lingerie and gasoline

In evangelical circles, there is something exciting and foreign about the Holy Spirit. There is a sense of adventure related to it, because we are somewhat unfamiliar with it, but we know that underneath that name there is a whole world of unexplored beauty and mystery waiting for us. It is intriguing and we are drawn towards it.

We know that beneath the title "Holy Spirit" there is something beautiful that we want to be made familiar with.

lingerie

Maybe not a perfect metaphor, but interesting to use in the title of this blog.

I have had conversations with others in the past where I have talked about how we have tried to make the church "sexy"

we use mood lighting, emotionally manipulating music and instruments, messages that are catered to congregational desires, cool graphics and videos, and attractive and well dressed people leading all of this in order to appeal to the culture.

Sexy.

I think we have done something similar with the Holy Spirit, but in doing so we have limited the Spirits ability to work in us and through us.

God is huge and unfathomable, and the way he works cannot be fully understood by man. By the power of His Spirit we receive gifts to use to his glory; prophecy, tongues, wisdom, words of knowledge, miraculous healing, signs and wonders. etc...

but...

We have romanticized this to the point it has become like a mystical fairytale, and in doing so we have limited the work of God in our lives and told ourselves that the Spirit only does these things for certain people. The "real spiritual" ones. This is a lie.

and...

in doing so we have forgotten what the significance of being a new creation in Christ and the implications and significance of this. We have forgotten our identity.

remember.. if you have accepted Christ as Savior, you have accepted everything that comes with that, including the Spirit He promised to you.

We have become enamored by the lingerie itself and it has become a barrier for us that we just cannot get past.

The lingerie is not as important as what's under it.

what is under it is for us.

man.. this is possibly the weirdest metaphor I have ever used... I'm going to keep writing though, I think it makes sense.

So... we should not hold at a distance the very Spirit that has been given to us. It is wonderful, it is beautiful, it is for all who accept Christ as Savior.

Get past the lingerie and accept what has been given to you.

gasoline

The other thing that I see happen with the Holy Spirit is that people will recognize it as important and ask for it without knowing why or what that means... which is ok

but

it is kind of like asking for gasoline because you know it is important and something to ask for. So you do.

Ok, you have gasoline... now what? It just sits in that nice red plastic waiting to be used.

What if I told you that you could put that gasoline into a car and it would allow the engine to run. Sweet!

but...

Simply knowing this information will not make the car run.. you must actually put the gasoline into the car, turn the key, and.. miracle of miracles.. it runs.

The Spirit of God being placed in us serves many purposes... but we must allow for those things to happen in our lives by taking steps of faith.

1 Corinthians 12 talks practically about a bunch of these things...

here is a summary...

The manifestations of the Spirit are all for the common good, but look different...

manifestations include

the message of wisdom, the message of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing spirits, speaking in different kinds of tongues, interpreting tongues.. and all these pieces work together for the sake of Christ.

we know what the spirit can do... and that we have been given that spirit, let us take steps of faith in allowing the spirit to do the work of Christ in us and through us.

so... what are our steps forward?

Let us look past the lingerie, accept what has been given to us, use the gasoline, and step out in faith in order to bring glory to God.

peace.