Hosting The Holy Spirit
“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25)
The Holy Spirit is God on earth, and the era we are in is the era of the Holy Spirit. He is the most important personality on earth, and He is present to complete the work of God before the rapture of the church. It is one thing to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, it is another thing to be constantly filled with the Spirit. Constant in-filling of the Spirit will lead to an overflow on the carrier; mighty works of miracles, signs, and wonders would be wrought through him/her. Maintaining a good measure of the Holy Spirit makes the believer a great witness of the gospel and Jesus Christ. Below are some ways on how to HOST the Spirit, viz:
Holiness: The characteristic feature of the Holy Spirit is holiness. That is the name He bears. To be in constant tune with Him calls for holiness in thought and in deed from the believer. To have the Holy Spirit express Himself in and through us regularly calls for ardent holiness from us. We are instructed to shun and jettison our old way of thinking and behaving and take on a new way of living which is powered by the Holy Spirit. Holiness is agreeing with the conduct of the Kingdom of God, imbibing the new conduct and acting out the behaviors of the Kingdom as listed in Galatians 5, verse 22 to 23. Two can only work together if they agree.
Overflowing Grace: To carry the presence of the Holy Spirit in a good measure is a work of grace (Zechariah 4:6). Grace is the working of the Holy Spirit in the believer changing his or her attitudes, affections and enabling the believer to please God (Philippians 2:13). For grace to flow in the believer like a river, joyfulness and thankfulness are critical and must be present. Grace in Latin language is the word “Gratia” which means thankfulness, gratitude, and favor. In Spanish, grace is gracias, and gracias is thank you. Grace and gratitude are like Siamese twins which cannot be separated. The Holy Spirit thrives where there is joy and thanksgiving. A believer who is full of thanksgiving and joy will be attractive to the Holy Spirit.
Sanctified Environment: Environment matters a lot. Some environment fosters the move of the Spirit, while others stifle it. In a worship environment where God is being exalted, the Holy Spirit finds such place very conducive to express Himself. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were instructed to keep the camp physically clean, they were given designated areas outside the camp to relieve themselves. They carried shovels to dig holes in the designated areas, and after relieving themselves they covered up the feces (Deuteronomy 23:12-14). Physical cleanliness matters to God. Cleanliness is next to godliness. As a new believer I was being oppressed in my sleep till the Holy Spirit pointed out to me some worldly reggae music in my possession as the point of contact for the demonic operations.
Trainability: Holiness is simply godly training and exercise in godliness and godly living. When we gave our lives to Christ, we were signed up automatically into the gym of the Holy Spirit. Many people have membership of physical gyms and never visit the place. Some go occasionally, and others go regularly. And others have trainers who assist them in the training. As believers we are required to allow the Holy Spirit to train us to godliness. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 4:8 Message translation, “Exercise daily in God – no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both for today and forever.”
CONCLUSION: It is a privilege for Christians to have the Holy Spirit resident in us. With every privilege, there are responsibilities. The points listed above are some of the responsibilities we are to bear to allow the Spirit expression in our lives. Our world is waiting for us to manifest the glory of God.
Ade(Gboyega) ESAN