Your Personal Assistant
stands and waits, ready for a task.
Always asking “How can I help you?”
So where is your list for
him? What duties do you have in mind for your Helper?
From last week’s study we
learned that Jesus asked the Father to send us a Helper. We also experienced a picture of our Helper’s gracious acceptance of this position. This Helper is the Holy Spirit. He came to us to represent Jesus
and act on his behalf. (John 14:26 AMP)
I think we are all aware
that the Holy Spirit (I like to call our #1 Personal Assistant) has much to
offer. However I wonder how much time our PA spends hearing about the
tasks we have lined up for him. You know this Helper has supreme
qualifications. Do you trust him to get the job done? Of course you trust him.
Then where are your requests?
Having trouble with exactly what
to ask of the Holy Spirit for daily living? Let me help you out with this
perplexing position you may find yourself in.
Let’s start with a story
from a familiar leader in the Bible. His name is Paul. Remember the guy who was
a principal founder of Christianity and wrote a large amount of the New
Testament? You know the great missionary who preached to people around the
world. I want to explore with you how Paul used the Holy Spirit as his personal
assistant. You will love this story. It is probably not one you hear often. In
the following scriptures, Paul is referring to the first visit he made to
Corinth on his second missionary trip.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NIV
And so it was with me, brothers and
sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I
proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to
know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
I came to you in weakness with great fear and
trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and
persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so
that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
Paul describes himself this
way:
·
I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom.
·
I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.
·
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words.
This sounds to me like Paul
was nervous, anxious and fragile with the task of this sermon or speech. He
acknowledges that he lacked wisdom and exceptional articulation. So how did he
approach the platform with so much against him? He needed a Supreme Personal
Assistant. He called on his most wise, fervent and well-spoken Helper, the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 NIV
My message and my preaching were not with
wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so
that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
Paul attributes
the success of his speech to the demonstration of the Holy Spirit, his Helper! The Holy Spirit guided his words
to share the gospel. His Helper gave power to his sermon to bring glory to Jesus. Paul
used his extraordinary PA!
Ladies this
is only one of many examples in the Bible that teaches us what we have access
to through the Holy Spirit. This week I have a little challenge for you! First
you will meditate on a simple truth. According to Paul, he was not fully
capable to have a compelling sermon that day. But with a demonstration of the
Holy Spirit's power, the words had great influence. A church was established
with Paul’s stay there.
Meditate on
a few words this week from this verse:
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 NIV
My message and my preaching were not with
wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so
that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
The Holy Spirit, your PA, can
and will demonstrate his power to help you! Meditate on this truth: The Holy Spirit can demonstrate his power
and help you!
Are you ready for the
challenge? Yes, you are ready and excited! Because we are learning how to use
our Helper and Personal Assistant Extraordinaire,
the Holy Spirit!
This week find a task you
need to perform that can use the help of a personal assistant. It can be a
small job or a whale of a job. Just choose a task that can use some assistance.
I am considering a long awaited talk I need to have with someone I care deeply
about. I want to use words that speak to this person’s heart and soul. I figure
that the Holy Spirit, my Helper, is perfect
for the job. He knows all of our hearts and souls!
Choose anything. It does not
have to involve words. It can involve actions. Ask God to reveal a good choice
for you in this challenge. Now once you decide on the task, tell your Personal
Assistant all about it. Look at your Helper
awaiting his task. He is ready and thrilled at your request. The Holy Spirit
deemed himself worthy to be called your Helper.
Tell him the task. Tell him
why you struggle with it. Remember your Personal Assistant (assigned by God) is
also a Comforter. Let out your emotions if you want. Give him every detail of
why you need help. This is not some quick text or call. You two are face to
face. Your Helper wants to hear you and
see your heart, so that he can properly
make a demonstration of his power to assist you.
Next end your conversation
with gratitude and thanksgiving to the Holy Spirit, a part of God. This is the easiest
gratitude you will ever deliver because this PA does everything in excellence.
As you think about this job
you have assigned your Helper, praise
God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit for this opportunity to use your trust in them.
You have a chance to let your Helper
demonstrate his power to you and perhaps others.
Do not consider thoughts of
doubt in this process. Doubt will most likely arrive. Satan is watching this
challenge of depending on a source of help from God. The earthly outcome may be
irrelevant compared to the journey you will take in trusting the Holy Spirit.
Heaven will be cheering you on as you allow the Holy Spirit to hear you and
accept his task for you. Paul may be applauding you the most as he observes this
step of faith, that he is well familiar with.
Enjoy this challenge. It is
one that can only prosper! Our Helper is God’s favor at work! Acknowledge all
good things as God’s favor!
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