There Is More of the Holy Spirit
Pastor Kent Munsey: “There Is More of the Holy Spirit”
Today is Pentecost Sunday, when we celebrate the Holy Spirit coming in power and giving birth to the church.
In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit came upon the followers of Jesus like a rushing wind. There is more of God’s spirit for those of us who are called out, those of us who choose to be a part of his great work. The spirit is what breathes the essence and character of God into us.
In John 20:22 when Jesus is commissioning his disciples, he breathes on them and commands them to receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus doesn’t suggest we receive the holy spirit; he commands it. Receive means to take ahold of. Jesus told his disciples not to go anywhere until he sent the Holy Spirit to them.
The holy spirit is a part of your inheritance as a son or daughter of God. The breath of God gives life. The coming of the Holy Spirit is like the awakening of life from the dead. When the Holy Spirit comes upon the church, it reshapes the church to fit the character and the mission of God. The touch of God is always for the task of God.
Calvary celebrates that our God is for us; Pentecost reminds us that God is in us. The very breath and life of God resides in us by the power of his holy spirit. If we are going to do more of his work, we need more of his spirit.
Our church’s Missio Dei season is about thinking higher, praying bigger, giving greater and serving stronger, and it’s the Holy Spirit who empowers us to do these things. The Bible tells us in Isaiah 55 that God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts-- but the Holy Spirit enables us to think God-sized thoughts.
When the Holy Spirit comes, we are born again as sons of God. The Holy Spirit empowers the character of Christ in us and releases the gifts of the Spirit in us.
The spirit-led life is a great adventure. The Holy Spirit is like a wind blowing upon our lives. As the holy spirit continues his work in us, there are winds that delay us, not to deny us but to prepare us. Sometimes gale force winds come and blow up our plans because God has something better. Sometimes we experience a head-wind that frustrates and antagonizes. Other times, the wind of the spirit will bring rest and acceleration, taking us further faster than we could ever go on our own.
When you allow more of the holy spirit into your life, you will begin to think the thoughts of God. The Holy Spirit will teach you and cause you to remember God’s words. The Holy Spirit will compel you to do things you wouldn’t otherwise do or that don’t make sense in human reasoning. The Holy Spirit will change you and transform you and will also give you gifts.
Opening up ourselves to the power of the Holy Spirit is what allows us to think higher, pray bigger, give greater and serve stronger.
Questions for Discussion/ Reflection:
Have you seen or felt the Holy Spirit at work in your life? How so?
Have you ever experienced the Holy Spirit giving you God’s thoughts? What happened?
Pray and Ask God for more of the Holy Spirit to empower you to think higher, pray bigger, give greater and serve stronger.