“But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send Him to you. And when He comes, He will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.” (John 16:7-8 NLT)
What comes first to your mind when you think of the Holy Spirit? Power is the most predominant thought when I think of Him. Then I think of Acts 1:8 that says: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” But power for what? “And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere…”
What do you think about when you hear that the Holy Spirit empowers you to be Christ’s witness? Speaking to people about Him? Yes, of course, but there’s so much more. Jack Graham wrote: “The Holy Spirit enables us to do ordinary things with extraordinary results.” And yes, of course, that includes sharing our faith with others. But the reality is, everything we do, say, or even think reflects the Spirit’s activity in our lives.
The more awareness we have of the Spirit’s activity in us, the more focused we can become on what a huge difference He is making in the world around and through us. We tend to be very self-centered and self-focused. Our attitude, even as a believer, is too often that God’s activity should bless, protect, guard, guide, help, encourage, satisfy, bring pleasure, enjoyment, and encouragement – TO ME! TO US!
How He’s working in the world is almost nonexistent in the hearts and minds of many, if not most believers – BUT THAT’S GOD’S FOCUS ALL THE TIME! Notice Jesus’ words in the verse above: “He will convict the WORLD.“ And yes, of course, that includes you and me, but we’ll be blind to much of the difference the Holy Spirit is making if we only view Him through the lens of what He’s doing in ME!
Sin seems more obvious in these last days. EVERYONE is talking about it. EXACTLY! More and more people are becoming aware of the world’s sin, which is, hopefully and ideally, a short step from seeing their own sin. Nothing becomes powerful in and for us unless and until it becomes personal. It’s like seeing all that’s wrong in the world and even in our own lives and asking: “When is someone going to do something about this!”
It’s the Holy Spirt who turns that question upon us and asks? “Good question! When ARE YOU going to do something about it?” Sin, as hideous and disastrous as it is, is ultimately a PERSONAL problem. Things aren’t sinful, people are sinful, but things become dangerous in the hands of or under the control of sinful human beings.
Nuclear missiles aren’t the problem, the sinful human beings that conceived the need of them in the first place and hold in their heart and mind the power to use them are the problem. The world isn’t going to change until the hearts and lives of the people in the world change and that’s the Holy Spirit’s role – to change the hearts and lives of human beings like me and you.
When we allow the Holy Spirit to change US, He’ll help us focus on others, then we’ll begin to see a change in the world. That’s among the biggest differences the Holy Spirit is making.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 