6. Enabled…
It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm in Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first instalment that guarantees everything he has promised us.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22
So, if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.
Luke 11:13
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit who leads into all truth.
John 14:16-17
Last time we spoke about receiving the Holy Spirit and how this can be a real stumbling block for many Christians who can accept the love of the Father and the salvation of the Son but don’t see the relevance of the Holy Spirit for today.
I have a physical impairment – as my larynx has been removed, I am unable to make any sound without a special valve placed between my separated trachea and oesophagus which enables me to speak. A vision-impaired person may have a cane or a guide dog to enable them to move around confidently. A hearing-impaired person has a hearing aid, a crippled person has a wheelchair. Without these items we would all be unable to live full and satisfying lives.
Just as we have aids to support us in our physical lives, so we have God’s Holy Spirit to enable us to live full spiritual lives and achieve God’s mighty plans for us. God has given us his Holy Spirit. He has placed his Spirit in our hearts for a purpose. Jesus plainly explains this purpose to his disciples:
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’
John 16:13-15
The Holy Spirit show us God’s truth and enables us to follow that truth, to be and do all that God intended for us.
His Holy Spirit enables us, helps us, advocates for us, working with us and for us to serve God as he has planned for us. This is exciting – God’s Holy Spirit barracking for us, coaching us, mentoring us – our greatest ally, living in us.
But what if I had decided not to have the valve inserted to allow me to speak? It would still be there in its box waiting on the shelf. And I would be unable to speak.
So, too, if we leave the Holy Spirit in his box, on the shelf to gather dust we will be unable to discern God’s truth. We need to invite the Holy Spirit in to our lives, to seek his guidance, allowing him to enable us to live the purposeful life God has designed for us.
You may have decided long ago or even last time to accept the gift of God’s Spirit but now you need to make sure you don’t leave this gift on the shelf to gather dust. Step out with God, trust his Spirit to guide you, mentor you, show you the truth in your life.
Prayer: Lord, give me spiritual ears and eyes to hear and see what your Holy Spirit is saying to me today and to allow your Spirit to lead and enable me into the purposes you have created for me each day.
Amen
Action: This is important, so block out half day (a whole day would be even better) to just sit under the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit seeking what God has to say to you and what God wants for you. Take your time, don’t try to hurry things, just listen and maybe journal, draw, or even sculpt what you hear.
Journal your thoughts:
