Saturday, May 17, 2008

Living in the Spirit

Twice in Revelation John the Seer records that he was "in the spirit" when he received the divine revelation he describes in the last book of the Bible. "I was in the spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet... (Rev 1:10)" "At once I was in the spirit, and there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne (Rev 4:2)!" Make no mistake about it, John did not make this all up in his mind. In some trance-like state God revealed to him amazing things. Using his knowledge of the Old Testament he tried to describe what he saw as best he could.

All people contain God's Spirit within them simply because God created them. God the Creator made this universe and made us as well: in his image. God's hand is written in our hearts and moves us to want to seek him and know him.

The Spirit is within all who belong to Christ through baptism. That Spirit is actually Christ within us. In Matthew 28, Jesus' final words to his disciples are a command to go, baptize and teach. His words are also encouragement that though he will physically leave them he will indeed still be with them "always, to the end of the age (Matt 28:20)." The Spirit of Christ is with us always... leading us, guiding us... giving us hope in the face of sin.

The Holy Spirit, given to the disciples at Pentecost is the same Spirit given to us as well. More than just the presence of God or Christ within us... the Holy Spirit is power to become people we would not otherwise be. The disciples who abandoned Jesus at the cross now become men of courage, speaking new languages and spreading the gospel despite the dangers.

When John the Seer, writer of Revelation, is "in the spirit" on the Lord's Day I believe that he is in the same Spirit as the disciples at Pentecost. It takes over him. It gives him the ability to see things he would not have otherwise seen and do things he would not otherwise have done. This Spirit is within you right now... and I believe it's just waiting to take hold of you.

It's important that John mentions that it was on the Lord's Day when he was in the Spirit. It indicates to me that the fact it was Sunday morning, possibly even in worship, contributed to him being open to the Spirit taking over. When we cut ourselves off from the Scriptures, fail to recognize the Lord's Day, or do not participate in worshiping God, we smother the Spirit just waiting to move us in amazing ways.

Years ago I knew a woman named Lois who couldn't speak enough about being in the Spirit. She knew first hand what it meant to hinder the Spirit from doing its work and essentially spiritually sleepwalking through life. Year after year she went to church, potlucks, and sewing meetings. Year after year she said grace before dinner and sang in the choir. But, as she tells me, "I felt spiritually dead." When she was asked 20 years ago to lead a woman's Bible study for her church she was scared to death. There was no way in a million years she could do that, she thought. But out of some sort of sense of obligation and not finding it easy to say no, she accepted the job. It was like the blanket that was covering the Spirit within her was removed.

Teaching and leading discussions about the Bible lead her to learn more about the Scriptures and God than she ever knew before. It brought her joy, but with disappointment, because she felt as if she has been cheated of decades of chances to learn more about Christ. It was passages in John about "an Advocate" that really caught her eye. She recognized that empowering Advocate insider her. At times it moved her to speak in tongues. At times it moved her to question everything... which can be pretty frightening. Frightening to me as well listening to her. But even so, living the Spirit was something she says she would never give up.

I have to believe that John was shaken to his core by his experience of being "in the spirit," not just because of what he saw, but because of the very fact he was given the chance to experience God in such a powerful way. I'm sure John questioned everything at times too.

The Holy Spirit empowered both John and Lois to live their lives in a new way: a freeing way. They were empowered to live as children of God in a way they never dreamed they could have. John changed people forever by sharing his message of hope to a dangerous and dying world. Lois become a light to many other women who began to recognize the Spirit within them as well, just as the Spirit was present in their friend.

If Jesus has commissioned us to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you," then its going to take the Spirit within us to do just that. Empowered by the Spirit you will become a person of courage and strength you never knew you could be. Empowered by the Spirit you will bring the gospel to other people. Empowered by the Spirit you will walk in the presence of Christ every day of your life.

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