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What if the Holy Spirit Came?
What if the Holy Spirit came? Perhaps I should back up and
ask: What is the Holy Spirit? John Killinger, in his book,
You Are What You Believe, reports a survey he made. He
asked five people, "Who or what is the Holy Spirit?"
Here's what they said:
"Should I know the answer to that?"
"It's the same as the Holy Ghost, isn't it?"
"Sounds scary to me."
"I don't know; I'm not into all that New Age stuff."
"It's the Spirit of God, I think."
What is interesting about this survey is that these five
people were not random pedestrians approached on some
street corner. They were standing in the hall of a church of
which they were all members! Four were adults, one was a
teenager.
When Paul first arrived in Ephesus, he met some Christians.
During the get acquainted conversation, Paul asked them,
"Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?"
They answered, "We haven't even heard about a Holy
Spirit?" Evidently, much of the modern church is also
ignorant of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is God present with us. We know God in
three ways as the Trinity. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit
are not three distinct entities. God is one. We know water
as liquid, solid (when it freezes into ice), and vapor (when it
boils and turns into steam). Same substance, but known in>
different ways. You know me now as preacher. But I am
also husband, father, grandfather, citizen. I'm one and the
same person, but known and experienced in different ways.
We know God in three ways. God the creator created all
there is, and is still creating. God the Son, Jesus, walked on
this earth as a human being. God the Holy Spirit is God
with us. The Holy Spirit is God in action.
The Holy Spirit moves with might and power. I'm not
talking about some wimp of a god. I'm not talking about
sweetness and syrup. I'm not talking about superficial
blessings. I'm not talking about a pat on the hand and an
easy assurance, "Oh, it will be all right." I'm talking about
power.
When the Spirit came upon David, he killed a lion!
When the Spirit came upon Samson, he pulled down
a temple.
When the Spirit came upon Jeremiah, he
preached to the king, confronted the king with what he was
doing wrong (and Jeremiah was thrown into a well as his
reward).
When the Holy Spirit came upon the timid, anxious,
frightened disciples hiding in an upper room, the experience
was so vivid they could hear the sound of a mighty wind. It
was so real they could see flames of fire over their heads.
The experience was so powerful, they left the upper room
as people of power. They began to witness. Peter
preached, 3,000 responded, and the church was born.
What if the Holy Spirit came? When the Holy Spirit comes,
people are transformed. The power of God reaches into the
depths. The fire of the Holy Spirit cleanses and purifies,
forgives and makes new. Old sins and long memories are
rooted out. Anxiety and worry are discarded. The power
and control of habits and addictions are broken. Sorrow
and grief are turned into gratitude and joy. Broken spirits
and broken bodies are healed.
Last Friday, several of us were treated to a tour of the Arvin
Sango plant by the Manager, our own John Admire. The
Merced plant makes exhaust systems for the Fremont
Toyota plant. We were very impressed with the efficiency
of the operation, and of John's administrative skills.
Throughout the plant, motivational signs are hung. One
reads, "Perfection: the only standard worth working
towards." As Christians, perfection is also our goal. When
the Holy Spirit comes upon you, the Holy Spirit sanctifies
which means to cleanse, purify, perfect you, make you the
person you were created and called to become.
What if the Holy Spirit came to our church? When the Holy
Spirit comes, language barriers collapse. When the disciples
left the Upper Room as people of power, people of courage,
they began communicating in other languages. They
witnessed, they told the visitors who had come to Jerusalem
to celebrate Pentecost all about Jesus. They found the
words they needed. They didn't rehearse. The words were
there. Communication barriers were transcended. When
the Holy Spirit comes, we can communicate on levels
deeper than language. We communicate with hugs of
affirmation, smiles of encouragement, tears of compassion,
and the laughter of joy.
What if the Holy Spirit came to our church? When the Holy
Spirit comes, we can forgive each other's sins. Did you
hear what the resurrected Christ said to his disciples? John<
20:21-23, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins
of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they
are retained." Did you hear the influence, the power we
have over one another? A congregation, can build each
other up or tear each other down. We can increase each
other's pain or we can relieve pain. We can encourage each
other or we can discourage. We can set each other free or
we can increase the ropes of bondage.
What if the Holy Spirit came? When the Holy Spirit comes
upon a church, we are given power to witness. Jesus told
the disciples, Acts 1:8, "You will receive power when the
Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my
witnesses." I'm not talking about a wimpy social club
where the members sit around, wish things would never
change, massage each other's egos, and keep other people
out.
I'm talking about a church on fire,
a church that has been blown upon by the
Holy Spirit,
a church that welcomes everyone regardless
of who or what they are. Bill, a college student, decided to
go to church one Sunday. With his wild hair, a T-shirt with
holes in it, jeans, no shoes, and things probably dangling
from his ears, Bill walked into a very formal church where
the men wore suits and ties (one of "those" churches).The
service was already in progress, but the minister stopped as
Bill walked down the aisle, trying to find a seat. The church
was packed, so he sat down on the floor right in front of the
pulpit. There were gasps; the tension in the air was thick.
One of the saints of the congregation, an 80-year-old godly
man, elegant and dignified, with silver-gray hair, wearing a
three-piece suit, walked down the aisle with his cane. The
congregation knew what he had to do. They were silent as
they watched the old man walk slowly down the aisle,
clicking his cane on the floor. When he reached Bill, he
dropped his cane, with great difficulty lowered himself to
the floor, sat down next to Bill, and together they
worshipped. The congregation choked up with emotion. I
suspect the Holy Spirit came upon that congregation that
day with might and power.
When the Holy Spirit upon comes upon a church, I
see a church where everyone is welcome,
a church where the people are transformed
into witnesses, transformed into ministers,
a church that loves and serves in Jesus'
name,
a church that provides after school care and
summer day camp for children,
a church that cares about families in need
and opens wide its doors,
a church that opens its arms to a new woman
pastor,
a church that is not a museum but uses its
facilities in mission,
a church that dares to experiment, that tries
to reach new people by offering a contemporary music
service,
a church that cares about youth and provides
a ministry that is powerful in its outreach,
a church that sends its youth as far away as
Bolivia to do God's work.
I'm talking about us. I'm talking about our church because
the Holy Spirit has come upon us, and has led us into
mission we never thought possible, has enabled us to do
things we never dreamed we could do. I'm talking about
us, and encouraging us to be open to what God next has in
store for us.
What if the Holy Spirit came? Let me ask you some
questions for self-examination. Your answers to these
questions will help you evaluate your relationship with the
Holy Spirit.
Has the Holy Spirit made Jesus real to you?
Are you beginning to hear the inner Voice of the
Holy Spirit guiding you?
Are you seeing in yourself a new kind of love for
other people?
Are you experiencing power in living your
life and doing the work of God?
Are you receiving help from the Holy Spirit in
praying?
Is there increasing evidence of the fruits of the Spirit
in your life? Gentleness, joy, peace, self-control?
Are you receiving gift(s) of the Holy Spirit to do
your ministry?
Are you going on to perfection? (If not, where are
you going?)
Have you asked to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit cannot be turned off and on like a faucet.
We are not in charge. God decides if and when. We can
only ask. Pray for, ask for the Holy Spirit. Be open so God
can fill you.
And, act on that which you have already received. Why will
God give you more if you haven't acted on what God has
already given you?
When God frees you from anxiety and worry,
don't take them back. Leave them there.
When God calls you to do a ministry, even if you
think it is small and insignificant, do it. Even if you think it
is too big for you, do it. Don't be afraid or intimidated.
Act.
When God calls you to perfection, and expects you
to repent and make life style changes, act.
How can you expect more strawberry shortcake
when you haven't finished what is already on your plate?
How can God give you big blessings if you haven't acted on
the little blessings?
What if the Holy Spirit came? Wow! Get ready. Ask and
act. © 1999 Douglas I. Norris |