Stillness restores the
soul. Be still long enough to hear the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit speaks to
us best when we are quiet, rested and still.
We are not present with Jesus physically, but He provides
His Holy Spirit to us at the moment. Jesus is present with us now through His
Spirit living inside of us, and when we die we will be present with Jesus physically.
When we wait to hear from the Holy Spirit we can move
and do what the Father is placing upon our spirits, but if we never stop to
allow the Holy Spirit to influence us; it is possible we will go our own way.
The Holy Spirit is gentle and peaceful. The Holy Spirit brings comfort, teaches
us, and guides us. Without stopping to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us, we
may miss what He wants us to do. So many of us are too busy to get quiet and
still before God. I had a friend once tell me that she would love to “get still”
before the Lord, but her mind races too much. (*I will give some tips for
getting still under the counselor’s corner.)
Reflect
and ponder: How
do you know if the Holy Spirit has led you to do something? Ask Him, then look
for His peace, an “inner” knowing, and you will not be confused (no debating
should you do this or that). Do you step out of the order of the Holy Spirit or
rush ahead and just do what you want or what others want from you? If so, what
does that feel like? The Holy Spirit will never make you feel hurried to give
an answer, you won’t feel rushed or panicked, and there is unity between
spouses and usually with other believers in Christ. Where there is no unity and
peace between believers, the Holy Spirit most likely is not involved. Even in
situations that “seem” good, they may not be the best for you-at the time! We
need the Holy Spirit to guide us in all our decisions.
Counselor’s
Corner: You can easily accept Jesus Christ as your
Savior, and without a doubt go to Heaven when you die. I know people who I believe
will go to Heaven when they die, but they miss the power of the Holy Spirit
while living on Earth. The Holy Spirit is with us now and Jesus is in heaven
interceding for us with God the Father. So, are you telling me Jesus is not the
same as the Holy Spirit and God the Father? No! Jesus in heaven sends His
Spirit to us now so we can be equipped and empowered while we navigate a place
that truly is not our home-heaven is. Jesus knew we would need His help, so He
sent His helper-The Holy Spirit.
Have you ever noticed how different Christians can be?
Or even some churches?
If you called on Jesus to be your Savior but you have
not called upon the Holy Spirit to fill you or perhaps you just don’t believe
you need the Holy Spirit; you are missing out on so much like:
The
Spirit teaches us to pray (Romans 8:26-27; Jude 1:20)
The
Spirit leads us (Romans 8:14, Galatians 5:18; Matthew 4:1)
The
Spirit reveals Christ to us and in us (John 16: 14-15).
The
Spirit guides us to all truth (John 16:13).
The
Spirit empowers us (Luke 4:14, 24:49; Romans 15; 19; Acts 1:8)
The
Spirit anoints us for ministry (Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38)
The
Spirit reveals the deep things of God to us (1 Corinthians 2:10)
The
Spirit brings liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17)
The
Spirit transforms us to the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18)
The Spirit gives us access to God the
Father (Ephesians 2:18)
The Spirit strengthens our spirits (Ephesians
3:16)
The Spirit enables us to obey the
truth (1 Peter 1:22)
The Spirit teaches us (1 Corinthians
2:13; John 14:26)
The Spirit gives us joy (1
Thessalonians 1:6)
The Spirit comforts us (Acts 9:31)
*Tips
for how you can get still before the Lord to hear the Holy Spirit:
1. Ask
the Holy Spirit to fill you every day with His Spirit. Ask for a “fresh” outpouring
of His Spirit daily.
2. Find
a quiet place and turn off all electronics and put away your phone.
3. Gather
your journal to write what the Lord shows you, your Bible and a pen.
4. Empty
your mind of all that concerns you. Praying first and asking God to intervene
in situations that you are concerned about can help you hear the Holy Spirit
better. Take some deep breathes and relax.
5. Confess
and repent of any sin in your life. Unconfessed sin can hinder hearing from the
Holy Spirit. Ask the Lord to show you every day what you may need to confess
and repent of.
6. Ask
the Holy Spirit to speak to you and to bring His presence. The Holy Spirit
speaks in a “still, small voice.” What does that mean? The opposite of when the
enemy speaks to you-loud, obsessively, frantic, and without any peace and
order. When the Holy Spirit speaks there is a calm, inner “knowing.”
MEDITATE
ON THESE SCRIPTURES:
But
the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will
teach you in all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to
you. John 14:26
I
still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the
Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak
on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare
to you things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is
mine and declare it to you. John 16:12-15
Nevertheless,
I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not
go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteous and
judgment. John 16:7-15
When
the day of Pentecost arrives, they were all together in one place. And suddenly
there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the
entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as a fire appeared to
them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy
Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:1-46
The
wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do don’t know where
it comes from or where it goes. So is it with everyone who is born of the
Spirit. John 3:8
The
natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are
folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are
spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14
No comments:
Post a Comment