Guidance Of The Holy Spirit In Our Daily Lives

This week we had our house inspection for the manse, so Felicity and I were busy spring-cleaning and preparing. It can be quite daunting and very worrying if you’re renting a property. In my younger days as a student, we were visited every quarterly by the landlord to check that the property was is in a good state and being care-free students were always relieved when it was over.

Another ‘inspection’ we attended was the PCANZ WoF (warrant of fitness for those involved in working with children and young people) run by Kamai presbytery. Last Saturday David, Felicity and I travelled to Matamata to refresh ourselves on all the requirements and regulations we must adhere to when leading and teaching our young ones.

On Sunday David Dishroon also spoke about an ‘inspection’ or check of our hearts. He used the passage from Acts 3: 19-21 and the 4 Rs of repent, return, refresh, restore to examine our relationship with Jesus.

This reminds me of our Christian walk and our need to be in constant communication with the Father. Jesus before leaving His disciples at Pentecost, said I am going to my Father, and I will send you a helper to help you and be your companion on earth until I return (Acts 1:4. Luke 24:49). Jesus was aware of our need to check in with the Father on a regular basis. He did not say I will come every quarterly but promised the Spirit will be our regular comforter.

What does He say about the Holy Spirit?

• The Holy Spirit will be our helper, “he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26).
• The Holy Spirit will help us to pray in our weakness “For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26).
• The Holy Spirt will provide power to witness the Good News “in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8”
• Finally, the Holy Spirit will “guide us in all truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you” (John 16:12-15).

I praise the Lord for the gift of Holy Spirit to keep us on track and guide us and found this beautiful prayer from The Prayer Institute (TPI).

A Prayer of Thanksgiving for The Holy Spirit

Heavenly Father, we thank You for saving us through the sacrifice of Your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.  We thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to instruct, guide, teach and comfort us.  Thank You, Holy Spirit, for empowering us to be effective witnesses for Jesus Christ and being God’s guarantee for the inheritance He promised.  Because of You, this guarantee includes that we have been purchased to be His own people.

Mighty God, we have not received a spirit that makes us fearful slaves; instead, we have received Your Spirit when You adopted us as Your children. We confess that the same Holy Spirit who resurrected Jesus from the dead now dwells within us.  It is the  Holy Spirit who gives life to our mortal bodies, just as He gave life to Christ and raised Him from the dead.  We decree that You, Holy Spirit, are our Comforter and our Helper.  You are Holy.  We depend on You to remind us of everything Jesus taught while He lived on the earth.  You are God’s power source, and You are the Teacher of all truth.

We thank You for being God’s representative on the earth, the One through whom God relates to all believers, the producer of the fruit of the Spirit and our Advocate.  We love You, Holy Spirit, and thank You for working through us to perform miracles, signs and wonders so that people will experience the Kingdom of God.

Amen

Sermon Text for Sunday 6 August  

This Sunday Rev Keith Hooker will be sharing the message. Keith will be sharing from Romans 12:1-8. Take a look, prepare your hearts, what’s God saying to us?

AND we also have a shared lunch on Sunday run by the Tuesday men’s bible study group. Great time of fellowship and meet and greet.