Believers need the assurance of faith, a connection through prayer and time spent in the Word in order to access the power of the Holy Spirit and effectively serve the Lord.
by Jeff Clegg
Several months ago, I received a call from my wife that many husbands have gotten before. Her car wouldn’t start. I quickly jumped in my truck, jumper cables in hand, and headed out to rescue my stranded wife. When I arrived, I popped the hoods on my truck and her car with the idea that everything would work as it should. However, I ran into a problem with the negative cable. Her battery was so far back that I couldn’t make a good connection. After many attempts, I finally gave up.
It wasn’t until I reached out for help that I realized I wasn’t grounded. All the power was there. When grounded, the car started and all was well. Life is a lot like jumping off a car. Many times, we get run down and need a jump start. All the power is available to us, but we must be grounded in order to get what we need. Luke tells us about the power we can access in the Book of Acts. Jesus says to His disciples in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
“Life is a lot like jumping off a car. Many times, we get run down and need a jump start.”
Jeff Clegg
Equal in nature, power and glory with God the Father and God the Son, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity and seen as God’s active presence in the world. He guides, empowers and sanctifies believers. Jesus tells His disciples to wait for the power. Then they will be able to carry out His will. In Acts 2, when the day of Pentecost arrived, the power of the Holy Spirit was revealed and the church took off. Luke describes what happened: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Every day, the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”
As Christ followers, we have access to the power of the Holy Spirit to live in this world and effectively serve the Lord. However, we often fail to utilize it because we’re not grounded, which means the connection isn’t good. How can we make sure we’re grounded in our relationship with Jesus? I believe there are three requirements.
First, there’s the assurance of faith. Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is confidence in what we hope for and the assurance that the Lord is working, even though we can’t see it. The Hebrew word for faith is “Emunah,” which means “support.” Second, we’re connected through prayer, the believer’s direct line to God. We can have the assurance that He hears our prayers and knows our hearts. 1 John 5:14 says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that is we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” Third, we’re grounded when we spend time in the Word. It’s vital for spiritual growth, guidance and living a life that pleases Him. It’s a source of wisdom, encouraging individuals to love according to God’s will and to discern good from evil. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” The Word is the foundation for a healthy relationship with God.
Remember, when life tries to run us down, the power is always there. We just need the right connection and to make sure we’re properly grounded.
Jeff Clegg is the pastor of Stewart Community Church. For information, visit stewartcommunitychurch.com.
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