This last Sunday I shared in my message that the Holy Spirit develops intimacy in our relationship with God, Godly character in our lives, and gifts that make us powerful in both spiritual and practical purposes. In conclusion, we read Luke 11:9-13 and encourage everyone to begin ASKING God for a greater presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. If you missed the message, you can listen on our “Messages” page under the “Experience” menu.
So to assist you in spending time each day, asking God for the overflowing presence of the Holy Spirit, we will share a brief devotions several times each week for the next two weeks. They come from Nicky Gumbel, creator of the Alpha Course. If you would be interested in his daily devotional, find it here: Bible in One Year. I encourage you each day to launch from Nicky’s concluding prayer into your own time of asking the Holy Spirit to reveal to you more of Jesus, and to let His power move powerfully in your life. Today’s text begins below:
We read of the work of the Holy Spirit throughout the Bible – from Genesis 1:3, in which the Spirit ‘was hovering over the waters’, through to Revelation 22:17, in which the Spirit and the bride say ‘Come!’
On the day of Pentecost, there was a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. After that we see more clearly the work of the Holy Spirit. We see the Holy Spirit in action in the book of Acts, and the doctrine of the Holy Spirit expounded in the rest of the New Testament. However, even before the day of Pentecost there are hints and references to the work of the Holy Spirit. We see this in each of the passages for today. The Holy Spirit gives boundless strength, extraordinary power and ultimately, eternal life.
1. Boundless strength
David, in deep trouble, calls out to God, ‘O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God’ (vv.9–10a).
The psalm ends in triumph. ‘But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God’ (vv.16–17).
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul tells us about this ‘Strength’. He speaks of ‘his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead’ (Ephesians 1:19–20).
It was the Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11a). The Holy Spirit is ‘his mighty strength’. That same strength now lives in you and ‘will give life to your mortal body through his Spirit, who lives in you’ (11b).
I love Eugene Peterson’s translation of the Ephesians passage where he speaks of God giving us ‘endless energy, boundless strength’!
Prayer to guide you today:
Lord, thank you that you are our ‘Strength’, our loving God. Thank you that your strength raised Jesus from the dead. Thank you that your Spirit lives in us. Thank you that you give us endless energy and boundless strength. Please give us that energy and strength for today and all the battles that lie ahead.