How many times have you felt overwhelmed by daily situations? Work deadlines, family life, church obligations, social commitments… they all pile up one after the other and you begin to feel at a loss on how well you’ll be able to accomplish any of them, right? You may feel alone and on the hook for all of it, but guess what… you’re not.
Lucky for you, as a Christian, you have not been left to your own devices to muddle through this life. Rather, you’ve been given an earthly guide—the Holy Spirit—to help you on your journey.
But What or Who Exactly is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is God’s Power in action. In the Bible, the word “spirit” is translated from the Hebrew word ruʹach and the Greek word pneuʹma. Most often, those words refer to God’s active force, or holy spirit, which, when you become Christian is instilled in you! Think about that. GOD’S active force is inside YOU.
Although that is pretty awe-inspiring in itself, what does it mean exactly? Through the Holy Spirit, God is there to give you insight into His purpose for you and your life. This spirit of God empowers you to do specific God-given tasks with specific God-given gifts and talents.
What is more, God’s Spirit is consistent and dependable. He will never leave or forsake you. When you need help and encouragement, when you need strength and decisive action, it is the Holy Spirit who will encourage and help you.
John 14:26 “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
The Spirit has been a factor in Christianity since its inception. As and example to all of us, at the beginning of Christ’s mission, He is baptized in the Jordan River. The Holy Ghost, God’s spirit, comes down on Him in the form of a dove and empowers Him to begin his mission of healing the human condition and starting a new creation. Jesus paved the way for us to also receive this powerful gift too!
John 14:26 “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”
Why is This Important?
The Christian life is often seen as one of opposites—thinking and living opposite the way the world thinks and lives. This is because God’s ways are not always man’s ways. The Bible says to live we must put God first, the world tells us to live we should put ourselves first. The Bible says to get ahead in work, etc. we need to humble ourselves and let God promote us when He is ready to promote us. The world tells us we should tell others about who we are, and work for our own promotion. With these two completely opposed forces in our lives, we desperately need the Holy Spirit to guide us according to the Bible, and then give us specific instruction as it applies to our daily lives.
Exercise: Write down one question that you’d like the Holy Spirit to help you with. Now take a couple of minutes and just talk to God about.
