The Holy Spirit in Today's Church

Living in the "Bible belt" has its benefits and its downsides.  I love the fact that it isn't taboo to talk about Jesus, church, the Bible, and it's still okay to say Merry Christmas, for the most part.  There is a church on every street corner and if you live in Lynchburg, VA, the home of Liberty University founded by the late Jerry Falwell, then you live in what I have heard called "Church Vegas" because there are churches everywhere.  However, there is one aspect of my faith, which I believe is the most important,  that has been overlooked, at times, in the Bible Belt and that is the Holy Spirit.  I'm not lumping every person from the Bible Belt into that category nor am I lumping all believers in general into overlooking and/or judging the movement of the Holy Spirit but many have been afraid of what it would look like if we really delved into learning more about the Holy Spirit.

I'm not naive to the fact many have used the Holy Spirit and His "promptings" to abuse, solicit and manipulate people.  It grieves my heart to think of this kind of blasphemy and/or lack of knowledge.  Let me make this clear, it's not my place to say what's in the heart of man but it is my place to filter through the Holy Spirit and God's Word to determine what is truth and what isn't.   

You see, the older I get, the more I learn about the Lord, the more He reveals His heart, the more I realize many of us have just scratched the surface of knowing the depths of who Jesus really is.  His ways are higher than our ways.  The mysteries of God and how He moves aren't always understood in black and white which is why the Bible calls them mysteries (Job 11:7).  This is all the more reason why we need the Holy Spirit in our lives... He opens our eyes and brings revelation to us which in turn transforms us so our story can transform others.  

I have seen many people who will go overseas and see the power of the Holy Spirit at work, healing people's bodies, opening their eyes to Jesus and in turn leading communities, cities, even countries to the feet of Jesus.  Doesn't that stir you up and get you excited?  Tell me this, why do we believe the Holy Spirit can't move the same way in North America?  Or maybe the question should be, why do we judge and prevent the Holy Spirit from moving the same way?   

Here's my opinion and it is completely an opinion based on what I've seen take place in churches: in many charismatic churches the experience became more important than the face of Jesus and in legalistic churches knowledge became the idol that shut down the experience. Both the experience and the knowledge are important but neither should become an idol.  The focus should always be on Jesus, what He's done, who He is and having a relationship with Him. 

This is where I get excited...   I am seeing the legalistic churches beginning to see the importance of the Holy Spirit and many charismatic churches are teaching more on the pursuit of Jesus, the Gospel of Jesus versus just forcing an experience.    It's starting.  Unity.  One Church.  One body.  One voice.  One Spirit.  The Holy Spirit given free reign in our lives, in our churches, in our communities.  Even here in "Church Vegas" in the Bible Belt, the Holy Spirit is becoming a topic of conversation.  I'm seeing people who are not only saying they will pray for someone but they are doing it in public places.  I'm hearing people speak life into situations that were only revealed by the Holy Spirit.  It's the power of the Holy Spirit that opens hearts to the Gospel and it is happening!   

We have the map of what a New Testament disciple looks like laid out for us in the Bible through Jesus who only did what the Father told him to do (John 5:19).  He then taught the disciples to be led by the Holy Spirit which we see throughout the book of Acts.  The directions aren't hard to find we just need to read the New Testament.   

God is doing something big in our churches but most importantly He is doing something in our individual hearts.  The Holy Spirit is a vital part of the Gospel and we must be obedient to the Spirit of God in us so we can lead others to Jesus.  Let's begin to ask the Lord to have His eyes, His perspective, His words and let's be his hands and his feet in the earth today! 

As my friend Monica says, "Dependent and surrendered."  Dependent solely on the Spirit of God and surrendered to whatever He chooses to do in and through our lives.  

Blessings!