When I was little my dad used to tell a story in one of his sermon’s about a little boy. One night when his mom was tucking him into bed he told her he was afraid there was a boogie man under the bed. She assured him that he didn’t need to be afraid because the Holy Ghost was with him. When the mother left the bedroom she stopped to stand for a moment at the door. She heard the voice of the little one as he said, “Holy Ghost, if you are in here, don’t come out because if you do you’ll scare me to death!”
I have come to believe that many of us have that same feeling even today. “Holy Ghost, don’t come out because if you do you’ll scare us have to death!” Yet what are we missing in the beautiful power and relationship with what Francis Chan identifies as “The Forgotten God”?
Never in my forty four years (Yep may as well own it…) have I ever heard more people talking about, seen more books written about, or heard more sermons preached on the Holy Spirit than I have in this last year. And I was raised in a Pentecostal background that was very open about the Holy Spirit. But it is evident to me that God is inviting us to a deeper for some, brand new for others, revelation on the beautiful and transforming relationship available to us through the Holy Spirit
As my word for this year “abiding” has continued to foster revelation in me regarding the Holy Spirit, and as I have committed the first part of this year to a new and vigorous study of the Holy Spirit in scripture, I wanted us to spend a season encountering this beautiful person of the Trinity, through how He is offered to us in scripture. And my prayer is that as we walk away from this season together that we wouldn’t just have a new perspective on the Holy Spirit but we would have a deeper hunger.
I ask that you lay your preconceived ideas, ideology, or theology at the cross for this season. That you open your hands and open your heart and ask Jesus to reveal whatever He needs and desires to reveal to you. And test whatever you read hear with scripture and see if it stands true.
As we begin, be mindful of this scripture in Mark 12:24. As Jesus was being challenged once again by the Sadducees, he answered them this, “Are you not therefore mistaken, (deceived), because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?”
The word Power here comes from the Greek Word “dunamis” and is used often in scripture in conjunction with the Holy Spirit. One of it’s actual definitions is “Miracle working power” which is seen through the gift’s of the Spirit.
This passage clearly identifies that both are needed. Both the knowledge of the infallible Word of God and the “dunamis” power that comes through intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. In fact, without that very Holy Spirit there is no true revelation of scripture. Because it is the Holy Spirit that reveals the word to us. I Corinthians 2:10. So come with inquisitive hearts.
Trust me, I know what it is to be so deeply rooted in something that all of experience can be funneled through it. But I also know that when we ask our Father for bread He will not give us a stone. So come open handed and open hearted, and let’s see what God will reveal about this beautiful Companion and Guide He has given us through the gift of Himself in the form and person of the Holy Spirit.
