The Power of the Holy Spirit

The Power of the Holy Spirit

Church sign theology. Sometimes it’s right on, sometimes not by a mile. 

What do you think of the message of this sign? Driving by, I thought I must have misread it.

I had to turn around and go back to be sure. I can’t find a single verse of Scripture that supports this statement.

First of all, the Holy Spirit is given to those who repent of their sins, believe in Jesus Christ, and follow Him as Savior and Lord. Have “all of us” done that? Then why put a message like that out to passersby who have not come to Jesus Christ for forgiveness and are not following Him? It is confusing at best, but dangerous for their sake in eternity at worst.

Secondly, the power of the Holy Spirit is in those who consistently yield to His direction, make every effort not to grieve Him, and are determined to lead cleansed-from-sin lives according to 1 John 1:9.  Are even “all of us” churchgoers in that camp? If only!

I wish they had used their sign to pose this searching question: Are you experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit? If not, why not?

So let’s take this “sign” opportunity to question ourselves: Do I regularly sense the power of the Holy Spirit? To resist temptation? To control my tongue? my anger? To choose right over wrong? To serve others instead of myself? To call sin by its name and confess it and seek cleansing? To be bold and tell others about Christ?

If we’re not regularly sensing His power in areas like these, it could be that (a) we have never received the Holy Spirit because we’ve never actually come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, or (b) we’re back trying to grit out life under our own power. More from religiosity than from a transformed life.

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