The Power of the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit: The Power Source 06

I love this chapter because I love the Holy Spirit and His work in me and to me and through me and for me. I love how God chooses and uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things for His fame and glory.  I live to know Him and make Him known. 

One of my most favorite verses in the bible is 2 Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

The all surpassing power of God IS GOD – IS the Holy Spirit who lives within us!

Ephesians 3:20 puts it this way: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…

The Holy Spirit lives in me.  wow.  that’s huge.  audacious.  awesome! 

He lives in me as a guarantee of the promises of God for eternity and He’s in me to empower me to serve God and shine for Him.  He is the potter and I am the clay and He is in me shaping me and transforming me and making me who God dreams me to be.  He’s in me to enable me to walk with God and know God. 

again another most favorite passage:

But as it is written:“ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.  For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 1 Corinthians 2:9-11

I love the BUT GOD HAS REVEALED THEM TO US THROUGH HIS SPIRIT.

The Holy Spirit reveals to us who God is – His ways, His heart, His love, His guidance, His comfort…

To understand the character of God, study His Word and align your words and actions with HIS attributes, shedding the “stuff” in you that runs against the grain of His holiness.  Remind yourself daily of who God is and what He expects you to be and become. 

God is LOVE – 1 John 4:8

God is HOLY – Psalm 99:3

God is GOOD – Psalm 136:1

God is TRUTHFUL – Numbers 23:19

God is FAITHFUL – 1 Thess 5:24

God is RIGHTEOUS – Psalm 71:19

God is COMPASSIONATE – Lamentations 3:22-23

God is WISE – Romans 16:27

God is FORGIVING and KIND – 1 John 1:9

So how does this connect with blogging/facebook/twitter – anything online? 

The Holy Spirit empowers us to connect with people and shine for Him and to speak truth and love to those around us, in real life and online.

The other day I was on twitter following a LOST lecture with the actor who played Benjamin Linus. Yes I still so love Lost.  A young woman then posted a brief tweet that she was feeling lost and alone and worried and sad.  I sat there for a brief moment, aware of the nudge to my spirit.  I tweeted back, you okay? Anything a random stranger can help with or pray for?  Since then we’ve tweeted almost everyday.  This young woman is going through some stuff and I believe that God arranged a divine appointment.  I would have never seen her tweet but for the LOST lecture and the hashtag I was following.  across the miles God organized someone  to pray for her and speak life and hope into her situation, to connect her to Jesus. There are opportunities all around us if we are sensitive and intentional to take them.

Renowned theologian AW Tozer said of this chosen condition: “if we will let Him, Christ will do in us and through us that which He did in and through the committed believers after Pentecost.  The potential is ours…”

The Holy Spirit makes your life and God’s Word sticky to the rest of the world.  So dont log on without Him!   

This chapter encourage us to always be logging on with the Holy Spirit.  He can guide us and inspire us about WHAT to write.  Its amazing the times I’ve written something or shared a bible verse and get a reply or comment that it was just what the person needed to read and that it was like right from God to them. That’s amazing and humbling.  Esp when you’re unaware that you were being led, you were just writing! Sometimes I am very aware that I am being led to write or share something. Other times I am just being me and writing. 

God is so good.  He takes our humble offerings… and He can use them to feed the multitudes, just as He took a little boys lunchbox and fed the thousands.  

As we do so, we will find that He helps us, including as we seek to engage wisely:

learn the culture – what is going on here? Patterns of interaction, gathering places,etc

listen – be a great listener to people

be tolerant – have compassion for real people with real needs

seek common ground – however different people seem, there is always a point of connection

be present – intentionally spend time with people

keep it simple and powerful – input, interaction, value and follow-up

be original – find your own voice, be authentic, sharing hope and struggles.

keep your words in check – words are powerful things, so we need to be careful what we say and how we come across – communicating is being understood not a one way data dump!

respond well – don’t be rushed to just react but maybe pause before replying.  

the challenge for us all to:

Be a connector, not an obstacle, to eternity

to be conducting yourself in a manner worthy to follow Christ online and off-line is a daily practice of humility and surrender. 

What a challenge.

We are not ordinary people.

We are not ordinary bloggers or facebookers or tweeters.

We are agents for God!

Don't be an undercover agent!

Be also aware of WHO could be reading your status updates or looking at what you “like”

I’m not saying be unauthentic – if you’re having a bad hair day that’s okay. But don’t cross the line. Be aware that people are watching you, to see God in you, to evaluate Christianity and its reality through you.

I love the prayer at the end of this chapter, and will end this post with it:

Dear Lord, my one desire is to be filled with Your Holy Spirit – so do Your supernatural, holy work, Lord and come quickly.  I need Your Spirit to guide me, teach me, search me and take up residence in every secret place of my heart.  Holy Spirit, You are welcome here.  Own my thoughts, reign over my words.  Quicken my heart to respond to the needs of those around me.  Tear down the me that offends You.  Obliterate my pride, selfishness, judgement and indifference.  Build in me a holy fortress that will withstand any attack.  I want to love who You love. Have your way with me as I surrender joyfully to the authority and the power of You Holy Spirit.  amen.

Lord, you are the Potter, and I am the clay…

I am Yours, use me.

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Forwarded by Agnes Apigo