How to be lit by the Spirit!

One of the practical ministries of the Holy Spirit is the work of illumination, opening our eyes to the truth of the word about the crucified Jesus. Paul explains the relationship between the Word and the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 2.

Three things, at least are worth seeing !

1. The Word comes in the power of the Spirit not the effectiveness of the human speaker.

Paul argues with the Corinthians:

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

How does this encourage you to proclaim the Word of God to others? What makes preaching & proclamation powerful ?

2. God opens our eyes to the truth about the crucified Jesus by his Spirit

We speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.

The Word of God is a living word because the Spirit applies it to our hearts. Paul can then say:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the person of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

How does this challenge the way we read the Word of God or listen to the Word of God?

3. The Spirit transforms our minds through the Word

Through the Word the Spirit forms the mind of Christ in us !

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

The Word without the Spirit is dead.

The Spirit without the Word is mute.

The Spirit opens our eyes to the Word about the crucified Christ.

The Spirit transforms our minds through the Word.

How has the Spirit applied the Word of God to your mind ?

Aslan is on the move (Let the reader understand!)

GP.