We are continuing our series: “Walk According to the Spirit.” We have talked about the work of the Holy Spirit and about being guided by the Holy Spirit, but today I want to back up a little bit and talk about our attitude towards the Holy Spirit.
As I talk to people, I understand that most Christian people have an attitude of ignorance, that is they don't know, or have a fear of the Holy Spirit. What is the Holy Spirit going to make me do? What is He going to demand of me?
I want to talk about some of these issues that we may have regarding the work of the Holy Spirit.
Maybe, due to your background or religious teaching, you might be leery, skeptical of the Holy Spirit ... .so we have these “positions”, if you will, about the Holy Spirit and we need to adjust our position.
It's kind of like a cell phone call you get from someone, they're moving in the car and the call is disjointed. It calls for us to change our position - because if we change our position the reception is going to be clear and we're going to understand the message. And in our thinking about the Holy Spirit, we need to change our position in order for us to experience the work of the Spirit in our lives.
Paul talks to his young sidekick Timothy, and says to him: Timothy; you've got so much potential! There's a calling on your life; you just need to change your position and you could accomplish so much more.
2 Timothy 1:6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
Paul says to Timothy: you have a gift! I know you have! Because it was conferred on you by the laying on of my hands. Paul has recognized the God-given gifting of Timothy and had laid hands on him for the work of the ministry. But there's a problem…. because Timothy is not functioning according to his full potential; he needs to stir up the fire that's within him… right now, there's a lot of smoke, he needs to kindle the fire.
Fire requires a couple of things to keep going; fuel- like wood and oxygen. If you have too much wood on your fire it will begin to smolder, because you're choking out the flame; it needs oxygen. It reminds us that in our spiritual life you can do many things in the flesh; by the “wood” of your own will and desires, but you need the “air” of the Holy Spirit…. or it's just going to be smoke.
By the same token, you can have a lot of air, you are filled with the Holy Spirit but have no fuel - no “will” to do the work that's required; the fire that was once burning will become coals and ash; it will soon go cold. Timothy needed to put some wood on; to have the will to do what he may not want to do, but is required to do.
Join us in person on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. or via livestream by going to https://www.firstbaptistsudbury.com and clicking on livestream for “Adjust your Position.”
Blessings,
Kevin
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