Our Journey with the Holy Spirit

MATT GELDING

In my teenage years I was fully aware of who Jesus was and I had asked Him to change me when I was 15. Over the next 3 years I got involved in missions and playing drums in a little band that shared the gospel wherever we went. Then… at the age of 18 my dad who was the Pastor of our church started to preach about the person and work of the Holy Spirit and at the end of his message invited people up the front to have prayer. My instant reaction to this was ‘no way!’ I didn’t want to become one of those ‘fruitloop’ christians who got excited in worship and prayer.

My understanding of the Holy Spirit wasn’t very biblical, instead it was based on a few experiences I had with some eccentric people.

Well.. on the third Sunday ( I don’t know what it is about things happening on the third day ) my dad concluded the series on the Holy Spirit and once again invited people to come forward for the laying on of hands and again I didn’t want to go. But before I could stop myself again, I found my legs walking down the front and kneeling to receive prayer. My next fear was ‘who’ would pray for me and I was delighted that a little older lady came to pray for me and I thought I am safe now because she is so quiet. She prayed for me. ‘Nothing happened’ and I was so relieved. I had feared I would start praying in tongues, roll around on the ground and make a fool of myself. But all those things would come later in my life. In reflection what did ‘happen’ was that I really wanted to love God personally for the first time. I really wanted to join the prayer meetings. I really wanted to share the gospel. All these fruits from having prayer to ask the Holy Spirit o fill me are totally biblical.

Bible: a little journey of understanding the sequence of the Holy Spirit

Joel 2v28: “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

John 14v16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever, the Spirit of truth.

John 20 v21Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1v7 “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 2v 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Acts 15v28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us.

Galatians 5 v 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Ephesians 1v 17  I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[ of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

Ephesians 3v16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

Ephesians 5v18 Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.

Knowing God is a journey. We all start in different places to each other with understanding God. Some of us started in our relationship with God by hearing about Jesus first and some of us starting knowing God as one to be feared and respected. Some of us were baptised as little children and some of us as teenagers and adults. All are great!

We simply want to invite those of us who like me at 18, didn’t know the Holy Spirit properly and had fears of what would happen to me. We invite you to read the Bible about Him and talk to your leaders about Him and most of all to ask God each day to fill you with His Spirit! God leads us by His Spirit every day and like in all relationships, we want to grow in communication, obedience and with God - being a ‘fool’ for Christ. ◼︎