The Fellowship

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

-- 2 Corinthians 3:17 & 18

A recent sermon . . .

          Me: “Point to where the Father is.”

                  Congregation points straight up

          Me: “Point to where Jesus is.”

                  Congregation points straight up

          Me: “Point to where the Holy Spirit is.”

                  Congregation points to their own chest

Why are we so uncomfortable with the Holy Spirit? 

He’s Lord.  He’s God.  He lives in us.  You can’t get to heaven without him.  He’s the Spirit of Jesus, and aren’t we supposed to love Jesus?  So, why are we so uncomfortable with the Holy Spirit?

There is a deeply human reason that we don’t want to have anything to do with the Holy Spirit, and no matter your denomination/non-denomination the answer is the same.

We are afraid of God. 

We are afraid.  Like the Israelites were when the presence of God descended upon the mountain in smoke and fire and they told Moses to talk to God for them.  Like those Israelites . . .

We are afraid of what God will say to us. 

We are afraid of what he will require of us. 

We are afraid of losing the illusory control we have over our lives. 

We are afraid of his real intentions towards us. 

We are afraid of who God really is. 

We don’t trust that who God is is good.

I learned that I really didn’t know the Holy Spirit as well as I thought I did until early one morning during my quiet time with the Holy Spirit.  I was deployed on the USS Bonhomme Richard, and I came boldly before the throne of God with all of God’s armor on.  I came before God ready to charge into battle not against him but by his side.  Well, before I got 8 words out of my mouth, the presence of God welled up from inside me, and I was captured.  In that moment, he wasn’t interested in the troubles that the day would hold or the victories that would be won -- God was wooing me. 

He made me feel loved.  He was “warm breezes”, smiles, and tenderness.  I could feel him restraining his endless power, and I knew that he was pleased with me. 

The reason I write this blog is out of love for the one who loved me first, and so you too can know with your spirit, soul, and body the glory that you have living on the inside of you -- the Spirit of Jesus himself.

Next time, we’ll begin to take a look at how you too can move beyond the fear and know more about the Spirit of Jesus living inside of you.

Let me close in prayer:

Daddy, I come to you in Jesus’ name, and I ask that you would reveal to everyone that reads this post the barriers that block them from knowing and experiencing the Spirit of Jesus that lives inside of every believer.  Lord, show them who you really are – show them your love.  I receive all of this from you in Jesus’ name – Amen.