[A peep into the high standards of the Holy Spirit]
The Holy Spirit in a man is like a new government taking over a territory. For instance, when the British forces recovered Bahamas from Spain, in 1783, they (the British) established their rule in that territory.
That is why they (Bahamians) predominantly speak English not Spanish. They have more English names than Spanish. The colonisation impacted them greatly like it did on every former colony. The impact still continued even after their independence.
Kingdom Colonialism
When the Kingdom of heaven colonises a man, the culture of the new kingdom is imparted in him.
The Ambassador of this new kingdom is the Holy Spirit. He teaches you the culture of the Kingdom. He impacts you with the grace to adhere to this new standards. But that's not all. The former language and standards rebel! The old man will seek return.
The Old Versus the New
Jesus said when an evil spirit goes out of a man, it wanders in the wilderness, and later, it seeks to return to his former house. Then he returns to check. A man who has yielded to the Holy Spirit will always face constant attacks on his purity.
Impurity is the devil's entry point back into that life. That is why when Jesus healed someone, he warned them to sin no more.
The old life would always come back, and this would always meet a repellant by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, we unconsciously let down our guard because of the weariness of the flesh. This is where the Holy Spirit helps us to stay alert.
Yieldedness Required
The Holy Spirit works in a life that is in agreement. He does not possess, it is demons who posses and manipulate. The Holy Spirit need your permission. Your permission is your yieldedness to Him.
When you say 'Yes', then He moves. Jesus said He has been given to guide us into all truth. (John 16:13)
This is where the concern lies: the standards He present are very high standards; seemingly unattainable standards. If you are serious with God, then you would discover how high and far-reaching his values are.
This is the cost of His operation in you —your yieldedness. John the Baptist said, 'In order for Him to increase in me, I MUST decrease.' This is a hugh price to pay.
Submission is a Huge Task
The Holy Spirit mostly decides how He operates. He does not take instructions from you, he recieves instructions from the Father. Jesus said He does not have a word of His own, whatever He hears, that shall He speak. (John 16:13b)
Sometimes he would not give you the details of the standards He is drawing you to attain. So it then takes faith in God's love to believe that if it is God, then it is good for you.
This is a huge challenge for the Believer: a physical man, dealing with an invisible God, who seeks to regulate your life that you go the way He leads.
I realised that except God shift, the Holy Spirit does not. When He takes a stand on something, then you would receive a signal. (Read my article "The Manifestations of the Holy Spirit" to learn the different ways the Holy Spirit speaks to people.)
If what that Holy Spirit is saying is contrary to your own will, then you cannot bribe the Holy Ghost to change it. This is where people abandon their relationship with God.
They can't take it anymore! They walk away. God's presence begins to resent them, because they have refused to submit, and God Himself has refused to change His mind. Then they walk away.
The challenge then is that the old man returns because you can't stop him without the partnership of the Holy Ghost. You won't have the power to resist Him.
Learn more in the next edition. Remain blessed. Jesus is Lord.
Comments
Post a Comment