8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
-(Acts 1:8 NRSVUE)-
When a group of Bible students were reciting the words of a creed they had learned, one girl stood and said, “I believe in God the Father, Maker of Heaven and Earth.” Another followed, “I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s Son who was crucified, buried and rose again the third day.” There was a pause, then a girl’s voice rang out, “I think the boy who believes in the Holy Spirit in absent today.”
God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit-we believe in all three, or so we say. Jesus told the disciples that if He went to the Father, He would send the Spirit, who would indwell and empower them, who would make their bodies the temples of God, and who would be a force that gives them inner strength and guides them into His will.
Writing to the Ephesians, Paul closed one of his prayers, saying, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20). If the Holy Spirit is God-the power who works within in us, using Paul’s terminology-why are we so afraid of Him? The old King James term, “Holy Ghost” conjured up images of spooks and goblins-an unfortunate translation. But then, there is also fear-stemming from abuses that we have seen. The Holy Spirit is God-the Third Person of the Trinity, and remind yourself of a great truth the God never makes a fool of anyone. The Spirit of God glorifies the Son as He quietly dwells within His children, empowering, guiding and going beyond our human limitation is accomplishing His will.
As we continue our resurrection celebration, pray, “Come Holy Spirit fill me heart with your overflowing presence today.”
Pastor Gideon
