Friday, April 15, 2011

The Holy Spirit Experience

When we pray, we address it to the Father. Our prayers then are answered and claimed by the name of Jesus. Most of the time, we commune with God through this procedure. And the Holy Spirit, though we are taught of His role in our lives, could sometimes be only a mere substance to us; could only be known to us as our Helper and Comforter. Beyond that, the Holy Spirit could not be who He fully is in our spiritual lives. The Holy Spirit is a person. He is not just a cool wind or a warm breeze or a white dove or an impersonal being that comes down whenever you call for Him. He is beside you forever (John 14:16). He is God on earth, and He is the Key to your intimacy with Christ and the Father.

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. John 16:13-14 NKJV

THE GUIDE. Jesus said He is the Truth. When He ascended to Heaven, He left us God’s Spirit to guide us “into all truth.” No wonder the four authors of the Gospel wrote with such conviction- the Holy Spirit guided them. No wonder Paul, though he persecuted Christ in the past, was transformed and renewed by the Holy Spirit in order to write almost half of the epistles in the New Testament. No wonder John the beloved wrote about the future and the Second Coming of Christ with vivid imagery- the Holy Spirit transported him to the actual future. Like them, if we could only allow the Holy Spirit to touch our hearts and minds with His wisdom, we could also receive revelations equal to the glory revealed in the past. For was it not foretold? Even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. (John 14:12 NIV) Jesus needed to go to the Father for Him to send God’s Spirit, and for Him to reveal more of Himself and of the Father!

Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 2:11b NIV

WHATEVER HE HEARS. The Holy Spirit reveals whatever is said by the Father. Jesus even needed the Holy Spirit to execute His mission on earth. He said, The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Luke 14:18 NIV During His three and a half year mission, Jesus prayer life was so alive because He needed the Holy Spirit to strengthen Him. Without the Holy Spirit, Jesus would have not won the victory over death. Likewise, we cannot do God’s mission for us if we do not commune with the Holy Spirit regularly. Because whatever the Spirit hears from the Father, He will also speak to us the same.

GLORIFYING JESUS. It is such a mistake that we take the Holy Spirit for granted in our prayers, and most importantly in our life. It is the Holy Spirit that takes Jesus’ fullness and victory and brings it to us. He is the way to knowing Jesus. He is the Bringer of Jesus’ wisdom and power. He is the key to our intimacy with God. Jesus said, God’s Spirit will declare to us all things about Him and the Father. And what a comfort indeed to think that His Spirit is always beside us since we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior! So whenever we ask the secret of glorifying God in everything we do, the answer is Be filled with the Spirit! Ephesians 5:18b NIV

Can we build a relationship with the Spirit? Yes! To be filled with the Spirit is to speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:19-20 NKJV

Today, many people consider it impossible to commune with the Holy Spirit unless we are in a congregation or in the middle of a preaching. But the apostles of Christ assure us that it is real and important that we have fellowship with God’s Spirit! It is a truth that we must always be conscious of, whether we worship in church or shut in our room alone with the Holy Spirit.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV


(I have created another blog specifically for my revelations about the Holy Spirit. )


Thursday, April 7, 2011

LOTN Young Professionals' Ministry


On April 30, The Young Professionals' Ministry will be having its monthly event at the Lord of the Nations Church, Marikina Worship Hall, 7:00 PM. I am (once again) excited about this. This event is one of the things I look forward to every month. Young men and women convene to have fellowship with one another, and most especially with the Holy Spirit.

Since I joined this ministry, my life started to look on a higher perspective. God used this ministry to change the way I think and feel about the Christian life. God showed me His saving grace through this ministry. I pray that more young Christian professionals would realize that in order to conquer for Jesus, there is a need to have and improve their personal relationship with God. You see, the Young Professionals' Ministry is bound to raise young men and women who will glorify God in everything they do. So how can you glorify God if you do not know Him intimately in the first place? If your intimacy with Him is as shallow as a glass of water, you will always end up thirsty. If all you do is  read the Bible on Sundays and pray as the need arises and worship with a congregation, how possible it is for you to enjoy a private communion with the One who loved you?

Loving God Intimately. This is our desire. To know our Savior. To know His power. To call Him, "Abba Father." To intimately love God, you must invest your time, energy, and your whole life to know Him. Because this is why we are meant to do.

And in this ministry, we desire to conquer the workplace. We desire to see Christian employees and employers. We desire to glorify God through the works of our hands. We desire to live each day with His purpose:

To win souls and make disciples of all nations. Matthew 28:19 NIV

Young Professionals are Young Conquerors.

Regular meet-ups:
Sundays, 6:30 PM after Discipleship Teaching
Tradehall, 2F Starmall
Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City

We invite all young men and women (ages 20 and up) to come and join us in experiencing intimacy with God. Kindly look for Hazel or Irene.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Silence

When everything seems so fast, when every day seems to come as if in a passing dream, when all seems lost in a vague afternoon--- I know my purpose, I know Your love... still I ask, what is left of me. My Holy One, tell me again.. Whisper it to me once more... I want to hear the comforting voice of my Master. When all seems to consume my body, when all seems to cripple my faith, when all seems to shake my core--- confirm Your Word once more, Father. You know that with just one touch of Your Hand, with just one smile from Your throne, I will be alright...

Nothing matters when You're here with me...

Words are easy to say... Words can pacify me... But only You can satisfy. My joy is in You... Again I hold onto Your promise. I hold on to the proof of Your grace. I hold on to us... You said You live in me...
And I want You to know that even if days are quick and hours are tight, You still hold my world. Father, I will patiently wait for You... in the cleft of the rock I will stay. Even when my body is weak, my heart broken, my soul in drought---- the more I will wait. Even if it takes all of me... even if it consumes my energy... even if it breaks the heart of me...

This is my prayer in the desert.