In John 14, Jesus made one of His most amazing statements – after telling His disciples that He was leaving and they can’t come along just yet, He told them an Advocate was coming. A Spirit that would lead them in truth and remind them what He’d already taught them. A Spirit that would be in them and who was already with them!
The Holy Spirit is fully God, so I don’t mean this to put some sort of limitation on where He can work, but it sure seems to me that the Holy Spirit goes to work where He is welcome to work. He moves through the lives of those who are paying attention to His movement. So many times, we get busy and stop paying attention to Him.
What do you need to do this year to keep your attention aimed in His direction? Jesus said that many wouldn’t receive the Spirit because they didn’t recognize Him. How can you tune your heart to His frequency so that you will recognize His voice when He’s speaking to you?
Let me share a few things that help me:
- Time in the Bible. As I study His Word, I’ve learned some of the patterns of His work. The more I tune in to His story, the more clearly I have been able to find my place in it.
- Time with His people. God still speaks through His people, too. I have heard clear direction from God as I’ve listened to messages He’s sent through other servants. Sometimes, this comes in a sermon or a lesson of some kind, but often it comes in simple conversation born out of the deep fellowship forged in loyal service to His mission.
- Time alone with Him. One of the things I’ve really loved about this new assignment I’ve found myself in, is the setting – the trees, the mountain mist, the ocean! I love to find a good trail through the forest and just go for a walk or drive with the Maker. It helps me connect with Him to see the incredible things He’s made and remember that of all the wonders He’s created, He called us His masterpiece.
As a disciple of Jesus, you may find a number of other ways to connect to the Holy Spirit He’s sent to us, but I’ve found these three to be pretty universal. In fact, I’d be pretty skeptical of anyone claiming to hear the Spirit without these three practices being prevalent in their life.
How are you making space to hear His Spirit clearly today?