Holy Spirit

Each week we get a new speaker from around the world to come and speak about a specific topic for which I learn so much that I have to share. I initially tried posting every other week but could no longer fit so much into one post. This weekend to stay caught up you get a 3 in 1 package :)

Anyway, something that stuck with me from this week is that when I start feeling doubt I can say "God help me in my unbelief." I'm sure this happens to many people where even only for a second you wonder if religion is all just an idea made up to help people get through life. At the start of my walk in faith, I would just tell myself that even if that's true I would still want to choose a Christian life over anything else because I can't see any other way of living being as fulfilling. Now I can remind myself without a doubt that there is no way I could be where I am right now without something else helping me along the way. I am not living on my own, I am merely a tool for the Holy Spirit to work through.

A tip I learned while doing outreach prep with my team is that you can't change your circumstances but you can have self-control. Maturity is confronting what is uncomfortable. A friendly warning is if you don't do it in love, you won't last. What you conceived in disobedience you with birth in grief. Follow God because God is kind and He will deal with the rest. Trials are good for us. Let your yes to God be without fill-in-the-blank. Don't do it your way but let God speak to you instead! Don't manipulate His voice. Trust Him. Don't try and make it work for yourself. Have no fear, no embarrassment. Have peace because He won't let you ruin His plans for you. He is merciful! Ask yourself this question, "Is Jesus worthy of your life?" Stay in love with Him and Jesus will turn your life into something you could never imagine.

You are the temple of God. (1 Corinthians 6:19) The God of angel armies tucked Himself in a box throughout the Old Testament to be close to us but even then His power was too mighty for us to even touch. Then after Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He brought Himself to our level for us to better comprehend by putting the Holy Spirit in our hearts. We are given access to every aspect of the Holy Spirit which is how we have access to every gift of the Spirit. (Acts 2) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. (1 Corinthians 12:11) We have already been given gifts of the Spirit but we can ask for more. (Matthew 7:7)

There are three ways to engage the Holy Spirit with thanksgiving as agreement with what He has done, worship as agreement with who He is, and intercession as agreement with what He has said. Don't waste your life waiting for the next thing. (Romans 8:28) Your calling is about your journey with God, not the destination. Don't fall asleep from disappointment. Walk boldly to the throne of God, you have that right, but you have to believe that God is good. Knowing God is kind allows you to love people and it's okay to remind yourself. If you try and walk with Jesus in your flesh, you will fail. (Psalm 55:22) Stop comparing yourself as it's a distraction from what God's plan is for your life.

The Holy Spirit helps us pray. (Psalm 100:4-5) Weap out loud with joy and love. A lot of the problems you have in your life are based on your unfruitful thinking. (Proverbs 23:7) Don't hide your sin. Don't put it off. Lay down your comfort for the souls you could save! You determine how big a cup you bring to God to fill. Love only exists where submission exists. Love demands submission, but submission outside of love is control. Live in an overflow of God's love for you. Walking in the Spirit is about staying consistent and when you mess up there are new mercies tomorrow. When the world looks at you they should see Jesus. Allow the Spirit to finetune your thoughts. Don't get prideful, be sensitive, or it will get worse. All things are possible with God but alone you will get burnt out. You are one mind shift away from receiving the gifts.

Notes from Abigail Aldinger's lecture