HOLY SPIRIT AND YOU

Dear child of God, I request you to lift your hearts to God and join me as I pray: Loving Father, pour out your abundant LOVE into the hearts of the reader and the hearers through the Holy Spirit, whom you have given us your gift to us. Dear Holy Spirit, fill them with divine wisdom to know and love you. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

GOD ABOVE US:We easily relate to the FIRST Person of our Trinitarian GOD as our Heavenly FATHER who is Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth. We look up to him seated in his throne of grace and mercy and cry out to him with faith and trust in his unconditional love, concern and care for each one of us . He is the GOD ABOVE US and his name is mentioned as “Jehovah or Yahweh”.

GOD WITH US: We experience no difficulty in developing a personal relationship with the SECOND Person of the Trinitarian GOD, the Son, who stripped himself of his heavenly position, status, power and glory and was made like us , lived among us and tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin. He died on the Cross and rose again and is seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven, interceding for each one of us NON-STOP 24/7. He is your Saviour and mine and His name is JESUS. He is ‘EMMANUEL’-GOD WITH US.

GOD IN US: When we think of the THIRD Person of our Trinitarian GOD, many of us find it difficult to relate to him as person. We often associate him with only his manifestations like dove, fire, wind, water or oil. But quite often, he is referred to as the "Power of God", sometimes as 'IT' and not as "person". Jesus, in his farewell address to his disciples(John’s Gospel-Chapters 14-17) told them, “Let not your heart be troubled ….I will pray to the Father , and he will give you another Helper (The Paraclete) that He may abide with you forever……The Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you”.( John 14:1,16-17)

► Jesus,the Emmanuel,'God with us',in his human form,lived a life limited by space and time.But he gave each one of us,his baptized believers,not something, but SOMEONE WONDERFUL just like HIM, a HELPER, to reside in each one of us."Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the SPIRIT OF GOD dwells in you?"(1 Cor 3:16)Do you know his name? His name is HOLY SPIRIT.

► Holy Spirit came upon so many Prophets/ Kings of the Old Testament and filled them with his power and anointing. He came upon Mary, Mother of Jesus .He descended on Jesus at his baptism. He was in Jesus all through his earthly life.Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He came down upon each and every one assembled in the upper room on the day of the Pentecost. Holy Spirit and his power are inseparable. This same PERSON we have received at our Baptism and Confirmation. His Name is HOLY SPIRIT.

► Do you know who you are in Christ? You are the adopted son/ daughter of God and Jesus is your brother. You are Co-heir with Jesus. You are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Do you know how? It is by the Spirit of Adoption residing in you and his name is HOLY SPIRIT.

► Do you find it difficult to understand God’s Word as you read the Bible? Rejoice and be glad for you have its Author and Teacher in you and his name is HOLY SPIRIT.

► Do you feel that you cannot pray effectively or for long? Rejoice for you have a Resident Intercessor in you and his name is HOLY SPIRIT.

► Do you lack wisdom, knowledge, memory and skills in your studies or at your job? Do not worry, you have Wisdom Himself in you and his name is HOLY SPIRIT.

►Are you facing tough situations in life, Jericho walls which you cannot break through? Fear not, you have a Helper in you and his name is HOLY SPIRIT.

► Are you filled with the fear of your future? Are you confused and unable to decide on your future course of studies or career, choice of friend or partner for life? Don’t worry, you have a Counsellor in you and his name is Holy Spirit.

► Do you feel lonely, rejected and depressed in life? Thank Jesus, you have an Encourager (Comforter), Morale Booster in you and his name is HOLY SPIRIT.

► Do you face ridicule from your near and dear ones? Do you feel like you have become the” laughing stock” of the world while standing for Jesus and his moral and spiritual values of honesty and integrity in your life? Thank Jesus, you have the Spirit of Truth in you and his name is HOLY SPIRIT.

► Do you find it hard to lead a holy life, having to struggle to overcome temptations in life? 'He who is in you is more powerful then he who is in the world.'(1 john4:4) Thank Jesus, you have the Spirit of Holiness in you and his name is HOLY SPIRIT.

► Are you looking for friends to have fellowship? Remember you have the Paraclete very close to you…..why, He is IN you and is name is HOLY SPIRIT.

► Do you feel lost, having to fumble for words while facing persecution and trials for the name of Jesus Christ? Thank Jesus, you have the Paraclete in you and his name is HOLY SPIRIT.

► Do you want to enjoy His Fellowship in your life 24/7? Follow these simple Steps….

1. Repent (Acts 2:38-39)
2. Walk in the Light (1 John 1:7)
3. Surrender totally to the Lordship of Jesus Christ(Gal.2:20)
4. Hunger and Thirst for the Holy Spirit’s fullness (Johan 7:37-39)
5. Cry out to God your Father for his gift of the Holy Spirit HIMSELF! (Luke11:13).

► Do you want to experience the POWER and enjoy the fellowship with the Holy Spirit in a mighty way? God has given each one of you a remote controller. You have also been given the power to switch it ON or OFF, change channels and increase/ reduce volume & clarity. Now it is up to you to remain in the channel of fellowship with the Holy Spirit. You have the choice to intensify your enjoyment and to experience his power , depending on how you wish to increase/decrease his volume.

I pray that God the Father will give the grace to experience the fellowship of the Holy Sprit in a mighty way, using you as his powerful instrument in furthering his Kingdom. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

John Xavier