Challenged

I’ve been challenged by a lot of things lately. Probably most challenged by the book, “Forgotten God” by Francis Chan.  Here are a few excerpts.

If the Holy Spirit dwells within you, a number of things should be a part of your life.

1. The Spirit helps us speak when we are in precarious situations and need to bear witness.  (Mark 13:11; Luke 12:12)

2. The Counselor teaches and reminds us of what we need to know and remember.  He is our comforter, our advisor, our encourager, and our strength. He guides us in the way we should go.  (Psalm 143:10; Acts 9:31; Acts 13:2; 1 Cor. 2:9-10; I John 5:6-8)

3. From the Spirit we receive power to be God’s witnesses to the ends of the earth. It is the Spirit who draws people to the gospel, the Spirit who equips us with the strength we need to accomplish God’s purposes. The Holy Spirit who not only initially draws people to God, He also draws believers closer to Jesus.  (Acts1:8; Romans 8:26; Ephesians 3:16-19)

4. By the power of the Spirit we put to death the misdeeds of the body. The Spirit sets us free from the sins we cannot get rid of on our own. This is a lifelong process we entered into, in partnership with the Spirit, when we first believed. (Romans 8:2)

5. Through the Spirit we have received a spirit of adoption as children, which leads us into intimacy with the Father, instead of a relationship based on fear and slavery. The Spirit bears witness to us that we are His children. (Romans 8:15-16)

6. The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin. He does this both before we initially enter into right relationship with God and as we journey through this life as believers. (John 16:7-11; I Thessalonians 1:5)

7. The Spirit brings us life and freedom. Where the Spirit is, there is freedom, not bondage or slavery. In our world that is plagued by death, this is a profound truth that points to real hope.  (Romans 8:10-11; 2 Corinthians 3:17)

8. By the power of the Holy Spirit we abound with hope because our God is a God of hope , who fills His children with all joy and peace.  (Romans 15:13)

9. As members of God’s kingdom community, each of us is given a manifestation of the Spirit in our lives for the purpose of the common good.  We all have something to offer because of what the Spirit gives to us. (1 Corinthians 12:7)

10. The fruit of being led by the Spirit of God includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These attitudes and actions will characterize our lives as we allow ourselves to be grown and molded by the Spirit. The Spirit is our sanctifier. (2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:22-23)

While I’ve heard all of these ideas before, it really seemed to come together as I looked at them all at one time.

The Holy Spirit living in us and through us makes us different. My Christian life is dependent on the Holy Spirit to live in me and through me.

One final thought ….

"What would your church look like if everyone was as committed as you are? If everyone gave and served and prayed exactly like you, would your church be healthy and empowered? Or would it be weak and listless?"

If you find these ideas interesting of challenging, then I encourage you to get the book and read it.