Have you ever tried to tell someone about the Lord and what He has done for you and how good He is, only to have them say something like, "I don't want to talk about it".
Yesterday at church Pastor was teaching on the Holy Spirit and being Spirit led. He made this comment about sometimes people say, "I don't want to talk about it". My heart broke into a million pieces hearing this because probably at some time in my life before I became a Christian I myself might have used those same words.
Pastor said it like this, first of all, The Holy Spirit is not an it. WOW! That hits you right in the gut. I immediately thought Oh my Lord forgive me if I have ever called you an it.
He is a person just like God the Father, and the Son. He is the Helper Jesus promised to those who followed Him and believes in Him. He is the Spirit of Truth. He is our Counselor, our Guide, our Protector. He is that still small voice that we listen to when we seek God for advice, for direction, for peace. He is our connection here on earth to God the Father and Jesus our Lord and Saviour. He speaks to us through our Father God in heaven.
John 14 v 16...."And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you".......
John 14 v 26...."but the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you"......
John 15 v 26...."But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me"......
John 16 v 12-15...."I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore, I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you".......
I have personally tried to share Christ with others and have been told, things like "I don't like to discuss religion" or "I would rather not talk about it", or something like "discussing religion makes me uncomfortable".
Here is the thing, discussing religion makes me uncomfortable as well. That is why I try not to talk religion and instead talk about the Lord and what He has done for me and what He wants to do for everyone. I would much rather talk about the love Jesus has for us all and what He did to prove that love. I would much rather tell someone how much God loves them and not what some religous doctrine says. I would much rather point out the scriptures in His word about who He says we are to Him and what we are worth to Him, instead of what the world tells us we are worth.
I would love to talk about the Holy Spirit and how He has helped me through many situations.
Next time someone asks you about the Holy Spirit or wants to talk about the Lord with you, don't be too quick to dismiss them thinking they are wanting to talk religion. It might just be that they are wanting to know more about your relationship with Jesus and His Father and the Holy Spirit. They may have questions of their own. They may be seeking something more for themselves like a relationship and not just a religion.
As sad as it is, there are many people out there who have put their faith in a religion instead of a relationship. Remember religion is an it, but a relationship with the Holy Spirit is Person to person.
How can we know more about having a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit?
STAY IN THE WORD!
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