Several years ago, a Barna survey showed 61% of US residents surveyed agreed with the statement the Holy Spirit is “a symbol of God’s presence or power, but is not a living entity.” What is even more shocking is that a majority or near-majority of those in most every Christian denominational family, including mainline Protestants and evangelical Christians held that view. No wonder the work of the Holy Spirit is so misunderstood and many Christians are not experiencing the power of the Spirit in their daily walk. Thus we are dedicating this whole month of June to get to know the Holy Spirit better so that He is allowed to do a greater work in and through us.

Scripture reveals that the Holy Spirit is a person, the third member of the Godhead, co-equal with the Father and the Son, the One who enables a believer to live victorious daily lives. The Lord Jesus called us to “receive the Holy Spirit” whom He called The Comforter (John 14:16). Comfort generally implies someone taking us into their arms when we are bereaved, weary, or beaten by circumstances. The Holy Spirit does that, but the primary idea of the Comforter is that He is God who comes beside us to work in us in ways that will bring through us things that never could be otherwise.

First of all, the Holy Spirit wants to empower us to have victory over the enemy – “I have given you authority, so that you can walk on snakes and scorpions and overcome all the power of the Enemy, and nothing will hurt you” (Luke 10:19). Apart from the Holy Spirit, our spiritual capacities are empty; we don’t have what it takes to deal with the crush of evil, taunting, or temptation. We are living in tough times in a real world where hell would like to break us down. But the Lord will defend, protect, deliver and bring you through with mightiness. There’s a reservoir in Heaven with enough for every person forever, but we need to tap in and keep on being filled with the Spirit.

Second, we need Sprit-filled and empowered witness. Before Christ was taken up to heaven, He commissioned His disciples to carry on the mission He had started. “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well (Mark 16:15-18). Therefore, the church of Jesus Christ is called to be agents of God’s powerful healing and deliverance in and for the world. In order to carry out the Great Commission effectively we must be fully empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Third, the Holy Spirit desires to fill and empower the individual believers so that they can be successful in their walk with God, The Lord Jesus commands His disciples to receive the promise of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) that He might replicate His life in each of us by this means. He called us to receive the Holy Spirit that we might have the same power source for everyday life and service that animated Him in His ministry. Let’s continually be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Blessings,
Pastor Chris Chan

This is a world where we are constantly reminded we could always be just a little thinner, just a little more hip, just a little further down the road from where we are. Maybe it’s not my circumstances that need fixing, but my chronic dissatisfaction. In Philippians 4:11, Paul wrote, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (TNIV). That’s a pretty impressive statement coming from a guy who was imprisoned, tortured, starved, defamed and tossed over the side of a ship. Paul said his secret was the living Christ within him. Through Paul’s union with the indwelling Christ, he found he could live in peace, joy and freedom whatever may come.

What if God is always responding to the world in such a way, but most of the time we don’t tap into it? We don’t let our guard down and feel. Jesus once said, “No one is good—except God alone” (Mark 10:18). It seems to follow then that every truly “good” emotion would have to originate from God. Sure, we are capable of producing all sorts of harmful feelings ourselves—lust, anger, greed, hate, egotism, self-interest. But truly good feelings we experience inside—such as joy, peace, love, freedom, hope, courage and compassion—must originate from God. Many people strive, struggle and endeavor to experience God. When we experience these deep realities within us, we are.
True freedom is being liberated from our misplaced dependencies for life, love, worth, significance, peace and fulfillment. I’ve discovered my most significant felt needs in life correspond with a deeper need that only God Himself can satisfy. For example, a woman feels the need to be loved by a man, but the deeper need is to be loved perfectly and unconditionally. Face it, no guy is that good! Most people want to feel their lives matter and set out to make their mark in the world. But if you look to the world to tell you who you are, you’re in for one wild and painful ride. Do well, and you’re a hero; screw up, and you’re a zero.
Paul’s word content seems a little weak, but it actually describes a very powerful freedom. What if we were content (satisfied and fulfilled) with God’s perfect love and were free to give love, rather than constantly maneuvering to get it? Or what if we were content with our identity in God and were free to serve the world, rather than trying to prove we have a right to exist in it. Geez, all this time I’ve been seeking life, love, worth out there somewhere only to find that the source of all of these was inside me all the time through the risen Christ. No person, endeavor, thrill, formula or achievement is capable of delivering what we all crave deep within. There’s always something that could go better, but the peace and joy God provides go with you … even if life throws you overboard. That’s freedom!

In Colossians 1:26-27, Paul wrote, “The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations … is Christ in you.” I’m finding that true freedom is available in this mystery. The same God who speaks to us through the Scriptures or in worship is inside of me offering the present reality of His kingdom, a kingdom of grace, peace, joy, love, life and freedom. When we feel it, we are experiencing the flow of divine life within us.

I am often guilty of thinking an improved set of life circumstances would make everything better. God cares about our circumstances, and I’m quite sure I am largely unaware of all the ways He is involved in them, but the Spirit is showing me that God is seeking my welfare on a deeper level. I am prone to depend on circumstances to supply something that only God Himself within me can give. When it all falls apart, and I’m left sifting through the rubble of life’s disappointments, difficulties and disasters, God whispers, “I AM what you’re looking for.” He’s the satisfaction I’ve been searching for. He’s not hard to locate; He’s inside me.

What do you know about the Spirit? Honestly, what do you know? Many people, Christians included, know relatively little about the Spirit and how He acts in our lives. According to one study by George Barna, 68% of teens do not believe the Holy Spirit to be a real entity. I do not believe that adults vary greatly from this figure. When I posed this question to my Sunday morning class I got an honest answer from one man, describing the general knowledge most have of the Holy Spirit to be in terms of Star Wars and The Force. While Lucas most decidedly drew upon the Christian Spirit for the force, this is not a good basis for Christians to understand what it is we have been given from God, of God.

Paul admonishes the Thessalonian church “Do not quench the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19). We must ask ourselves, though, how do we know if we are quenching the Spirit if we do not even really know the Spirit and how He works in our lives? Thus, this series seeks to open up this though process and begin to reveal some of how we are all touched by the Holy Spirit. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again” (Matthew 5:13). In the Greek, to “become tasteless” literally means to act foolishly. And what is more foolish than a so-called Christian without the Spirit of God filling their lives? For Christians, the lack of Spirit shows in the fruit of our lives. The fruit, both good and bad, is often explained away without acknowledging the source of the fruit.

So, just who and what is the Holy Spirit? This is not a question of what the Spirit does but more one of its classification. We know that Jesus is the Son of God, and we see God the Father; but how does the Holy Spirit fit into this Trinity? Is the Spirit a ghost? I’m being a bit facetious, but this seems the best comparison the world - or most Christians, for that matter - can offer up. We have, I aver, come to misunderstand just who and what the Holy Spirit is. We liken the Spirit to the supernatural phenomena we pretend to understand better: ghosts. The King James use of this word is not in line with the modern connotation, due to lingual shift over the last four centuries. What we think of as ghosts today is better described by the Greek word phantasma, which is what Matthew used when describing the apostles reaction to seeing Jesus walking on the water (Matthew 14:22).

But that still leaves the question of who is the Spirit of God? Most Christians today see the Holy Spirit as a portion of the Trinity, a concept not explicitly spelled out in scripture. The best direct references to the Spirit as co-equal with the Father are in Matthew 28:19 and in 2 Corinthians 13:14, where we find the Trinitarian formula of “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”. But from the earliest times, we find that God was revealing Himself as more than meets the eye. In Deuteronomy 6:4 we find Jehovah proclaiming Himself, saying “Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.” But the word “God” here is the Hebrew word elohim, a plural word. So, in one statement, we see Jehovah declaring Himself unified, but plural. In fact, as far as I can tell, every reference of a Jew in the Old Testament to Jehovah as “God” uses the plural elohim, while non-Jews use the singular ‘elowahh to refer to Jehovah. I’m no scholar on ancient Hebrew, but that strikes me as significant.

Your browser may not support display of this image.Beyond this, we do find multiple instances where the Spirit is described as having divine qualities. In Psalms 104:27-30, we read of the Spirit being involved in creation, in life and death - very many actions that are in God’s hands alone. In Psalm 139:7, we read of the omniscience and omnipresence of the Spirit,
another characteristic of God alone. In Hebrews 9:14 we also see that the Spirit is eternal.

So, maybe I’ve been able to answer the question here of just who the Spirit is, but the question of what remains. Remember that I mentioned above the King James’ use of the word “ghost” being different from our modern definition? Well, the Bible uses two words in speaking of the Spirit: in Hebrew, ruach and in Greek, pneuma. The Latin word is spiritus, from where we derive our modern word “spirit” But all three of these - ruach, pneuma, and spiritus - mean the same exact thing: breath, air, or wind. So, to speak literally, the Spirit of God is the Breath of God.

Jesus bestows the Spirit upon His closest followers by breathing on them. How intimate and poignant this image of Jesus giving the promised gift of the Spirit of God by breathing on his disciples! Or, consider the vision in Ezekiel 37 of the valley of dry bones. Ezekiel is told that God will put His breath, His Spirit, in these dry bones of people and will give them life. Life, and demonstration of Jehovah’s sovereignty and faithfulness.

Who is the Spirit? The Spirit is a part of God, is co-equal with God, is God. What is the Spirit? The Spirit is the Breath of Life which
Jehovah places in each of us.

The original Greek word for sin is hamartano, meaning, to miss the mark. Even though in our society we often classify sins by the effect they have on others, the truth is any time we miss the mark, we are sinning.
And the mark is the standards that God has set throughout the Bible, not just in the Ten Commandments.
Now I know it’s impossible to remember every single commandment and guideline the Bible has for our lives. The great news is we don’t have to. God knows we’ll never memorize the entire Bible—that’s why he gave us the Holy Spirit as our ultimate conscience. The Holy Spirit can serve as a comforter and a connection to God, but also as a “Convictor”. In the book of John, Jesus said, “When he [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.” That small whisper on your heart that something is wrong isn’t a party pooper living inside of you, but rather the Spirit of God, showing you where the mark is and warning you when you miss it. If you’re feeling guilty about something, it’s because that something is wrong.
Now although the Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin is a great guide to use when trying to live according to God’s standards, when we live in a repetive lifestyle of sin, it is possible to stifle the gift. If this occurs, you can be living in a lifestyle of sin and feel little or no conviction at all.
This was the case with a friend of mine. We were talking about her current lifestyle and some of the decisions she was making. She said, “I know what I’m doing is not wrong because it feels right.”
Have you ever done something that felt right at the time, but now you know it was wrong? Ever told a lie and had it “feel right” the moment? Ever been in a sinful lifestyle and have it “feel right” at that point in time? I’m sure you have, because sin is like having cataracts. It slowly adds a layer over our eyes, until sooner or later we can’t see too clearly anymore. No one goes to bed seeing clearly, and then wakes up blinded by cataracts. A cataract slowly starts to cover your eye while decreasing your vision, until the whole eye is covered and you can’t see anymore. The same thing occurs when we ignore the Holy Spirit’s conviction and choose sin.
Hearing the Spirit’s conviction of sin is like having your radio tuned to a frequency. Each time you willingly ignore the Spirit’s conviction, you move the dial one notch away. Sooner or later, you’re only going to hear static, or you’re going to start receiving another station. And just because you can’t hear the Spirit’s conviction anymore doesn’t mean what you’re doing is right. You’re just numb.
But it’s never too late to ask God to retun your conscience to His standards. God offers His forgiveness and help to move our dial notch-by-notch closer to the right station. And in no time, you’ll hear the Spirit’s conviction loud and clear. Then you won’t have to worry about knowing what the right thing to do is. God is so generous that He sent His Spirit to tell you. The question all comes down to whether or not you’re going to listen.

Worship is expressing love to God. The first way that we express love to God is through our obedience to Him, this proves that we love Him, and that we trust Him. Faith pleases God, faith is trust, and faith is love. If you know God well enough to love Him then you trust Him and you will obey Him, because you know He has your best interest in mind what ever He ask you to do. Everything that God asks us to do is a way we can express love to Him. Expressing God’s love to others is also expressing love to Him. Obedience is expressing love to God, which is why His commandments are not burdensome to us. (1 John 5:2-4 NKJV) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. {3} For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. {4} For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith.

The theme in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is to prove your love for God by obeying His voice. (Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NKJV) “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; {20} “that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days…

Saul disobeyed God and kept some of the plunder from the Amalekites, after they had won the victory over them. Samuel asked Saul why he had disobeyed God and Saul said, (1 Samuel 15:21-23 NKJV) “But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.” {22} Then Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. {23} For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.” Saul’s disobedience showed that he did not love God, and didn’t trust God enough to obey Him fully. Saul thought he could do things his own way and impress God with religious rituals and ceremony. Such things do not impress God; He is impressed by our demonstrations of love and trust for Him through obedience. Then when we offer up worship to God He can accept it and be well pleased with our offerings of praise and worship.

Jesus said, (John 15:9-14 NKJV) “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. {10} “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. {11} “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. {12} “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. {13} “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. {14} “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. When we obey we are saying to God that we are laying down our life for you, not to do our will but your will Lord Jesus, because we love you, and because we trust you.

God summarizes all his commandments by giving us the commandment to love. We are to love God, and we are to love God by loving other people. We are to be vessels of God’s love to our neighbor; this allows God to demonstrate His love through us. All of God’s word is about love; it is about what love is, and who love is. God is love. The Bible reveals love to us, the Bible reveals God to us. When we know God, we know love. God desires that we express our love to Him through obeying His voice, this shows Him that we love and trust Him, and this is the beginning of true worship.

Please pray for Ps. Chris’  journey mercies throughout the journey and for God’s anointing to minister effectively to pastors in the 3 cities and be successful in church adoption for IFGF.

The itinerary:

1. June 4 and 5 - Pastors’ Conference in Mwanza, Tanzania.
2. June 7 - Sunday service at Assembly of God Church (1000 member) in Mwanza.
3. June 8 and 9 - Pastor’s Conference in Dar es Salam (Capital of Tanzania).
4. June 11 and 12 - Pastors’ Conference in Kisumu (Kenya).