Acts 1:7-8 “These things are not for you to know, but when the Holy Spirit comes to you, you will receive power. You will be my witnesses in every part of the world.”
These are the last words that Jesus spoke before he returned to the presence of God, as recorded in Acts chapter 1. He knew that the apostles were going to be lost without him. Can you imagine spending all of that time with Jesus and then Him leaving you to fend for yourself? I’d be lost as last year’s Easter egg. But How “Jesus-like” for Him to leave behind a gift.
The Spirit. It is hard even now to put into words how the Spirit moves in my life. Early in my faith, this part of God was not emphasized as much. It was hard enough to relate to an all knowing, omniscient father and a man who was perfect here on Earth who was then crucified and raised from the dead, but a Spirit? What does it look like? What does it do? What does it have to do with me?
This idea of the Spirit is one that I had to confront, and just like in the past when God had used experiences to teach me more about His heart and the love of His Son, He used some pretty big moments in my life to reveal the power, the security, and the gift that is the Holy Spirit.
Luckily, because of my foundation of faith, when the anger and confusion welled up so heavy inside of me that I couldn’t take it, I opened my Bible. Each time, God lead me to the perfect passage that soothed my heart and checked my anger. I held on so tightly to these little bits of truth. I slowly began to realize that this event was no surprise to God. He saw it coming, and he could see the other side even when we thought we’d never make it through.
I’ve heard the Spirit described before as “God’s power in action”, or “God’s active force.” It may be invisible to humans, but it produces visible effects. I liken this to the wind. When a powerful storm blows through, the most damaging effects come from an element we can’t even see.
As I was walking out of this season, I had a clarity for God’s will in my life like I had never experienced before. I had this peaceful confidence in knowing that yes, I will go through sorrow, heartbreak, and loss in this world but instead of letting that thought cripple the view of my future, through prayer, the study of God’s word, and wise people speaking into my life, I realized that in all things, good and bad, God will go before me.
Jesus is alive and well and His Spirit is the active force that keeps our hearts beating for Him. The Spirit is God’s will for your life. Stop and listen. If you are seeking righteousness and truth, then the Spirit will lead you to your next mission. God’s will for our lives has less to do with where we live and work or who we marry (sorry, Disney) and so much more to do with who we are becoming and how we connect with others. It is the Spirit that binds us together in doing the work of the Father.
Friend, I’m not sure if you have ever experienced anything like this in your own life, but I can guarantee that in this broken world, you will have trouble. Jesus said so himself in John 16:33. But he also said to take heart, because He has overcome. By choosing in the midst of great trials to seek Him, you will be richly blessed. You will receive the great Comforter, God’s breath, His power in action, the Holy Spirit working in you.
Have you had a season of clarity like the one I described above? I would love to hear about the truths that God revealed to you as you walked through it with Him.
Live Simply in Christ 