You remember back in high school when you were dating someone you thought might be “the One”? You might have given them a promise ring to say I am telling you now I will be yours. Most of those promises went unfulfilled.
But as children of Light, we’ve been given a promise that will be guaranteed every single moment. It’s the promise of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Apostle Peter, when he preaches on the day of Pentecost, moves the crowd so deeply they believe. And truth is, Peter didn’t move them, it was the Holy Spirit in the moment that swayed the crowd to believe the words of Peter about a risen Savior.
So, when they asked Peter, “What do we do?” (Acts 2:37) Peter says they need to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Can you imagine…the power of the Holy Spirit living within to guide you, steer you, help you, counselor you…be your friend? What a wonderful gift!!
All through the book of Acts, we see baptism paired with the receiving of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is that surrendered moment when you participate in the death, resurrection, and rebirth with Jesus (Romans 6). With our public confession, we are indwelled with the Holy Spirit. But we don’t always tap into that power.
Imagine you received a gift to clear some land you just bought. Your wife gave you a brand new chainsaw. You put that on a shelf and a couple of weeks later begin clearing the land. But instead of using the powerful chainsaw, you break out your pocket knife. By the end of the day, you’ve got a stubby knife and bloody knuckles. You had the gift of a powerful tool to use but opted not to use it.
Sometimes, we are like that concerning the Holy Spirit. At our baptism, we are infused with the same power that raised Jesus from the dead (Ephesians 1). But for multiple reasons, we try to do the work ourself rather than tapping into the power that lives within us. So, how do we know if we are walking in the Spirit? What does it look like to live by the Spirit?
The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12-13. In chapter 12, Paul describes the GIFTS of the Spirit and in chapter 13, Paul describes the FRUIT of the Spirit. While each of us have at least one gift of the Spirit, our lives should reflect fruit of the Spirit. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 that we can have multiple gifts but if we don’t have love for others (one of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5), it doesn’t mean a thing. We’ve missed the point if the fruit of the Spirit (love, patience, peace, joy, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, goodness, and self-control) is not evident in our daily lives. And it’s the Holy Spirit who makes it possible for our lives to evidence this kind of living.
So, how do I keep step with the Spirit and allow him to transform my life? Peter tells us in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost. We are called to repent meaning saying I’m sorry for the way I’ve lived and want to live to God’s glory. We fully surrender our life to Jesus, asking him to take over. We ask God to send his Holy Spirit to guide us and change us. And then believe Jesus is everything he said he is…we claim the power and promise of Jesus in our lives. When you make this move, everything will be different for you. Saying “yes” to the promise of God will give you the life you’ve always dreamed of. Blessings on your journey.