HOLY SPIRIT: ENABLER

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:8-18 ESV)

            The ministry of the Holy Spirit is described throughout Scriptures in a variety of defining ways. He is the Helper, giving aid through life. He is the Teacher, providing the lessons of life and disclosing correct answers to the questions of life. He is the One who Convicts, confronting the rebellious nature.

            The Holy Spirit is also the Enabler. He gives the ability, creates the means, and presents the opportunity. He then makes human efforts more effective, making possible things considered virtually impossible.

            The word enabler in modern times has taken on negative connotations, suggesting co-dependency to debilitating and demeaning behavior. The Holy Spirit is just the opposite, delivering and dignifying.

            Jesus accommodates a request from Philip to “show us the Father.” He states the Father is visible in His life in three ways. If Philip looked openly he would see the Father in the inward nature of Jesus (V.9). If Philip listened intently he would hear the Father in the reliable words of Jesus (V.10). If Philip observed carefully he would witness the Father in the supernatural activities of Jesus (V.11).

            Jesus then applied the statement to His followers: “Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” His going is associated with the sending of the Holy Spirit, the Enabler.

            People today still ask the request given by Philip, show us the Father. The church, the Body of Christ, is commissioned to disclose the One True God to every nation.

            Does this cause a sense of alarm? What an overwhelming expectation. Followers of Jesus do not possess a perfect demeanor nor are they all powerful. The obligation is humanly impossible, so much responsibility with so little capability.

            The threefold response of Jesus to Philip is the clue to showing God to the world. The nations are asking and believers are able because of the Enabler.

He enables you to show the inward nature of Jesus

            “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh…. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:16, 22-24 ESV)

            The Enabler implants divine characteristics, the natural qualities of Jesus, the attributes expressing genuineness that can disarm skeptics.

            Those not knowing Christ are bogged down in faithless lifestyles, living as doubters. They view followers of Jesus through tinted classes, assuming everyone has selfish motives and arrogant attitudes. The fruit of the Spirit is designed to impact the cynic’s opinion.

            When serving in church ministry in Montana, I supplemented the family income by being a Glazer, a glass worker. The co-workers were raw and rough. They constantly formulated sentences with every imaginable debased innuendo. While driving home from work, in preparation for conversations with my wife and kids, I put my mind through a divine washing, a spiritual cleansing through singing and praying.

            A new church assignment became available in South Dakota and we made plans to relocate. On my last day at work an extremely raunchy employee came up to me and said, “I have been watching you. Maybe there is something to this church stuff. I am going to have to check it out!” People do notice the Lord you serve, whether Jesus or some other.

            Christ’s love – self-giving, unconditional, vulnerable and enduring. Pure love is often misunderstood, exploited and abused. Followers of Jesus willfully take the risk and become exposed to possible hurt and rejection.

            Christ’s joy – comprehending life from an eternal perspective gives an inward glow, a deep-seated satisfaction.

            Christ’s peace – world situations are increasingly non-peaceful. Unholy ambitions make for strife and division. Yet the church is to reveal, “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility. (Ephesians 2:14 ESV)

            Christ’s patience – having a long fuse. A man known for having a short fuse, a quick temper, owned a car dealership. He committed his life to Christ and employees were amazed at how he gracefully managed problems previously causing outbursts of anger. He gained the fruit of peace and was transformed in Jesus.

            Christ’s kindness – “There was a man who had a heart transplant. But the operation was a total failure. For the man was a mean man and the heart was a kind heart.  His body simply rejected it.” (Helen Brenneman) The fallen nature has a natural propensity to be unkind. A place where most believers fall short is in failing to be considerate. The Holy Spirit gives a new heart, making a person compassionate.

            Christ’s goodness – a sincere, honest and moral heart.

            Christ’s faithfulness – trustworthy and reliable.

            Christ’s gentleness – sometimes referred to as power under perfect control, restraint coupled with strength and courage, being courteous and modest.

            Christ’s self-control – the capacity to manage emotions, desires and impulses for the purpose of serving others.

            To a world wanting to see the purely integrated Jesus, the Enabler gives you the ability to show His everyday attributes.

The Holy Spirit enables you to speak uprightly the words of Jesus

            James writes about a major obstacle toward talking honorably: “…the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness…. But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.” (James 3:3-10 ESV)

            Responding to others like Jesus is a monumental task. The Enabler shapes the heart of believers to be like Christ.

            Jesus said, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34 ESV)

            Jesus also said, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.” (Matthew 12:36 ESV)

            Your words express your devotion to God. A sharp tongue, a crude tongue, a thoughtless tongue, a slanderous tongue, and a bitter tongue is an unholy tongue. The unchurched recognize this deficiency. When an unholy tongue is manifested Jesus is not heard in the conversation. Take on His heart and the Holy Spirit cleans out your mouth.

            “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:29-30 ESV)

            As a young teenager I had a rotten mouth. The only words I used were crude. The only jokes I knew were coarse. After committing my life to Christ vocabulary usage became a major challenge. I desperately needed the heart of Jesus and for the Enabler to cultivate wholesome speech.

            To a world wanting you to show the heartfelt communicative Jesus, the Enabler gives you the ability to speak His words, His way.

The Holy Spirit enables you to reveal the supernatural activities of Jesus

            Jesus gave strict instructions to His followers: “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49 ESV)

            A week later, not knowing what to expect, the power came and impacted their tongue. “And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:3-4 ESV)

            Peter then tells a gathering crowd, “Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him….” (Acts 2:22 ESV) and concludes with an invitation, “For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

(Acts 2:39 ESV)

            The Holy Spirit gives the ability for the supernatural activities of Jesus. The grace actions recorded in First Corinthians 12 validates the promise “…whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12 ESV)

            The gifts of the Spirit are the reason God’s story is confirmed with signs and wonders. Supernatural manifestations are not the message, Jesus is the good news. Yet signs and wonders give credibility to His story.

            You need to include the supernatural activities of Jesus to fully present Him to others. The grace actions add potency to the message of grace. Eight times the book of Acts directly connects signs and wonders with the telling of His story.

            Paul and Barnabas went to speak to the people of Galatia. Acts records, “So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.” (Acts 14:3 ESV)

            The world is waiting for you to show the doing the impossible Jesus. The Enabler gives you the ability to perform His supernatural activities.

An inclusive testimony

            You cannot give an accurate witness of Jesus by just living His natural life or speaking His gracious words or revealing His supernatural activities. Showing the world Jesus involves all three. Living His natural life validates His word. Speaking His gracious words accredits His signs and wonders. Manifesting His supernatural activities certifies His Lordship.

            I became exposed to the reality of Jesus by meeting a person living for Him, who brought me to church to hear about Him, in a worship service supernaturally revealing Him. My soul was demanding, “show me Jesus.” I was given a genuine witness of His nature, words and activities, made possible by the Enabler.

            Become fully enabled and represent Him inclusively to others.