I want to be a world changer.
I long to stare down all the cynicism and doubt that says the church is no longer relevant, and show them the love of Jesus. I long to point to the life-changing, world-turning-upside-down relationship with God himself that permeates who we are. That shows up in our relationships. That spills out onto those closest to us.
A long time ago, I redefined the phrase “world changer” to ordinary people who show up, hands up in surrender, asking God to show them the next step.
Like you. Like me. Like the early church.
Like people all over the world who love God and want to make a difference with their faith.
If like me, you sometimes struggle with your role in this, there’s some sweet, sweet news.
We have a helper.
The early church needed to know this too. They were often uncertain that they were the ones Jesus would use to make a difference. Jesus assured them of three things:
- I am who I say I am
- Every word I ever taught you was true
- You are the church, and I believe in you
He undergirded that with a promise of a Helper (John 14:16). The Holy Spirit, who had always been with them, would now be in them. The early church wasn’t exactly sure what this might look like, but they trusted what Jesus said. They showed up, hearts surrendered. And the Holy Spirit launched them into world changers.
But sometimes we make the promise of a Helper super complicated
The reason I wrote my new book The Spirit-Led Heart is first, I wanted to live it. Second, I wanted to simplify this beautiful promise for all of us.
- God loves us
- Jesus rescued us
- The Holy Spirit helps us live our faith
That’s the role of the Holy Spirit in our walk with God. We are never alone in our faith. We are changed as we begin to live that promise.
[bctt tweet=”We are called to be world changers. Two free chapters of the #SpiritLedHeart plus a gorgeous downloadable prayer calendar, just for you. #livethepromise https://wp.me/p4jbdw-4Ab” username=”suzanneeller”]
Do you long to be a world changer?
My prayer is that we’ll all grasp the promise of a Helper to step out of fear into purpose. To love the world like Jesus did. To take our eyes off of drama and chaos, and rediscover the awe of our faith and what God wants to do through us.
To celebrate the release of The Spirit-Led Heart: Living a Life of Love and Faith Without Borders, I want to give you something.
I want to give you a couple of gifts. The first is two free chapters in the book. Read it for yourself. Share it with a friend. Print it out.
Second, I want to give you a gorgeous downloadable Spirit-Led Heart calendar.
(CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD your May, 2018 Spirit Led Heart calendar) I pray you’ll use this in your prayer time. Invite the Helper to lead you to the heart of the Father daily.
Last, I want to pray for us.
When the early church began to live the promise of a Helper, their lives and role in the world were redefined:
“With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all.” Acts 4:33 (NIV)
That’s my prayer for each of us too.
Lord, help us remember you are who you say you are. Help us remember that the need in our world is still great for a Savior. Help us to remember what you said we could do as we partner with you. If you made a promise to believers, then I hold up my hands to receive it too. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Suzie
Let’s live the promise!
- To find out more about my new book, The Spirit-Led Heart, CLICK HERE. On this page, you’ll find where to order The Spirit-Led Heart PLUS my worship playlist, some fun freebies, and more free resources just for you.
- To read my Proverbs 31 Ministries Encouragement for Today Devotional, “We Have a Helper,” CLICK HERE.
“But sometimes we make the promise of a Helper super complicated.” Yeap, this would be me most of my life until reading your book, Suzie. I grew up knowing “about” the Holy Spirit, but it was almost tabu talking about the “power” that dwells within us. The same Holy Spirit power of Jesus lives in us too. Heaven within us. Just thinking about what I typed out stirs my soul. Why? Because I have a new liberation. I have new eyes to understand the purpose of the Holy Spirit.
Suzie, congratulations and I celebrate you and the book launch today. Thank you for your example of Holy Spirit leading. Thank you for your yes’ to our Savior. Thank you for writing your convictions to help others, like me, learn what it means to live courageous for God. We are never alone.
Thank you, Lord, for living within me.
Big hugs to you, Suzie. Soak in the day. Woo Hoo!
Thank you, Michele! Praying for all of us to have our eyes opened as well.
I could not have said this better Michele-it’s as if you read my mind!! I am so thankful for the example Suzie shows us each day of how to live a life of freedom through walking with Jesus and heeding the Holy Spirit that live inside us and guides us daily!!
Thank you Suzie,for the devotional.it touched my heart.God Bless.
“A long time ago, I redefined the phrase “world changer” to ordinary people who show up, hands up in surrender, asking God to show them the next step.” My church’s vision statement is quite similar: “Our vision is that we will be a community of ordinary people seeking extraordinary lives. No spiritual superstars, no one who has arrived, just ordinary, common people seeing their lives impacted as we learn what it means to follow Jesus.” God isn’t necessarily asking me (us) to do something that we would consider ‘big’ but to follow Jesus and in doing so impact the people I encounter every day. Just as each person in Nehemiah 3, regardless of their skill, accepted the responsibility to rebuild a portion of the of Jerusalem, we are to engage in the work before us in our community.
Oh, I love that so much!
Why do we discount the power of The Holy Spirit within us? I know I do, and I know God has placed His gracious finger on that fact. I look forward to reading your new book, Suzie. I sense a common thread between your words and God’s directive in my life. I pray the Kingdom of God advances with great strides because of your obedience.
Your words made me think of some of the ways Oswald Chambers talked about daily Christin life in “My Utmost For His Highest.” Many times, he talked about the important of showing up and being available not just for the big things, but for the seemingly small and mundane tasks as well. And how important it was that we learn to live our faith out in those places, not just in the big and “inspiring” places. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for reminding me how important it is to keep showing up as a believer every day, every where I go. Though it can seem routine and insignificant, it is not because of the power of the Helper. (Also, congratulations on your book!)
Hi
I have just read the first 2 chapters of The Spiirt Lef Heart – and as always Gods timing is SO perfect.
I have a daughter who has struggled with anxiety and mental health issues, 2 years ago she was v poorly, unable to attend school…. not knowing where her future was… I read your book Come with Me, which was so encouraging and a comfort to me… the song Oceans was my ‘go to’ at moments when I felt overwhelmed and not knowing where to turn…. a spirit lef life without boarders the line that resignated with me …my daughter found a course she thought she might like, we had to go to the college for an interview, which I knew was going to be a struggle for us both ! That morning I prayed for a miracle, I surrendered to God, lay it all down and asked for a miracle ….. we attended the interview, and my daughter came out in tears … I thought the worst ( is it only me that does that ?) they were actually tears of joy, she had been accepted into the course, not at the level she had applied for but the degree level,….. I had prayed for a miracle and God provided one … I told my daughter that a miracle had occurred, she does have a faith, but not active, and doesn’t go to Church, but she knew exactly what had happened … the Holy Spirit and intervened resulting in a miracle … she has been at college 2 years, been student of the year …. BUT the course is coming to an end, the old anxieties have returned, not sure where she sold go … what she should do, and her mental health is suffering, which ultimately sends me into the stratosphere ….. lack of faith …. fear …. anxiety ….. and then I read the first 2 chapters of your book …God spoke to me so clearly …. he has a plan for my daughter, I can’t fix her, sort her life, as much as this mum wants to I can’t, that’s Gods job, BUT I can ask for the Holy Spirt to guide me in the advice and guidance that I give, and pray that she may come to a stronger faith, knowing God as her saviour ….. and that theHoly Spirit will dispel her fears and anxieties ….
Thank you Susie for this book, clearly I will be ordering it today, Gods timing as always perfect, as it will be in my daughters life …. God directs her path, not me….. thank you for that reminder this morning –