A Renewed Emphasis

I am not a man of nostalgia. I don’t particularly like to look back and wonder where the good ol’ days have gone. I recognise that a true disciple of the kingdom is one who brings out of his treasure both new and old (Matthew 13:52). Yet, I am one who is ever looking to keep his eyes fixed on the future, to where God is taking us. Thus, I hope you understand why I am not so stuck on reminiscing.

Yet, I will be honest, there is something, or someone, of the past that I would like to see God’s people recover. His name is Holy Spirit. I do believe that my generation has lost confidence in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. I’ve heard countless stories of what the Holy Spirit did in the 1960’s, 70's, 80's and 90's. And, yes, it was amazing and exciting. But the one word wrong with the previous sentence is this – WAS.

In one of Jesus’ last discourses before His crucifixion, He told His friends this: "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever" (John 14:16). The Holy Spirit was to be "another Helper", just as if Christ Himself were actually there in the flesh. Jesus even said, "It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you" (John 16:7).

An advantage, heh? Yes, for then Jesus would be able to pour out on His people the long awaited blessing – the Holy Spirit. The Spirit would be God Himself living inside and empowering His people to change planet earth. He would no longer just come upon people for specific tasks as in the Old Testament times. It would be to forever abide in and clothe us from on high. And so I believe we must have a renewed emphasis on the person of the Godhead who has come to be with us, live in us and empower us.

We could easily ask the simple question, "Why has the Holy Spirit come?" I do believe that Jesus made it quite clear to the reason why the Holy Spirit has come. It is found in a very familiar Scripture – Acts 1:8 – "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

There it is! That is the reason! The Holy Spirit has been sent, He has come, to empower God’s people to complete the task for which God has called us – to be witnesses in all the earth. The Holy Spirit was not given mainly for tingles, but that we might walk in the power of God having victory over sin, over the enemy and to be equipped for serving God in our generation. Amazingly, Jesus was not even afraid to say this about those who would believe in Him: "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father" (John 14:12). As Christ went back to His Father, He would send the Spirit, and by His power we as a company of God’s people would be able to do greater works than Christ Himself. One can do a lot, but hundreds of millions can accomplish quite a lot more. And what Christ says, He will make sure it comes true!

And so, we are challenged to remember the purpose of which the Holy Spirit has come – to empower the saints to accomplish the heart and will of God. Remember what Paul told Timothy, "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7).

Next, we need to consider that the Spirit is a Spirit of revelation. We are all probably familiar with this passage in the Bible: "No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, nor mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). I believe there is a song that is sung these days quoting this Scripture. But we need to read on, at least for one more verse, "But God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God" (2:10). How about that? There was a day in which many things were hidden in God, for Jesus declared, "Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it" (Matthew 13:17). But we live in a day in which the things of God have been revealed, revealed, that is, by His Spirit.

Yes, we still live in an age in which we prophesy in part (1 Corinthians 13:9). But we still get a glimpse, we still get to hear the voice of the Spirit who lives within in us. And so I believe God is calling His people to be a "verse 10" people, one by which He reveals to us His heart by the Spirit of God.

When is the last time we heard Him speak? Whether it is in the gentle voice as with Elijah (1 Kings 19:12-13) or in the whirlwind as with Job (Job 38:1), we desperately need to hear from the Holy Spirit. Listen to what Jesus said about our ears: "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear" (Matthew 13:16).

We have One who lives in us that is a friend, One who wants to speak to us. Remember that He is another exactly like Jesus. With His presence within, it should be as if Jesus is right here with us. This is challenging, but I am ready to be drawn in and cultivate a deeper intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Finally, if the Spirit is one who speaks, then we must, as the people of God, be willing to respond to His voice. The writer to the Hebrews reminds the believers, "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts" (Hebrews 4:7). Now, as encouragement, keep in mind that we have been given new hearts (Ezekiel 36:26). So we are actually at an advantage.

I, myself, am coming to understand more and more what Paul meant when He exhorted the believers in Ephesus, "Do no grieve the Holy Spirit of God" (Ephesians 4:30). In the context, Paul is probably referring to the words that come from our mouths (see 4:29). James said, "From the same mouth come both blessing and cursing.  My brothers, these things out not to be this way" (James 3:10). Oh, that we would not grieve the God who lives in us with our unwholesome talk.

But I believe grieving the Holy Spirit can go beyond just our words. The Spirit is speaking. Thus, I want to be listening. But I don’t want to stop there. I want to be obedient to His voice. When the Scripture speaks of God hearing our prayers, it is actually referring to Him responding to our prayers (see Psalm 6:9; 66:19). The same stands true for us. We want to truly be hearers of the voice of God, for when we really hear, we will respond.

Before Stephen was stoned, he told the Sanhedrin, "Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient…" (Acts 7:39). Oh, that we would not be like the Israelites who very rarely listened and responded to the voice of God. Oh, that we would not grieve our great Friend who dwells inside us.

I believe that as we bear in mind the reason for the Spirit, the revelation of the Spirit and our response to the Spirit, we will begin to walk out the "greater works" which Christ has called us to. For the One who was poured out from on high at Pentecost (Isaiah 32:15; Acts 2:1-4) is looking to be poured out on each generation and each individual – "I will in those days pour forth of my Spirit" (Acts 2:18). These are the days in which Christ gives the Spirit without measure (John 3:34). "Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down" (Isaiah 64:1). Let a passion be rekindled within us to pursue such a relationship with the Holy Spirit.