Jesus’ ministry didn’t end at his ascension but continues today from heaven through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a unique person, in fact the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. God freely gives the Holy Spirit to communicate God’s power from on high.

 

After Jesus’ resurrection the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost and filled the lives of the disciples. The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples not because of the righteous things they had done, but because of God’s great mercy. 

 

God continues to freely offer the gift of the Holy Spirit today to you and me. We have the privilege to choose to actively receive this precious gift. We are able to receive the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ, not because of our works, or our wealth, but because of God’s grace and mercy. 

 

You can’t have the Holy Spirit on your terms. The Holy Spirit is more than just a heavenly influence to be invoked on an as needed basis. You can’t project your own needs and wants on the Holy Spirit. You can’t receive the Holy Spirit when you want to remain sovereign over certain spheres of your life. 

 

Receiving God’s gift of the Holy Spirit in your life is like turning on a light bulb inside a diamond, and watching that light radiate out of every facet of the diamond. You are a precious diamond that God created. When you receive God’s gift of the Holy Spirit in your life, the light of the Holy Spirit radiates from every facet of your life into the world around you. 

 

When you invite the Holy Spirit into your life, he doesn’t destroy your identity. God is the one who created you and God knows exactly how to perfectly enhance your identity through the power of the Holy Spirit. When you receive the Holy Spirit, you are filled with the power, the wisdom, the creativity and the freedom to do what God created you to do and be who God created you to be. 

 

When you are filled with the Holy Spirit you are able to show up in any situation as your whole self bearing the image of God – bearing the image of God’s grace; bearing the image of God’s wisdom; bearing the image of God’s covenant love; bearing the image of God’s holiness and righteousness. 

 

The Holy Spirit is not your critic, your censor or your killjoy. Instead He is your gracious helper and counselor. The Holy Spirit offers you the infinite resources of heaven that you can draw upon for your life of adventure with your Savior. The Holy Spirit is the mighty burden bearer of the world enabling you to undertake more than you could imagine on your own strength. 

 

Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty. Not liberty to do as you want to do, but liberty for the Holy Spirit to accomplish God’s purposes through your life. Life in the Spirit is a life spent serving the Living God in every aspect of your career, family and social life. 

 

When you receive the Spirit of God, you will find rest for your soul. For it is no longer you working, but the Holy Spirit working through you so that God’s name is glorified rather than yours.