The Holy Spirit: More Than a Ghost Story
Trick or treat! With last weekend being Halloween, many of us were out with children in costume gathering some sweet treats. Others, (like myself), were sitting around bonfires enjoying the company of friends. What better time to share spooky ghost stories than around the flickering lights of a bonfire with the chilly night air sending chills down your back? Well, as a believer, these stories can be great fun, but it is important to understand that there is indeed a “ghost” in our lives that is with us all the time. Of course, I am talking about the Holy Spirit, not some haunted ghoul! You may know that the Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity, but I would argue that of the three parts of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is the most misunderstood. So what is the Holy Spirit and why is it important in our daily lives?
1. The Holy Spirit is our Helper. In John 14:16, Jesus comforts His disciples as He prepares for His death. He tells them that, “He [God] will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.” He goes on to say, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.” This seems encouraging, but what does it mean? Well, Jesus is explaining that the Holy Spirit will be a helper, literally translated as someone who comes alongside you. But what does the Holy Spirit do? Jesus explains that the Holy Spirit is a teacher and will help us understand the Scriptures – God’s Word. Not only that, but He will help us to remember the things Jesus taught. For me, this is a sharp reminder that while yes, the Holy Spirit will do that, it falls on my shoulders to learn. It is my duty to seek out a relationship with the Holy Spirit in quiet time but, more than that, it stresses the importance of reading the Bible. How can the Holy Spirit allow you to remember things you’ve never read?
2. There is freedom in the Spirit. The Jews during the time of Christ struggled to understand the concept of having direct access to God. Under the Law, they sought intercession from the Jewish priests and rabbis who could go to God in prayer. In 2 Corinthians 3:17, Paul explains that through the Holy Spirit, this is no longer necessary and we now have full access to God anytime, without the necessity of another human interceding on our behalf. Paul says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” We must look at the context here; it is not in reference to having the freedom to do whatever we please because we are saved, but rather, we have the ability to seek God at any time without the pomp and circumstance required under the Law. There is great freedom in that and it makes one’s relationship with God so much more intimate. It is truly a relationship between you and the Lord. Truly, it is liberating to understand the beautiful intimacy of such a relationship, but it comes with the responsibility of us acting on it and ensuring the relationship is strong. Just as with a friend, there is no relationship if there is no time dedicated to that person.
3. The Holy Spirit’s influence should be evident in our lives. If you’ve been in church for any period of time, you’ve likely heard of the Fruits of the Spirit…but what are they? You may think it means you have to embody the personality traits listed in Scripture, but in fact, it is something more. James 2:26 tells us that, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” (Side note, this spirit referenced here is the human soul, not the Holy Spirit.) James is telling us that being a follower of Christ means that you have faith and through that faith, you are changed and your actions and works reflect that. So when Paul tells us in Galatians 5:17-25, we can see that these fruits are effects of our faith and the relationship with the Holy Spirit. Paul says this:
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh…Now the deeds of the flesh are evident…just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”
If this is true, then our lives should reflect these attributes. Where do you “stack up”? Is your visible life a reflection of your spiritual one? If not, use the list of attributes above as a “self-test” to see where you may be lacking. Ultimately, Scripture is clear that your spiritual life directly ties to your actions and mindset.
The Holy Spirit is so much more than just a ghost story in Scripture. He is active in our lives, there to help us and to advocate for us. As I mentioned, because He exists, that does not mean we are off the hook for seeking the relationship. In fact, because we have such freedom and there is no official ceremony we must partake in to pray or seek God, we often push our quiet time to the bottom of our to-do list. As Galatians 5 stated, our human nature is to fight the Spirit, diminishing Him and putting our own priorities first, however, we are called to die to our flesh and walk in the Spirit. As you go through this week, ask yourself these questions. What is my relationship with the Holy Spirit like? Does this relationship have any fruit to it? Where am I lacking? Once you answer these questions, I encourage you to spend time with the Holy Spirit and ask God for the transformation of your heart to be more tuned towards Him so that you can genuinely walk in the Spirit every day of your life.