When I was a young boy people would talk about “Jesus living in my heart.” It was hard for me to picture that. Did He shrink down to a small size? Should I feel Him there? What was He doing all the time? Somewhere along the line I was taught that it is actually the Holy Spirit living in me that represents Jesus. But remember, they are all One in the Trinity anyway.
This brings up the whole issue of how much attention the Spirit should get. We talk about the Father and the Son often, but the purpose of the Spirit is not to draw attention to Himself but to focus on Jesus. He ministers within us, but glorifies the Father and Son, not Himself. John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
The Spirit is called “the Spirit of God’s Son” (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15-17), “the Spirit of Jesus” (Acts 16:7), “the Spirit of Christ” (Romans 8:9-10) and “the Spirit of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:19). The same Spirit who enabled Jesus to do what He did on earth is available to help us do what God wants us to do. All we do is by His strength. A mother, wishing to encourage her young son’s progress at the piano, bought tickets for a Paderewski performance. When the night arrived, they found their seats near the front of the concert hall and eyed the majestic Steinway waiting on stage. Soon the mother found a friend to talk to, and the boy slipped away. When eight o’clock arrived, the spotlights came on, the audience quieted, and only then did they notice the boy up on the bench, innocently picking out, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” His mother gasped, but before she could retrieve her son, the master appeared on the stage and quickly moved to the keyboard. He whispered to the boy, “Don’t quit–keep playing.” Leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around the other side, encircling the child, to add a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice held the crowd mesmerized. In our lives, unpolished though we may be, it is the Master who surrounds us and whispers in our ear, time and again, “Don’t quit–keep playing.” And as we do, he augments and supplements until a work of amazing beauty is created.
Charles Swindoll says that in times of loneliness and desperation, the Spirit prompts hope and encouragement, as He helped Elijah at Mt Carmel (1 Kings 19:11-12). In times of threatening fears, the Spirit prompts calm and determination and courage, as He helped Paul (Acts 10:22-24; Philippians 1:21). In times of potential danger and disaster, the Spirit prompts inner reassurance, a when Paul’s ship was about to sink (Acts 27:9-10). And in times of great sorrow and pain, the Spirit ministers grace to us, as seen with Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-8).
The French painter Emile Ranouf has painted a picture of an old man dressed in a fisherman’s garb, seated in a boat, with a little girl beside him. Both the elderly gentleman and the child, perhaps his grand-daughter, have their hands on a huge oar. He is looking down fondly and admiringly upon her. Apparently he has told her that she may assist him in rowing the boat, and she in her desire to help feels as though she is doing a great share of the task. However, it is easy to see that it is really his strong, muscular arm which is actually propelling the boat through the waves. In this painting, called, “A Helping Hand,” We see God’s power helping us. Christ has granted to us the privilege of sharing His work here below; however, we must never forget that we cannot perform our task through our abilities alone, but only as God’s Spirit works in and through us. While He directs us to put our hand upon the oar, we must ever be aware of the source of our power. He is the strength of our life! There is no true spiritual progress without the anointing of the Holy Spirit to under gird our life and efforts. Let us recognize our own innate weakness and like the psalmist cry out: “O Lord; O my strength, please help me”! (Psalm 22:19). Then we shall not fail, for the inward man will be “renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).
1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
What does it mean to you personally that Jeus lives in you by the Holy Spirit?
What difference should that make in your life? Does it?
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
ChristianTrainingOnline.org
(India, Africa & Spanish Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View)
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