28 Days of Hope – Day 22
The Christian life requires God’s presence and supernatural help. You simply cannot be faithful on your own strength alone. Instead of trying to resist this fact, let’s embrace all that God gives us. God’s greatest gift is His presence. There is One God, Three Persons. We worship The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. Jesus was very clear before His ascension into heaven that He would not leave us as orphans. He told His followers that they would receive power when receiving the Holy Spirit. God’s plan is to fill His people with His Spirit in all places at all times. The word power has the same root word as the word dynamite. The One who is in you is greater than the opposition in the world. When you hear the word outreach, direct your second thought and reliance to the Holy Spirit. “Alone I can’t but with God I can” should be our anthem and story. We cannot save ourselves, Jesus does. We cannot change the hearts of other people, but the Holy Spirit can. What an honor that we are called and invited to participate in this most meaningful work.
People do not share their faith, because they are scared, or they do not feel very competent. We just don’t like to do something if we feel like we are not very good at it or we cannot control the results. Remember that God’s love drives out fear, and God’s grace is sufficient as He will give us all we need in this area of our walk with Him. If we let fear win, we won’t love our neighbors. Many people settle for this limited existence, unnecessarily low ceiling, and sheltered lifestyle. Many would rather play it safe than take relational risks. Did Jesus, our leader and example, play it safe? This is not a drive-by guilting. It is a reality check and friendly reminder that the hope of God is too good to stuff, hoard, or even contain. Trust God who will give you courage. I am acknowledging that hope impact might be the most difficult thing that you do during the week. It is time to say, “Yes!” to the Holy Spirit. God does not give us a spirit of timidity but power and love.
Like Moses, you have probably compiled a list of excuses and rationalizations over the years. You can read Exodus chapters three and four to dive into the specifics of how God affirms and exhorts Moses to answer the call. The greatest need in the world today is for followers of Jesus to be filled, empowered and led by the Holy Spirit. If this happens, there will be an overflow of unstoppable hope. Our homes will be centered on God. Our churches will be the most hope- filled places in our communities. Every man, woman, and child in your city will have the opportunity to know Jesus. There will be healing in our nation.
The Holy Spirit wants to ignite, unite and help us take flight. God is love. God is light. God is a consuming fire. Do not grieve or resist the Holy Spirit. Be teachable, leadable, fillable, and flammable. How much more will the Father give the Spirit to anyone who will yield to God and ask for His presence. Be filled with the Spirit is not a nice suggestion. This is God’s will and wisdom. This is God’s plan. This is how the hope of God travels to your friends, relatives, acquaintances, neighbors, and co-workers, both in you and through you. Stephen boldly brought the gospel to people with hard hearts and was killed for his faith in Jesus. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen was faithful to proclaim the gospel and trust God with the results. The Bible says Jesus was standing to welcome Stephen into heaven (Acts 7:55). Is anything better than the Lord’s approval?
Hope Point: We can be filled with the Holy Spirit in every situation.
Hope Story: Stephen in Acts 7:1-8:1
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Why is it good to be filled with the Spirit?
- Do you have any hesitations about yielding fully to God? Explain your concerns.
- How is the Holy Spirit influencing the words you say and the actions you take during the week?
- How much compassion do you have for those who do not have the benefit of the Holy Spirit in their lives? Share some examples.
PRAYER
God, thank You for dwelling in me. I praise You, Holy Spirit. Fill me with Your presence as I yield to You. You bring so much love, peace, and hope into my life. Your presence, O God, gives me courage to bring the gospel to the world. It is by Your Spirit that I run this glorious race. I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
28 Days of Hope is a journey together, as we rediscover and recommit to God’s indestructible hope in transformative ways. As you begin this journey, you’ll experience a sense of excitement about what God is going to do.
If you have a desire to grow in your faith, strengthen your relationships, gain wisdom, cultivate new habits, experience more peace, and live daily with purpose and passion, then you are in the right place. Just Choose Hope
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