Good day TRC and Friends! This past week we asked and answered the question in our Sunday Sermon: Who is the Holy Spirit?
In some of our applications, we highlighted acknowledging the Holy Spirit and learning to build in time to listen as ways of applying the Bible’s teaching on who the Spirit is and what his work is. I wanted to expand briefly on these for you today.
The first of importance for me in these two is simply slowing down to acknowledge the Holy Spirit’s presence.
If the Holy Spirit is truly present, and if his ministry is to lift up Jesus, point us to truth, teach us, remind us of what Jesus has taught, and be our Counselor, then to ignore him is to cut ourselves off from the glorious good he wants to do for us.
Paul reminded the Thessalonians to not quench or stifle the Spirit, so if we ignore him, we are effectually stifling his good for us. So, just begin your day by acknowledging his presence.
This morning my mind was beginning to lose peace as I reflected on some bothersome things, and in God’s good grace I remembered that I had not said good morning to the Spirit, so I stopped fretting and simply said to the Holy Spirit, “I’m sorry I didn’t acknowledge you first thing. Thank you for being present. You are here, and I want to walk with you today.”
Ya’ll, it was the coolest thing. There was an instant peace that sat on me and taught me that acknowledging him is key to winning against all manner of things that come against the fruit of the Spirit.
Finally, if I want to practice what I have learned about the Holy Spirit, I need to put myself in a position to listen. As we have stated, Paul made it clear that we can stifle the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). That means that the Spirit is not going to run roughshod over some of my habits. There is a call on me to exercise Christian discipline and put myself in a position to submit to the Spirit as he teaches me and counsels me.
Here is what we said yesterday about listening:
- Get quiet.
- Get comfortable.
- Let your mind slow down.
- Be saturated with the Scriptures.
- Wait on the Lord.
Ya’ll, the world around us is full of interference in speed and sound, and if we don’t intentionally block some of that out to listen, we might find ourselves stifling the Spirit.
So, take some time to practice these two today. What if any time we lose in carving out this time for the Lord is made up by him in some supernatural way because we took time to tune into him and walk in his way that is full of supernatural nuggets of grace?
We won’t ever know this kind of power until we choose to tap into it.
Let’s get after it today!
Theology in the Dirt 