Spirit Filled
When I hear these two words together, I often think of people who are very charismatic about their walk with God and somewhat “showy” about their walk with God. This observation is not meant to be condemning about anyone who acts like this. In my experience with Christians who are very animated about their faith, they seem to discount those of us who are less animated or less quiet.
This Jewish teacher named Nicodemus came to Jesus after dark. I think this was purposeful because he was in the minority of the Pharisees. He had questions, but it appears that he had tremendous respect for Jesus. His conversation with Jesus delivers some amazing insight to the Kingdom of God. Check this out….
3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,[a] you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” (John 3:3-8 NLT)
The Spirit of God is not measurable by normal measurements. I can’t always tell if someone really has the Spirit of God in them or not. Later in scripture, the Apostle Paul spoke of the fruits of the Spirit. I love Jesus’ analogy of the Spirit being like the wind. You can’t see it, but you can hear it and you can feel it. The Holy Spirit of God is very much the same way. I can feel His Spirit in me. I can see the effects of His Spirit in others.
I want others to notice the Spirit of God in me by the way I live my life. I know that I’m not perfect at this and I’m profoundly thankful for the Grace of God that accompanies the Spirit of God. I want the Spirit to guide me. I want the Spirit to counsel me. I want the Spirit to help me use words of love, peace, comfort, persuasion, joy and truth to point others to Jesus. I believe that Jesus is the One and Only Son of God. I believe that when I accepted Him and was baptized into Him, I received the Holy Spirit of God to help me in every area of life.
I want to be keenly aware of His Spirit in me today. I want to listen to His Spirit. I want to “feel” His Spirit in me.
Pressing On!
Dwayne