Was I the only one feeling it?

This past Sunday my face was wet with tears. My knees nearly buckled under the weight of what I was feeling. I looked around for a moment. Yes, there were others that sensed it too. It was the presence of the Holy Spirit. Thick. Sweet. Powerful.

Richard placed his hand on the man, a friend, standing next to him, and they began to pray.

Yes, they felt it too. 

Friends, I don’t know about you but I’ve been desperate to find my way back to the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. It’s not that he’s gone anywhere. He lives in me. He lives in you.

There’s just been so many distractions.

It’s a crazy smart plot, if you think about it — stirring and distracting believers until they are sidetracked and oblivious to the power waiting for each of us. 

Not too long ago, I intentionally walked into the book of Acts. Many of you know that I did this same thing in the book of Luke and ended up staying there for nearly four years. I wanted to walk into Acts because it’s the story of believers who understand cultural messiness, distractions, and plots to delay the work Jesus asked them to do.

They didn’t get distracted, however.

They prayed and believed for miracles. They didn’t get sidetracked by those who disagreed with them.

Instead, they asked for the Helper to equip them and went to work. They kept their eyes on their purpose. They found richness and goodness as they built churches, shared their message, and lived a life penetrated by their faith.

It wasn’t easy, but it was world changing.

I want that. I need that. 

I’ve started hitting the floor in the morning, holding up my hands to receive all that the Holy Spirit will give. I’m asking him to equip me, even though I’m ordinary. I’m asking him to help me take my eyes off the distractions. So that I’ll notice again that there’s a world waiting to see the genuine reflection of Christ through his people.

Want to join me?

[bctt tweet=”Let’s be the church again. #livingfreetogether #TheSpiritLedHeart wp.me/p4jbdw-4xl” username=”suzanneeller”]

As we do this, we toss off junk accumulated — cynicism, discouragement, frustration. It’s not that those feelings need to be pushed down, but we deal with them in prayer and throw them off like the heavy weights that they are.

That brings me back to Sunday morning. . . my face wet with tears, his presence nearly buckling my knees. It’s not that the Holy Spirit had suddenly shown up.

It’s that I’m seeing him with less clouded eyes, and looking for him instead of looking at everything else. He’s always been there. Waiting for us to ask to be filled, over and over again. To remember why we call ourselves followers of Christ.

Let’s remember this: Long ago, a group of believers hid behind barred doors uncertain and afraid. It was exactly then that they were reminded of the promise Jesus gave them.

You will not be alone.

You have a Helper.

You’ll have what you need. 

They believed that it was true. That it was for them. And it empowered them. They began to live like Jesus said they could.

Let’s take the promise of a Helper and say yes, yes, yes to him.

Let’s hit the floor running — not with our phones in our hands scrolling or with our hearts weighted down with the mess that our world is in — but with our hands open for every drop that the Holy Spirit longs to give the church.

Let’s be the church again.

Suzie

Read John 14:16-17

The Holy Spirit lives in us, but longs to equip us as we embrace the promise of a Helper.

  • Make that your prayer today. Will you? Invite the Spirit to help you throw off any weights and to walk and live in the Spirit.

Let’s make today a prayer gathering here in this community. Will you share your prayer with us in the comments below? Let’s encourage each other.

Holy Spirit, you are welcome here. 

Related Resources

Come With Me: Discovering the Beauty of Following Jesus

Come With Me Devotional: A Yearlong Adventure in Following Jesus

The Spirit-Led Heart: Living a Life of Love and Faith Without Borders (Releases in May, 2018 – available for preorder)