2023_06_09 Insight Post- Brandon Bennick
This week’s reading- Deuteronomy 1-3, Acts 13
For much of my faith journey, I had read about the Holy Spirit without knowing much about the Holy Spirit. This week in Acts 13, we read the phrases “the Holy Spirit said” or “sent out by the Holy Spirit.” Anything along these lines would often cause me to pause and scratch my head.
What do these phrases mean? Can I hear the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit do? You may be asking similar questions. Or, like me, at one point, you are under the impression that “hearing” from the Spirit was and is only for select people. I probably would have said the Spirit leads me to feel conviction when choosing my way over God’s. And while this isn’t untrue, it’s an incomplete view of the Holy Spirit’s role. In John 14:26, He’s referred to as a Helper. I find ‘Helper’ to be a fitting title when we recognize the Holy Spirit nudges us to make choices that honor God and help us resist sin. Also, the Holy Spirit grants spiritual gifts. We read about two of them in Acts 13:1.
As Christians, the Spirit lives within us the moment we begin a relationship with Christ. We read in Ephesians 1:13 NLT, “And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, He identified you as His own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom He promised long ago.”’ As we enter into a relationship with God, we also take on responsibilities to God. In Acts 13:2, we see Paul and Barnabas living out their responsibilities as they leave Antioch to share about Christ. They heard from the Spirit and obeyed. Every follower of Christ has the ability to hear from the Holy Spirit. God is constantly trying to grab our attention. What is He saying, and how will we respond?
Brandon Bennick
Director of Young Adults & Digital Services