What do you think about this statement?  The Holy Spirit is not just a symbol of God’s power, presence or purity, but is a real, influential being.  Do you believe that?

Remember what Sam said last week?  What you believe, you are living out.  He called it, your theology.  He then accused us all of being theologians!  That’s awful – right?  Actually, Sam was right.  What you believe drives your life and directs your actions, relationships, and decisions.  So, think this through.  Do you believe the Holy Spirit is a symbol or do you think He is a real influential being?  This is important because if you believe the Holy Spirit is just a symbol, you probably are living that out.  If you believe the Holy Spirit is real, you are probably living that out.

I really liked how Sam ended his talk last week.  He ended by using scripture to define maturity.

To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. MSG Colossians 1:28

He asked, when you think of a mature Christian, how do you define what that looks like?  Is it title, big words, education, the big successful whatever?  Maybe you think maturity is about being above others, deeper than others, etc.  Then you read Colossians.  “…to be mature is to be basic – ooof…”, does that refresh you or disappoint you?  Maybe you view yourself as ‘less than’ because you feel like you are basic.  Maybe you are not ‘less than’.  Maybe you need to refine your definition of maturity so it aligns with scripture.

Back to the statement for today.

The Holy Spirit is not just a symbol of God’s power, presence or purity, but is a real, influential being.

What do people believe?  Here is what the survey revealed about what Christians believe.

Evangelicals 42% accept this statement, 58% reject the Holy Spirit being an influential being.

Pentecostal 34% accept this statement, 66% reject the Holy Spirit being an influential being.

Mainline Protestants 27% accept this statement, 73% reject the Holy Spirit being an influential being.

Catholic 26% accept this statement, 74% reject the Holy Spirit being an influential being.

Source: https://churchleaders.com/news/383605-george-barna-another-reformation.html

This means, on average 67% of all Christians interviewed, reject the Holy Spirit being an influential being.

What does the Bible say about the Holy Spirit?  Actually, a lot!  Let’s start at the last supper.  Jesus shares with His disciples that He is leaving.  And in His absence, God will send the Holy Spirit to them.

25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Comforter instead of me – and by the Comforter I mean the Holy Spirit – he will teach you much, as well as remind you of everything I myself have told you. TLB John 14:25-26

Jesus tells His disciples, when I leave, God is sending you the Holy Spirit to live in you.  After Jesus’ resurrection, He again tells them the Holy Spirit was coming.

3 During the forty days after his crucifixion he appeared to the apostles from time to time, actually alive, and proved to them in many ways that it was really he himself they were seeing. And on these occasions he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

4 In one of these meetings he told them not to leave Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came upon them in fulfillment of the Father’s promise, a matter he had previously discussed with them.  5 “John baptized you with water,” he reminded them, “but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit in just a few days.”

6 And another time when he appeared to them, they asked him, “Lord, are you going to free Israel from Rome now and restore us as an independent nation?”  7 “The Father sets those dates,” he replied, “and they are not for you to know. 8 But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power to testify about me with great effect, to the people in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, about my death and resurrection.” TLB Acts 1:3-8

Quick note.  Did you see what the disciples asked, “…Lord, are you going to free Israel from Rome now and restore us as an independent nation…?”  This had to be frustrating for Jesus.  Jesus just walked through the most humiliating and violent death to free all of mankind from the curse of death.  What do the disciples focus on?  What political party Jesus was going to join or create to fight and overthrow Rome.  They just couldn’t focus on the kingdom of God.  Doesn’t this sound like today?  Jesus is wanting us to build God’s kingdom in our communities, while at the same time, people are so focused on politics.  Jesus doesn’t even enter the conversation about politics, about rights, about who has the corner of truth.  Jesus basically blows them off and says, “the Holy Spirit is coming.”

Then, everything Jesus promised came true.  The Holy Spirit was unleashed.

2 Seven weeks had gone by since Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the Day of Pentecost had now arrived. As the believers met together that day, 2 suddenly there was a sound like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them and it filled the house where they were meeting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on their heads. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in languages they didn’t know, for the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. TLB Acts 2:1-4

At this moment, everyone in town heard the noise and came to the house to find out what happened. Peter gets up to explain to everyone what just happened.

38 Peter replied, “Each one of you must turn from sin, return to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; then you also shall receive this gift, the Holy Spirit. 39 For Christ promised him to each one of you who has been called by the Lord our God, and to your children and even to those in distant lands!” TLB Acts 2:38-39

Ever since that day, the Holy Spirit, who is God, lives inside those who give their lives to God.

Let’s be clear.  The Holy Spirit is the real presence of God in you today, right now.

What does the Holy Spirit do for us?  Paul explained.

16 I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit’s instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won’t always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to. 17 For we naturally love to do evil things that are just the opposite from the things that the Holy Spirit tells us to do; and the good things we want to do when the Spirit has his way with us are just the opposite of our natural desires. TLB Galatians 5:16-17

There is a battle inside you and I.  The battle is against our sinful nature that is always pulling us away from depending on God.  In fact, those of us who are honest, Paul said we love to sin, we love control, we love doing things that can be harmful for us.  We need help.  So, God sent the Holy Spirit to be in us to win that battle over our selfishness.

Let’s be clear.  The Holy Spirit is the real presence of God in you today, right now.

The Holy Spirit comes to help us defeat our selfishness.

What does that look like practically?  Let’s read a few verses later.

When the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love [affection for others], joy [exuberance about life], peace [serenity], patience [willingness to stick with things], kindness [compassion in the heart], goodness [a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people], faithfulness [involved in loyal commitments], gentleness [not needing to force our way in life] and self-control [able to direct our energies wisely]; and here there is no conflict with Jewish laws.  Those who belong to Christ have nailed their natural evil desires to his cross and crucified them there.  TLB and TLB Galatians 5:22-24

Let’s be clear.  The Holy Spirit is the real presence of God in you today, right now.

The Holy Spirit comes to help us defeat our selfishness.

And the Holy Spirit comes to reproduce God in you.  Why?  Because only God can reproduce God in you.  You can’t do that.

I want you to see the big picture today.  There are three parts to God.  God the Father.  God the Son.  God the Holy Spirit.  We call that the Trinity – three parts to God.  God the Holy Spirit is God in us.  If that is true, I must slow down and ask you a question.  Can you think of anything more important in your life than having God in you?  Remember, the Holy Spirit is real.  The Holy Spirit helps you defeat your selfishness.  And the Holy Spirit reproduces God in you.  You would think, if you are a disciple of Christ, your highest priority in life would be the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Sadly, the survey reveals, 67% of Christians don’t believe that the anointing of the Holy Spirit is for today.  That means almost 7 out of 10 Christians, are not empowered by the Holy Spirit.  This should break your heart and scare you at the same time.   I think the survey reveals why Christians want activity and busyness more than to slow down and to be with God.  I think the survey reveals that Christians want information about God but not heart transformation.  I think the survey reveals that Christians are living out rules and not living in a relationship with God.

Let’s be clear.  The Holy Spirit is the real presence of God in you today, right now.

The Holy Spirit empowers you to overcome selfishness.

And He is in you to reproduce God in you.

Now, let’s talk a little bit about this because people can make this weird.  Fortunately, Sam and I have grown up in Pastor’s homes and all our lives we have been around this stuff all our lives.

First, the power and the anointing of God is real.  God heals people physically, mentally and emotionally today.  God can give people the ability to speak in tongues today.  God gives prophecies today.  God can anoint people through the laying on of hands and they fall bac.  That can be real.  God can absolutely free people from the demonic.  God can do whatever God wants to do.  God is real.  The Holy Spirit is real.

Second, people can make it weird.  How?  When people focus on God’s power and they don’t focus on doing the heart work to grow up into maturity.  Why would anyone do that?  Because it’s exciting.  Power, healing, God stuff, is exciting.  The problem is, experiencing a spiritual feeling doesn’t mean you grow up emotionally or spiritually.  Like an addict wanting a drug, they can become addicts to spiritual excitement.  And if we aren’t careful, it is never transformed into maturity.  Instead of doing the heart work of walking with God faithfully and with character, through the ordinariness of life, they can become addicted to excitement.  It can lead to emotional and spiritual immaturity.  [FYI: The reverse is true too.  You can experience God and grow up spiritually and emotionally.]

This is why people who don’t go to church look at church people who pursue spiritual excitement and say, “They are weird.”  They say this because they see people talking about experiencing God and the same people continue to stay a mess for years and years.

Before I leave this point, I would say this.  I would rather people experience God than not experience God.  We are pro ‘experience God’ around here.

Third, Sam and I are always inviting people into a relationship with God.  That means doing the simplest of things like daily surrender your life, your will, to Jesus.  Read the bible.  Pray.  Walk through spiritual formation to learn how to grow up.  Why do we do that?  Because that is the doorway for you to experience the Holy Spirit.  It’s the door you walk into and experience the Holy Spirit and at the same time, grow up spiritually and emotionally.

The thing that wears Sam and I down and breaks our hearts, almost like our kryptonite, is when people don’t spend time with God.  They don’t open the door to the Holy Spirit working in their lives.  Why does it wear us down?  Because everything people want in life, everything people need in life, is found in that relationship with God.  But they will not surrender their lives to Christ.  They will not open that door.  They will not engage into the work of spiritual formation.  They keep walking through life with wounds that could be healed.  Immaturity that they could overcome.  Emotional prisons that they could break free from.  Fear and anxiety that could be replaced with joy and courage.  And they stay so busy, it sounds crazy to pull away and rest with God.  And this breaks our hearts.

I want to be even more transparent.  Sam and I have spent over 20 years inviting people into a relationship with God so they could experience the Holy Spirit.  We invite people to open that door. I think the best way to explain what we have experienced is a battle.  Here are some examples.

Question: Ken, do you have small groups?  My response.  No.  We have tried them in the past and it didn’t go well.  However, I would love to help walk you into a relationship with God.  Question:  Oh, so you are against small groups?  No. I am for them but for them to work best, they need to be filled with people who are in a relationship with Jesus.  Small groups can’t replace your relationship with God.  They can help but they can’t replace.  Response: They walk away disappointed and keep the door closed to experiencing the Holy Spirit personally.

Ken, do you have bus trips to see Noah’s ark in Kentucky?  My response.  No.  Comment.  I think MRC would grow if we did more fun things like bus trips, motorcycle rides, cook outs.  My response.  I didn’t start a church to keep people entertained in hopes they might like me and give their lives to Christ.  I can’t be Fun.com guy.  I want them to be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Fun stuff, that’s what people are looking for.  Again, I think a bus trip would be fun, but it can’t replace your relationship with God.  Response: They walk away disappointed and keep the door closed to experiencing the Holy Spirit personally.

Ken, are you guys creating programs and events?  My response.  We have tried an endless list of programs and events in the last 20 years with very little success in seeing people give their lives to Christ.  We are trying to focus on people being transformed by the Holy Spirit in their personal relationship with God.  Question.  Oh, so you are against programs and events?  My response.  No.  Activities and events are great, but we want people to first be transformed.  Response: They walk away disappointed and keep the door closed to experiencing the Holy Spirit personally.

Do you see the battle?  Sometimes, it feels like we are walking through mud.  Do you see why it breaks our hearts, makes us tired?  Do you see why we can be disappointing to so many people?  We live in a world that wants us to provide small groups, bus trips, events and activities.  All those things are good things, but they don’t transform you.

In one of my emotional down times when I was feeling beaten up, I was so excited to read what Paul walked through.  Paul wrote;

It seems to me that God has put us who bear his Message on stage in a theater in which no one wants to buy a ticket. We’re something everyone stands around and stares at, like an accident in the street. We’re the Messiah’s misfits. You might be sure of yourselves, but we live in the midst of frailties and uncertainties. You might be well-thought-of by others, but we’re mostly kicked around. MSG 1 Corinthians 4:9-10

I am always amazed how relevant scripture is.

The Holy Spirit is the real presence of God in you today, right now.  He empowers you to overcome selfishness.  And He is in you to reproduce God in you.  Imagine how awesome that is.  Can you think of anything more important than having God in you?  Imagine how sad it is to discover 67% of Christians don’t believe the Holy Spirit is an influential person today, right now.  Almost 7 out of 10 Christians don’t open that door to a personal relationship connecting them with God.

How do we leave here today and be anointed with the Holy Spirit?  This is what Peter said;

Each one of you must turn from sin, return to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; then you also shall receive this gift, the Holy Spirit.

Let’s start with this question.  Do you want the Holy Spirit to transform you?  Do you want the power of God in your life?  Then you need to take God seriously.  That means, today I make a decision to live differently.  And I will not make excuses as to why I can’t.

Look at your life and stop sinning.  Admit who you are, what you have done, or what has been done to you, ask for forgiveness or healing.

If you are serious about the Holy Spirit transforming you, Peter said, make the decision to stop sinning.  Pull out of the life that is always following your own desires.  Surrender your will.  Pray, “Dear God, please forgive me and anoint me with the Holy Spirit.”

Remember, if you are wounded, God can heal you.

As you walk through life, you open the door for the Holy Spirit to be in your life.  How?  You continue to surrender your life.  You read scripture.  You pray.  We jump into spiritual formation to grow up.

Maybe the greatest work of the Holy Spirit is the ordinariness of your heart being transformed.  Maybe God is in the big exciting spiritual feeling but what is even greater, is your heart transformation.

If Colossians is right, “To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less.”  Maybe the bigger question is, have you surrendered your will to allow the Holy Spirit to transform you?

Do those who live with you report, you have more love, more joy, more peace, more patience, more kindness, more goodness, more faithfulness, more gentleness and more self-control?

The Holy Spirit is real.  Can you think of anything more important than having God in you?