galatians 5:22-26 (NIV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we love by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

You see, left on our own we have a tendency to have other "fruit" spill out of our lives. This is why the Holy Spirit is so important He uses super natural powers to transform our natural tendencies.

This power is available to us. This power exceeds human capabilities and causes heavenly abilities to show up in our natural lives.

Acts 1:8 (NIV) But you will receive the 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.

This power is given to us by God to overcome whatever life or the enemy throws at us. It gives us a maintainable strength in times of trouble and chaos. Receiving the power of the Holy Spirit is not a one time event, but a continual process of asking for more of this part of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit has our backs He is there for us and will be with us always. Unless we have within us that which is above us, we soon shall yield to the pressure around us.

My question to us as a family is - what power are we moving in and is it bringing life to ourselves and others?

Love ya all,

Mike