Read: Romans 8:1-27
Key Text: And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (Romans 8:11)
Reflection: This rich passage teaches us a number of critical truths about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. First, The Holy Spirit indwells all who have been freed from sin by Christ (vv.2-4). The Holy Spirit is not a special gift for ‘special’ Christians. He is a gift for all believers. Second, the Holy Spirit brings life to our minds (v.6), spirits (v.10) and bodies (v.11). Third, it is through the Holy Spirit that we are adopted into the family of God (vv.14-17), with all the riches of that inheritance. Fourth, in this time in between, this time of suffering before Jesus comes again, the Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses, prays for us and groans with and for us (vv.26-27). What a gift!
Make no mistake; the Holy Spirit is the most powerful force in the universe. Paul makes the incredible observation that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, the power of the Holy Spirit, lives in us and grants us the same resurrection life that Jesus enjoys. This is life that enables us to overcome and live as more than conquerors in this world (Romans 8:28-39), and life that will carry us and our resurrected bodies through into eternity. Jesus’ final words to the disciples before his ascension was his promise that when the Holy Spirit came they would receive power (Acts 1:8). This power is dunamis - dynamic, explosive power. At Pentecost this power was experienced primordially – as tongues of fire and a rushing wind that drove the disciples out from behind their doors and into the streets. The Holy Spirit was and is power that transforms confused and frightened believers in Jesus into bold and courageous witnesses to and for Jesus. The full title of Luke’s book that recounts the story of the early church is not so much ‘The Acts of the Apostles’, as it should be ‘The Powerful Acts of the Holy Spirit’.
Question: When have you experienced the Holy Spirit’s resurrection power in your life?
Read: Romans 8:28-39
Comments