Why Every Christian Needs the Power of the Holy Spirit

From as early as I can remember, I learned that Jesus loved me and that I wanted to love Him with my whole heart. But despite my best efforts, I would find myself in negative thought patterns, having moments of anger, being tempted to hide the truth, feeling shame or fear, the list goes on. My walk with Jesus felt close at times and at other times, it felt so far away. I didn’t know much about the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, until later in my adolescent years. I didn’t know that there was a power from God available to me, to help me live for Him every day.

This past weekend Pastor Dave preached on Acts 2 and specifically on the power of the church (listen or watch HERE). In this chapter, the believers who gathered together in the same house had a powerful experience with the Holy Spirit, and the apostle Peter stood before them, as well as before a multitude of confused onlookers from many nations who were visiting Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. Peter quoted the words from the prophet Joel to explain what had just transpired:

And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,

That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

Your young men shall see visions,

Your old men shall dream dreams.

(Acts 2:17 NKJV)

The promised Gift of God had come just as Jesus said would happen (Acts 1:4,5), and not only that, but this Gift of the Holy Spirit had come upon the believers for a specific purpose: to give them the power to be witnesses to Jesus everywhere they went (Acts 1:8). Why did the believers need the power of the Holy Spirit to witness and testify about Jesus? Well, as we read on in the book of Acts, the believers performed many miracles and wonders, but they also experienced many challenges and persecutions. In our daily lives, as believers, we can expect the same. The power of the Holy Spirit sustained the early church and it is the same power that will sustain us as we live our Christian lives. The Holy Spirit is helps us, guides, us and renews us.

The Holy Spirit helps us.

Jesus said: But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. (John 14:26 NKJV)

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. (Romans 8:26 NLT)

The Holy Spirit helps us. He teaches us and reminds us of all the things Jesus said. As we read God’s Word, we can trust the Holy Spirit to help us understand what we are reading. Not only that, but we can also expect the Holy Spirit to bring to our remembrance the truth about who God is, who we are, what God promises, what God has done, and what God will do. He also helps us when we feel weak and inadequate, especially in our prayer lives when our understanding and spoken language feels limited.

For instance, before I read the Bible, I will often ask the Holy Spirit to help me understand what I am reading, and to help me learn more about who God is and what He is saying to me through His Word. Every time, I am amazed at how the Holy Spirit will highlight something to me, cause me to ponder the wonder of God, or convict me of something I need to pay attention to in my own heart.

And when I pray, I have learned to spend time worshiping God and welcoming the Holy Spirit to come help me pray according to God’s will. How incredible that though my mind may have been uncertain of where to begin my prayer at first, the Holy Spirit is always able to give me the thoughts and words to speak. The Holy Spirit is a wonderful Helper!

The Holy Spirit guides us.

But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts]. … But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites. If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]. (Galatians 5:16, 22-25 AMP)

The Holy Spirit guides us. He produces in us the very nature of Christ. As born again believers, we are no longer slaves to sin and death, but we are now alive to the Holy Spirit and to God’s Kingdom. When we make a daily choice to seek the Holy Spirit and remain attentive to His leading, we develop very little tolerance for sin, but rather, we grow in the fruit of the Spirit over time. Just as a flower doesn’t force itself to bloom, but simply yields to the watering and sunlight it receives, we too cannot force ourselves into consistent right living, but we need to yield to the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

We can all relate to finding it challenging to love or be patient with certain people in our lives. For whatever reason, despite our best efforts, our love and patience can grow thin. But with the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, He is able to produce in us the fruit of love and patience that is needed so that we can reflect Christ to those around us.

The Holy Spirit renews us.

For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:3-7 NKJV)

The Holy Spirit renews us. He allows us to walk in newness of life each day because of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. This renewing work begins the moment we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, but it also continues each day as we respond to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. In other words, we receive God’s forgiveness for our sins once and for all at salvation, and we continue to receive His forgiveness as we walk humbly before Him, being ready to confess our sins as the Holy Spirit leads us to (1 John 1:9).

In our Christian walk, there will be times when we will fall short or perhaps we find ourselves in old patterns of thinking or living. This should not be cause for us to feel hopeless or lost, but rather, we should turn to God and confess what we’ve done, trusting that in His mercy and kindness, He is faithful to not only forgive us, but He is also able to renew us by the power of His Spirit!

The early church needed the power of the Holy Spirit and so do we! The Holy Spirit helps us, guides us, and renews us. The evangelist, Billy Graham, put it this way:

I am convinced that to be filled with the Spirit is not an option, but a necessity. It is indispensable for the abundant life and for fruitful service. The Spirit-filled life is not abnormal; it is the normal Christian life. Anything less is subnormal; it is less than what God wants and provides for His children. Therefore, to be filled with the Spirit should never be thought of as an unusual or unique experience for, or known by, only a select few. It is intended for all, needed by all, and available to all. That is why the Scripture commands all of us, ‘be filled with the Spirit.’ (p.127, “The Holy Spirit: Activating God’s Power In Your Life”)