Spirit takes us deeper ~ 1 Corinthians 2.10-16

Spirit takes us deeper ~ 1 Corinthians 2.10-16
But God revealed it through his Spirit, for the Spirit explores all things, even the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of the man unless the spirit of the man which is in him? So no one ever knew the things of God except the Spirit of God. It is not the spirit of the world that we have received, but the Spirit which comes from God, so that we may know the things given to us by the grace of God. The things we speak we do not speak in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to spiritual people. A man who has no life but physical life cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God. To him they are foolishness and he cannot understand them, because it takes the Spirit to discern them. But a spiritual man exercises his judgment on the value of all things, but he himself is under no man’s judgment. For who ever understood the mind of the Lord so as to be able to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Good Morning~

“So this is what it’s come to,” my friend said. She looked at me, and together we looked around at everyone else at the Weight Watchers Class—many of them quite overweight--and she said again, “so this is what it’s come to.” I looked at her, and as always when I was with her, laughed. But in reality, with everything we have looked at up to now in Paul’s letter to the believers in Corinth, we can say, ‘this is what it has come to’—
it takes the Spirit of God to interpret the things of God . . .


So, let’s refresh our understanding of the person and the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the somewhat mysterious part of the Godhead, who comes and takes up residence within us when we place our faith in Jesus as the leader of our lives, and repent of our sins. We do not have the Holy Spirit in our lives without relationship with Jesus Christ—that’s where it all starts. But then, think of it, Andre—the Holy Spirit enters your body and makes it his home. Amazing!

The Holy Spirit is a person, he is God, and he is all about relationship with us-> ‘He dwells with us and will be in us,’ John 14.17. ‘The Spirit is not just a flighty, whimsical spirit who comes and goes like the wind. He is an eternal being.’* While he is one third of the Trinity, he has his own mind, and distinct personality. He prays for us-> “The Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God,” Romans 8.27. That’s right—he goes before the Father on your behalf; he pleads your case. The Holy Spirit similarly interprets God to us, which means that as we seek God’s guidance, for instance, it is the Holy Spirit’s function to impress on us the path to take. And as Paul stated in today’s passage, it takes the Spirit of God to interpret the things of God to us. He leads, guides, comforts, and draws people to the heart of God. I love the Holy Spirit.

“What does the Spirit do?
His works are ineffable in majesty, and innumerable in quantity.
How can we even ponder what extends beyond the ages?
What did he do before creation began?
How great are the graces he showered on creation?
What power will he wield in the age to come?
He existed; He pre-existed; He co-existed with the Father and the Son before the ages.
Even if you can imagine anything beyond the ages, you will discover that the Spirit is even further beyond.” St. Basil the Great, circa 355 A.D.

The Holy Spirit is vast and limitless. He sees all things, knows all things, and is all-powerful. In fact, he empowers us to do the things God calls us to do as well. Do you want to see the power of the Holy Spirit come alive in your life? Ask God to use you. He just might lead you to do something you could never accomplish in your own strength. Like - start a prayer meeting in the inner city, in an endeavor to bring the homeless man and the business person to lock arms together, and cry out to the God of the Universe, for change. Go ahead . . . risk something for the Lord; dream a dream that brings folks to God, and then you will see the power of the Holy Spirit unleashed. You will learn what it feels to have the Holy Spirit use you, and empower you to do great and mighty things.

I remember singing the old song, “Come, Holy Spirit, we need you….Come, Holy Spirit, I pray. . .” but I invite you, Christian, to ask the Holy Spirit to refresh you, and fill you anew so that you may know and see the ways of God.
Invite him to take you deeper!

Christine

podcast: www.pastorwoman.com



* Francis Chan, Forgotten God, Cook Publishing, 2009.