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