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)
Related Resources
Amen!!!!🙌🙏
So far from where you are Suzie, I feel the same thirst for the Holy Spirit! Amen!
Yes!
Lord, fill me with your presence. Let me welcome you, Holy Spirit, as my Helper today. Guide me wherever I go. Amen!
Lord, I thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit and I thank You for the community of women gathered here seeking You. Holy Spirit, help us to throw off any weight that is keeping us from walking and living fully with You. Holy Spirit, You are welcome here. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Interestingly enough, I have woken up all week with that song in my head.
Amen, Sabrina.
thanks for this ‘invitation’. to pray…I need You HolySpirit.. praying the Lord’s Prayer has become so ‘rote’..that it’s lost it’s meaning.. until I come to’forgive us (me) as I forgive others…Holy Spirit help me.. you are my Helper.. so
help me forgive my adult children who have left the Christian faith.. and have gone into other spiritual methods that
are a betrayal of Christianity.. and some of this is even filtering down into our churches.. Holy Spirit help me to forgive
and teach me how to love as Christ has and does love this wayward world.. and at times..I seem to be ‘in step with the
world..more than ‘in step with the Spirit”.
in the name of Jesus.. I ask … Joy
Joy, You mentioned The Lord’s Prayer becoming rte. I wanted to express to you something that has helped me with that and I pray will do the same for you. In my own prayer time from time to time I will pray the Lord’s prayer, stopping after each phrase and expounding on that in prayer such as an example : OUR FATHER, “as my heavenly Father you take care of me so much better then any earthly father could no matter how hard he may try You dear Father are the One who gives me what I need when I needed it according to your plan and purpose, WHO ART IN HEAVEN, thank you Lord for the wonderful lace in which You abide and will allow me to also abide when you call me there and I can know I am going there because I have trusted in Your Son for my salvation, etc. This is helpful in my directing my prayers when my mind is in a wandering state and I am having trouble focusing, it also helps me with a clearer thought when prayed in public worship, and it also just brings more focus to what Jesus intended this to be – an example of how to pray. I just wanted to share this as I have found it so helpful in my prayer life.
Dear Carol.. how very kind of you to take time to ‘share’…and I will definitely start to apply your approach in
praying the Lord’s Prayer…
.. I can see a longer time of including your suggestion during a day-long retreat..I usually get to have ‘at home’ retreats
..on Tuesday.during golf season..when hubby’s gone for the day..
I can ‘see’ to take a Tuesday..with Lord’s Prayer.. printed out..and journal..on each part..
taking one part ‘per hour’..
..
actually now that I write that..I can’t wait till golf season starts.. I’ll find a few hours a day ..and start a
Lord’s Prayer Journal..
thanks again
YES!!!!!!
Dear Lord,
I have been remiss in spending quiet chair time as well as attending church services for a while now. Help me open my eyes, ears and heart to your Spirit.
Please also open the eyes, ears and hearts of all of the readers of Suzanne’s blog to the Holy Spirit.
In Jusus’s name I pray. Amen
Father, I thank you for Jim and his honest words. I pray he feels you in a mighty way…your love, your care, your desire to meet with him again. In Jim’s words, “open his eyes, ears, and heart to your Spirit.” Amen
I just want my life to reflect God no matter my past it’s the here and now! I love Jesus and I want to be like him in speech and action! My biggest prayer is to be the light for someone who’s in the dark. My prayer is to be the leader my daughter needs and die my husband to take initiative to be the head of the house and faithful to our Father our Lord and savior Jesus Christ
**not die I rebuke the devil in Jesus name!
We were just talking about this in our ladies Bible study.. wanting to have more emphasis on the Holy Spirit! We’re looking for a study guide and I think we’ve found it! Thank you, Lord for sending this message! The Holy Spirit is working right now!
I needed to cast the devil out today. He had been seeping into the cracks of weariness in my caregiving of my mom. I prayed for his encouragement this morning like I do every morning and he sent this. Thank you Lord.
Oh dear Jody! I am right there with you, except my struggle with keeping him & his downright lies at bay has been in caring for my two littles. Praying over you today that Holy Spirit will REFRESH you in your daily moments today! 💕
❤️
Ministering spirits give you strength in Jesus name.
I am visiing Guines, West Affica doing some work for my nonprofit. In the mist of all the good we are doing here giving 36000 pairs of shoes to needy children, the enemy brings distraction of a country wide protest and strike that threatens to derail the whole program and reason I came. The strike which was centered across town, makes it way to our area and down our street. Now it is close and dangerous. I text my prayer warriors at home asking for prayer for this country. School had been out for 3 months because of a teachers strike. God hears us sent His Spirit and all the protest and strike are cancelled the very next day as the teachers are encouraged to go back to class. This lesson was just confirmation of the work God has placed in my hands and the assurance that He is with me, whether I am home or in Africa, Our God is faithful. The prayers of the saints gets God’s attention and He answers.
This is so beautiful, Beatrice. Bless you and all who are giving so much of themselves to serve where the gospel is needed most. I will be praying for you and the people there in West Africa. God absolutely hears us, and He is right where we are! Amen!
Holy Spirit, please fill me anew, empower me with your wisdom in dealing with my son. Bring him completely, whole-heartedly back to Father thru Jesus. I need YOU.
Yes Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit to direct and guide me!
Amen!!
Lord fill me with Your Holy Spirit help me fight against the despair of chronic pain and be a shinning light for Your glory. This is my hearts desire not despair, worry, anxiety, fear free me from these. Please forgive me . I so desperately need You!
Suzie, I hope you don’t mind my leaving a blog post link. We are on the same track today. https://adaughtersgiftoflove.wordpress.com/2018/03/15/wind-gusts-how-many-miles-per-hour/
I Pray to Grow in the Grace & Knowledge of our LORD & SAVIOR CHRIST JESUS!
AMEN!!!
Thank you for being obedient to the HOLY SPIRIT & writing this….
Dear Lord
Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit! Thank you that the Holy Spirit isn’t something that will come in the distant future, but that it’s already placed in our hearts today. Please help us grow more in that knowledge of how You live and exist in us. Sometimes it can seem like things are getting in the way from the reality that the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts. Sometimes it can feel inside like there is dust or something covering up what is already there. Please dust us off . . please clear away this haziness that is trying to keep us from experiencing the gifts You fully have bestowed upon us . . . please help us to know You, as You are . . the way You desire us too! Not only on the outside, but on the inside! Thank you Lord for what You have done! Thank you that You are alive and in us! In Jesus’ name. Amen!
Lord thank you for Your presence! What a gift You left with us to live in us. Holy Spirit I’m so grateful for You. There is nothing I desire more than You! Let Your glory fill our hearts, our minds, our actions. Let every vessel offer up to You the sacrifice of praise! For You alone are worthy and You alone deserve the glory. May are hearts be ever filled with Your love so much that others will see Jesus!
Love this post Suzie! Thank you for sharing!
I loved this post. I am coming constantly talking to my girls about praying. This was a great reminder for myself but also for me to remind them to pray for the Holy Spirit to be their leader.