Theology Thursday: I Believe in the Holy Spirit

Whether in our prayer, our study or our worship, the acknowledgement of God and his Son, Jesus Christ, are readily proclaimed. However, there seems to be a void in acknowledgement of the active presence, purpose and power of the Holy Spirit sent as experienced on the Day of Pentecost.

A. W. Tozer stated it clearly when he stated:

“Many of us have grown up on the theology that accepts the Holy Spirit as a Person and even as a divine Person, but for some reason, it never did us any good. We are as empty as ever, we are as joyless as ever, we as far from peace as ever, we are as weak as ever” 

How can so many be missing out on the divine intimate gift of the Holy Spirit’s role to direct our days and provide for us meaningful saturation of the presence of God in every aspect of daily existence? Much of this has to do with our willing reception of the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives.

There are three aspects of the promise of the Holy Spirit that can radically transform our lives as we root our faith in listening and responding to the tug of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

He Is Our Counselor

Seeking God the Father for direction in life is a cornerstone of faith. As a father, I taught many things to my children. Today I find that I do more reminding of lessons long since taught. This is an active part of the Spirit’s role in our lives as we develop our Christian faith.

Jesus activated this in our lives when he stated:

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” – John 14:26

What a powerful thought! What a nest of security! The active, intimate Holy Spirit, given to me by Christ himself is going to guide me, teach me, remind me and lovingly navigate my existence on this earth. This truly is peace on earth, no matter what happens.

He Is Our Convector

Mankind has lost his conscience; his moral compass and relativistic standards erode the truth of God. Well, the plan still is for the Holy Spirit’s role to stand as the convicting force in our lives and for the world.

Again, Jesus stated:

“But in fact, it is best for you that I go away because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin and of God’s righteousness and of the coming judgment” – John 16:7, 8, NLT

We need the humbling, selfishness-crushing, life-altering conviction of our God more than ever. However, the Spirit is gentle. I liken him to Jiminy Cricket faithfully on the shoulder of Pinocchio guiding him toward truth and showing him the daily decisions of good and evil that affect the whole life. How we choose to respond is on us, but the process of learning to listen to and heed the gentle conviction of the Holy Spirit in our lives will bring a harvest of personal spiritual depth beyond imagination.

He Is Our Comforter

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever — the Spirit of Truth” –  Jesus in John 14:16, 17

The term 'advocate' means “one who provides comfort.” We can find comfort in the reliable truth of God revealed through the Holy Spirit. In the unrest of life today, the shaky foundations on which this world is built and the uncertain future this world affords, there is a Comforter living inside you. You will have peace beyond circumstances, you will have power beyond all weakness, you will have wisdom, direction and most of all you will have joy in life’s journey knowing, “I believe in the Holy Spirit.”

The Comforter is with us forever! Leaving you with the words of Tozer once again:

“When the Holy Spirit ceases to be incidental and again becomes fundamental, the power of the Spirit will be asserted once more among the people called Christians”

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