Soul Care - Holy Spirit
by Mary Elsbury
My life right now is in turmoil. I was “gently forced” into retirement and am now packing to move away after 40 years in my home and 25 years at my church. There are days that I sit and ask God, “Why?” There are other days that I am confident that God designed the ideal plan for my life and I need to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to walk with me as my Counselor and Guide.
We live in a culture that is significantly influenced by eastern religion, New Age thinking, and other worldviews, all of which can confuse our understanding of the Holy Spirit and his work.
Many in the church today have little understanding of what the Bible teaches about the Holy Spirit. It’s not uncommon to hear believers refer to the Holy Spirit as “it.” From this and other evidence, it appears that many people think of the Spirit as an impersonal force or power like “the Force” in Star Wars.
We need power to live out our Christian commitment. And if we lack power, we can become discouraged, then disillusioned, then settle into a life of spiritual mediocrity. Jesus tells us very clearly that the power to live as his disciple comes from the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit was present and active at creation. He anointed and empowered the ministry of Jesus (Matt. 1:20–21; Luke 1:34–35, 3:21–22). At Pentecost, he breaks out in full intensity, launching, empowering, and guiding the church and its mission. Jesus speaks most fully about the Holy Spirit in John 14–16. In these chapters, we see that far from being an impersonal force, the Spirit is a person, “another counselor” (14:16) who takes Jesus’ place when he returns to the Father.
We are powerless to live out God’s will without the Holy Spirit. Our own strength and wisdom are insufficient. The Comforter and Counselor left by Jesus is what pushes us to empower people to preach the gospel message (Acts 1:8; 4:31; 1 Cor. 2:1–5; 1 Thess. 1:4–5); convicts the lost of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8–11); bring spiritual renewal to those who trust Christ (John 3:5–6); gives us a deep knowledge of Christ and His love (Eph. 3:19); illuminates the truth of Scripture (1 Cor. 2:6–13; Eph. 1:16–20); empowers believers to put to death the works of the body/flesh (Rom. 8:13; Gal. 5:16); and guides us in ministry (Acts 13:1–3; 16:6–10).
As believers, we need to surrender our lives to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Our spiritual walk needs to model how Jesus lived. That means our finances, family, work, and relationships are all given over to what is best for the Kingdom. If we hold tight to any of those areas, the Holy Spirit is not going to power a life that continues to rebel.
By exercising faith, we demonstrate belief and trust in the Lord. Think of faith as the “on switch” that releases the Holy Spirit’s power. It’s surrendering to God’s plan that He has your best interest at heart and will give you what you need to get through each day and each hurdle.
From the time we are first drawn to Christ until the day we are actively engaged in ministry and beyond, the Holy Spirit is at work in us making it happen. How are you experiencing the Spirit’s work in your life? As for me, I keep telling myself, “I can’t but God can – His plans are for my good and His glory.” That’s a life that is relying on the power of the Holy Spirit.
