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enthusiasm of the Holy Spirit
In 1983, John Scully decided to leave his prestigious position at Pepsico to become President of Apple Computer. He entered an uncertain future by leaving the safe haven of an established company and joining a young company that offered no security, just one man's visionary idea. Scully made the bold decision after Apple co-founder Steve Jobs confronted him with a now-legendary question: "Do you want to sell sweetened water for the rest of your life?" Or do you want to come with me and change the world?" As the saying goes, the rest is history.
About 2000 years ago, some very ordinary men and women met on the top floor of a house in Jerusalem. If you had asked them back then if they could change the world, they would probably have laughed. But when they received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, these previously hesitant and fearful believers rocked the world. With overwhelming power and ability they proclaimed the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: "With great power the apostles testified of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was with them all" (Acts 4,33). Against all odds, the early Church of Jerusalem spread like water gushing from a newly opened fire hydrant to the ends of the earth. The word for it is "unstoppable". Believers rushed out into the world with an unprecedented urgency. Her passion for Jesus lasted a lifetime and impelled her to proclaim the word of God with confidence and courage: «And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled shook; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke the word of God with boldness" (Acts 4,31). But where did this passion come from? Was it a crash course or dynamic seminar on positive thinking or leadership? no way. It was the passion of the Holy Spirit. How does the Holy Spirit work?
He works in the background
Just before Jesus was arrested, he was teaching his disciples about the coming of the Holy Spirit, saying: "But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth. For he will not speak of himself, but what he hears he will speak, and what is to come he will announce to you. He will glorify me, for he will take it from mine and declare it to you" (John 16,13-14).
Jesus explained that the Holy Spirit would not speak of himself. He doesn't like to be the center of attention, preferring to work in the background. Why? Because he wants to put Jesus first. He always puts Jesus first and never puts himself first. Some refer to this as "the timidity of the mind."
The timidity of the Holy Spirit, however, is not timidity out of fear, but out of humility; it is not a shyness of selfishness, but one of focus on the other. It comes from love.
communion with humanity
The Holy Spirit does not impose itself, but slowly and quietly leads us into the whole truth - and Jesus is the truth. He works to reveal Jesus within us so that we can relate to the living God Himself and not just know facts about Him. Community is his passion. He loves connecting people.
He wants us to get to know Jesus, thereby getting to know the Father, and he never gives up on making that happen. Jesus said the Holy Spirit would glorify him: 'He will glorify me; for of what is mine he will take and declare it to you" (John 16,14). This means that the Holy Spirit will reveal who Jesus really is. He will exalt and exalt Jesus. He will pull back the curtain to reveal Jesus' true self and reveal the wonder, truth and magnitude of his love. That's what He does in our lives. This is what he did long before our conversion to Christianity. Remember the time you gave your life to God and said that Jesus is Lord of your life? Do you think you did this all by yourself? "Therefore I make it known to you that no one who speaks by the Spirit of God says, 'Jesus be cursed. And no one can say, Jesus is Lord, except through the Holy Spirit" (1. Corinthians 12,3).
Without the Holy Spirit we will not have real passion. He works the life of Jesus into our very being so that we are transformed and able to let Jesus live through us.
«We recognized and believed the love that God has for us: God is love; and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. In this is love with us perfected, that we may have liberty to speak on the day of judgment; for as he is, so are we in this world" (1. John 4,16-17).
Open your life to Him and experience the joy, peace, love and passion of God flowing in and through you. The Holy Spirit transformed the early disciples by revealing Jesus to them. It enables you to continue to grow in your understanding of Jesus Christ: «But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Glory be to him now and forever!” (2. Petrus 3,18).
His deepest desire is for you to get to know Jesus as he really is. He continues his work today. This is the passion and activity of the Holy Spirit.
by Gordon Green
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