The Holy Spirit (Part 2)
On Monday, I explained how I’ve experienced the Holy Spirit. I used the analogy of the cellular network and how becoming a Christian activates the SIM card in our spirits, enabling God the Father to speak and listen to His children through the cellular network of the Holy Spirit.
So if the Holy Spirit is the cellular network that connects God and me, what do the messages say and how do I know it’s Him I hear? What kinds of things does He ask me to do? When God speaks, what does He say?
My friend John taught me that God almost always speaks about matters of the heart. I don’t expect stock market tips, directions to avoid traffic or medical diagnoses. But I have experienced enough of God’s guidance to confirm that John is right. Our Heavenly Father is about the heart. About motives.
Here are a few of the messages I’ve received from God via the Holy Spirit . . .
- Encouragement – When I ask, “What would You have me know today?” God often responds with an affirmation of His love for me. Sometimes when I pray for someone else, He’ll remind me that He loves that person as well.
- Direction – When I sit silently before the Lord and ask, “Jesus, who would You have me pray for today?” He consistently brings people to mind. Often, He’ll give me a sense for how to pray for them. A lot of times, I’ll ask for a certain outcome, and He’ll remind me that I’m trying to do His job for Him, but then reassure me that I’ve been heard.
- Guidance – “What would You have me do with what You’ve shown me, Lord?” Sometimes the answer is “Trust Me . . . I’ve got this!” Or “Just love them, don’t try to fix them.” Often there’s silence and a sense that I need to wait before doing something. Sometimes, there’s a challenge . . . a reminder to drop my expectations and trust Him.
- Remembrance – God often brings a verse to mind when I’m praying. I believe the more Scripture we know, the easier it is to hear what He’s saying. John 14:26 says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
- Peace – When I worship God and call out His name in adoration and praise, I feel His presence in my soul whether He speaks to me or not. We can never demand the Holy Spirit do anything, but we can rest in faith that God loves us, hears us and is with us. Just because He’s silent doesn’t mean He’s still.
Can God be a perfect Father without communicating with His children? I don’t think so. But we won’t hear the Holy Spirit speak if we don’t believe He can.
Our Heavenly Father stands ready for our call. The network is always up!
Scripture: I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me. (Habakkuk 2:1)
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Responses (1)
Good Word Reggie!