If the Holy Spirit and Jesus dwell within me, why do I feel so powerless? Have you ever asked that question? I have.
I used to repair computers, and often got called out to see to a machine that the customer said was dead, even after having asked the question “Is the computer plugged in?” Well, I got there only to find that the computer problem was indeed that it was not even plugged in!
I was reading a story about a woman who was living in a little house by the seashore in Ireland earlier this century; Being wealthy, but also very frugal, it was quite a surprise to all when she decided to be one of the first to have her home connected to the electricity supply.
Sometime later the meter reader came to her door to find out if all was working well and if she was happy with the installation. Assuring him all was well, he asked her if she would explain as to why her meter was showing hardly any usage, and was she actually using her electricity?
To which she replied, “Certainly, every evening when the sun goes down, I switch on the lights long enough to be able to light the candles and then switch it off again.”
So, she was connected to the power grid but was not using it. Her house was connected to the power grid but nothing in her way of living had changed, she still continued to live as she had always done, doing the same things day after day. Do we make these same mistakes?
Do we live with our souls being saved, but our hearts unaltered – are we connected but not changed? We put our trust in Jesus but do not allow the Holy Spirit to transform us; we turn on the switch some of the time, but mostly just continue to live in the shadows.
Think about what would happen if we turned on the switch, and allowed the Holy Spirit into our daily lives? Imagine if we stopped living in the darkness and started living in the light as transformed people? If we went from being just full of the Holy Spirit, to being used by the Holy Spirit?
Question: Do you want to be connected to God’s power through the Holy Spirit?
If we want to see the power of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives, we need to be “PLUGGED IN”
How do we go about it? – Through prayer. You see, if we do not ask we will not receive.
Matthew 7:7-8 Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you. 8 For each one who asks receives; and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened.
Obey God’s commands and instructions, worship Him in everything you do, expect His blessings. Always remember, God keeps His promises.
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice, again I say rejoice..
Rejoice in serving Him despite our circumstances, and then we will know that God is in control.
As the song goes:
“Trust and obey, For there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, But to trust and obey.”
You see, everyone wants life to work just right, everything just so, things that make them happy, free from disappointment. Think about what would make your life work just right?
People will try all sorts of things to make things work in their lives in ways that they want their lives to work. They buy things, thinking this will make them happy, and then all the money is gone, and now the rent is due, or some food is needed. Some even try to fix the things in life by attending church once a week. And then as soon as they leave, they forget what they heard on Sunday, going about their lives in the same old way. You see, if you don’t know God, you don’t care if you obey His commands.
Through Jesus’ suffering, His death and resurrection, we gained a new life and have been granted eternal salvation. Our true rest and refreshment comes from Jesus.
When our cell phone battery is flat, it needs to be recharged. We find the adapter and plug it in, but to what do we plug it in? Do you try the battery in your car? Maybe just put it out in the sun to charge? Well, none of these will work for obvious reasons. We would think anyone doing this would be very silly. So, we obviously look for an electric wall plug. Most people today know how to recharge their phones.
In the same way we need to plug into the source of real power that is only found through the Holy Spirit and through Jesus. In this way we get the power of the Holy Spirit that then modifies our ways of behaviour and thinking. We do this by reading our Bibles and learning to obey God’s commands. By leaning on God’s promises through prayer and petition, our lives take on new meaning and we find new happiness and a life that works well.
Romans 15:13 I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.
We don’t fully understand God’s Power, but the effect it has on our lives can be obviously seen.
We all know people under stress, run down and in need of some time to stop and recharge their batteries, both emotionally and spiritually. Unfortunately, they try to look at worldly treasures and think, “if I just get a better job or that promotion, maybe a bigger house, find the ideal soul mate”, they will be renewed and refreshed. They feel If they could just get their bank account refreshed, they will find peace.
We have been fed a sugar-coated lie all our lives that the more we have the happier we will be, resulting in less stress. But the daily stresses continue. What is needed is a real recharge, something that really refreshes without us asking and wanting more – our need is the one and only living God who hears our prayers, and our crying out, and then answers us. As the psalmist calls out;
Psalms 84:2,4 Deep in my heart I long for your temple, and with all that I am I sing joyful songs to you. 4 You bless everyone who lives in your house, and they sing your praises.
In Conclusion:
Only by coming to the house of God and hearing His word will we be truly and fully refreshed. The world’s treasures and pleasures may seemingly appear to appease our stresses and distresses, but they are only as useful as trying to recharge a phone without the correct equipment. God’s word is the only assurance that we belong to Him and in His house. We have done nothing to deserve that and cannot earn it, because Jesus has already earned it for us, through His suffering, death and resurrection.
We are blessed by hearing God’s word and by listening to His commands as we are in God’s house. Then we can go home assured of the peace and joy we find in Jesus Christ – recharged and rejuvenated with the assurance of His love for us, which never ends. Finally, through Jesus we are strengthened in mind, body and spirit – now and always.
With the power of the Holy Spirit at work in you, the people around you will see changes that no one can describe. Your decision making will become better. You become assured that you are never alone, that God is always guiding and leading you through all the ups and downs in your life.
Stay plugged into Him, by reading your Bible and following His commands as laid out in His Word, and by praying to Him, asking for His guidance and forgiveness daily.
So let us be plugged into the power of God – now and always!
Blessings
Eric