The Flow of the Holy Spirit

Week Thirteen

The Flow of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit indwells each person who professes a belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God and the one who died to reconcile us to God the Father. The moment we accept Christ and the gift of salvation, he sends his Spirit to live in us. But we have to invite that spirit to rule and reign in our lives. He will not take over unless asked to do so. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman and quietly waits for us to call upon him. 

I remember reading the Bible without asking the Spirit of God to teach me and it made no sense, it didn’t really become a part of my life until the Holy Spirit began teaching me. And he didn’t teach me until I asked him to. It was a conscious act of my will. I had to submit my will to God and ask for help. This is not something we do once, but it is a daily submission, sometimes hourly, sometimes even minute by minute.

Once the Holy Spirit begins to teach us there is no turning back. It is like a flowing creek, it begins a course and will not stop until it reaches a destination. Thinking about how creeks flow, it came to me that they start out as small little trickles. 

The Holy Spirit may speak to my heart to send a get-well card to a church member who has been sick. Nothing elaborate, just a small note to tell them that they are being thought of and prayed for. That’s all, it may take only five minutes to write, address and stamp the note. The same Spirit may speak to another member of the congregation to make a casserole and take to the same person. The same Spirit may speak to another member and ask them to call them and see if there is anything they can do to help. 

When that person receives all of these blessings, they may not even see that it was the Spirit of God sending these folks to help them heal. They may not realize that God cared so much for them that he would use others to show his love. Then again, they may know immediately that it was from God and just praise him for being so loving and kind.

God’s Spirit wants to use us to minister to others. We often think that if we submit to God’s Spirit that he would want us to sell all we have, and move to Africa. But often all that God asks us to do is something small. If we don’t respond and do the little things he asks us to do, maybe the blessing won’t be as significant for the recipient. Maybe God won’t be glorified in the situation.

How many times have you heard a little voice in your spirit ask you to do something nice for someone? Give them a phone call, drop them a note, buy them a gift, offer them a ride. How many times have you ignored that little voice because it would inconvenience you or cut in on your family time. I am guilty of neglecting the Spirit's leading many times. Especially in the small things. But who knows how the Spirit may be trying to accomplish something really significant by using numerous people in a given situation. There is strength in numbers.

Remember September 11, 2001, do you remember the first thing you did when you heard that a plane had hit the first tower? I know the first thing I did was pray in my spirit, “God, please send your angels to minister to those folks in the building, help them Father!” 

How many prayers do you think God heard that morning? Do you believe that God was able to hold those buildings up until as many people as possible were able to escape? I believe we may never fully know just how many lives were spared that day as a direct result of prayer. We have that power each and every day, if believers would be attune to the Spirit of God and be ready to respond to whatever the Spirit asks us to do. 

Jesus prayed to the Father for us in John 17:20-23. “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

As we obey the still small voice within, we may not know what the outcome will be from our actions, but just know that the same Spirit is moving in the hearts of other believers at the same time and God’s purposes will be accomplished.

It seems that denominational churches are finally starting to realize their similarities and the power that is available when we join forces. 

In the community in which I live, we are fortunate to have had this sense of unity for some time. During Holy Week we meet in different churches each night and a different pastor will give the message each night. This is a marvelous time of unity. We do serve the same God, we believe in the same savior and we are all sinners saved by grace.

The Emmaus community that we belong to is another example of the spirit moving and crossing denominational lines to minister to God’s people everywhere. When I went on the Emmaus walk there were ladies at my table from the Church of Christ, Methodist churches, Catholic churches, Baptist churches and Episcopal churches, but we all had the same love for Jesus and we all wanted to serve God. God’s Spirit was able to minister to us and through us in a mighty way that weekend.

If we as the body of Christ ever truly come together, there will be nothing that could stop us. The Holy Spirit is waiting for opportunities to use us. Lets give him more chances to become a raging torrent. That power will be able to sweep so many people right into the current.

Father God,

We want to be obedient, but we often don’t want to be inconvenienced. Today we ask forgiveness for our selfishness and our disobedience. Help us to look for the similarities among other denominations and stop bickering about our differences. Forgive us for thinking that the way we worship is the only way to worship. We do invite your Spirit to speak to us, to unite us and we will put aside our interests and listen to what your Spirit requires of us. We want to do your will and ask that you continue to use us as your ambassadors on this earth. In Jesus name. Amen.