What is the Holy Spirit’s role in my life?

What is the Holy Spirit’s role in my life?

He gives you access to Father God: Ephesians 2:18, "...we have access in one Spirit to the Father." There may be people in your life who love you and attempt to give you what they think you need, but only the Holy Spirit can give you the one thing you can't live without -a relationship with God.

He convinces you of your sins: John 16:8-11, "When he comes, he will show that the world is wrong about sin, about righteousness and about judgment - about sin, in that people don't put their trust in me; about righteousness, in that I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; about judgment, in that the ruler of this world has been judged." As God's child, the Holy Spirit holds you accountable for your actions as God wants only the best for you. If he ignored your sin, you would never learn healthy spiritual boundaries and you would lack self-discipline.

He comforts you: John 14:16-17, "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another comforting Counselor like me, the Spirit of Truth, to be with you forever. The world cannot receive him, because it neither sees nor knows him. You know him, because he is staying with you and will be united with you." In your most vulnerable, painful times, the Holy Spirit knows your need to be comforted. He will lovingly embrace you with a hug you can trust, gently wipe your tears, and soothe you like you've never been comforted by anyone before.

He guides you: John 16:13, " When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own initiative but will say only what he hears. He will also announce to you the events of the future." When discerning if the guidance you have is from the Holy Spirit or the devil, remember this: Satan forcefully drives you, but the Holy Spirit always gently guides you. The Holy Spirit has no other motivation or hidden agenda, but that he loves you. He will only tell you the truth. He will not deceive or manipulate you. You are completely safe under his guidance.

He gives you strength: Ephesians 3:16, "...from the treasures of his glory he will empower you with inner strength by his Spirit, so that the Messiah may live in your hearts through your trusting." Living with the traumas in life and even abuse weakens you by depleting your strength. The Holy Spirit will give you a mighty inner supernatural strength to live each day with the hope of restoration, a strength to stand firm by faith, and re-claim your God given destiny.

He gives you spiritual gifts:1 Corinthians 12:4-11, "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. Also there are different ways of serving, but it is the same Lord being served. And there are different modes of working, but it is the same God working them all in everyone. Moreover, to each person is given the particular manifestation of the Spirit that will be for the common good. To one, through the Spirit, is given a word of wisdom (God’s revelation giving insight to solve a problem); to another, a word of knowledge (facts not conceived through the natural mind), in accordance with the same Spirit; to another, faith (discerning God’s will and trusting him), by the same Spirit; and to another, gifts of healing (a supernatural release of health), by the one Spirit; to another, the working of miracles (something accomplished which is naturally impossible without the power of God); to another, prophecy (knowing God’s mind; a prediction beyond human ability to calculate); to another, the ability to judge between spirits (discerning spiritual forces that are impacting the natural realm); to another, the ability to speak in different kinds of tongues (speaking in an unknown language); and to yet another, the ability to interpret tongues. One and the same Spirit is at work in all these things, distributing to each person as he chooses." God wants you to have purpose in your life. He doesn't want you to simply survive life, but thrive through you knowing and then using the spiritual gifts he's given to you! Even though the Holy Spirit determines which spiritual gifts you receive, you can still ask God for the gifts you would like to have. He won't force you to go through life looking under every rock for your purpose. Usually the gifts you desire and receive are the ones you need in order to fulfill God’s destiny for you.

Sharon Therese Spencer