And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever (John 14:16).
Some Christians think the Holy Spirit sometimes goes on a break, or takes a recess just because at such times they don’t “feel” His presence. You don’t have to “feel” God to know that He’s with you. Rather, you ought to know that He’s with you always, because the Word says so. Jesus said, “…and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:20). He didn’t say, “I’m with you only when you can “feel” that I am.” Many have reduced their experience of Christianity to the carnal realm of feeling, and that so wrong, for we walk by faith and not by sensory perceptions (2 Corinthians 5:7).
But you might want to ask, “What if someone, having received the Holy Spirit at the New Birth, backslides and feels that the Holy Spirit has left him or her, is this just a feeling or was the Holy Spirit actually frustrated with all the sin in such a person?” Well, God is not a man (Numbers 23:19), and He doesn’t act like some earthly parents who wouldn’t relate with their kids for doing something wrong. Sadly, this is the poor perception of God that some folks have.
That you did something wrong won’t make the Holy Spirit leave you. Remember, you weren’t made right with God because of your own righteousness; it came because God gave you His righteousness. Thus, His presence with you isn’t dependent on what you did right or wrong, or the way you feel. His presence is dependent on His infallible Word; because of His love! That’s the reason He’ll never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).
Read again the words of Jesus in our opening verse, He said “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever” (John 14:16). God the Father, through the Holy Spirit abides with you forever, not sometimes. Don’t consider what your feelings tell you. As long as you haven’t willfully rejected Christ and His sacrifice of salvation for you on the Cross, the Holy Spirit cannot and will not leave you!
Even when you err and start feeling as though the Holy Spirit has left you, it’s still the Holy Spirit who guides you unto repentance, proving His presence with you even at such times. If He left you, you could never return to Him. But He wouldn’t, for He’s with you to fulfill His ministry in your life, till Jesus comes. Hallelujah!
Some Christians think the Holy Spirit sometimes goes on a break, or takes a recess just because at such times they don’t “feel” His presence. You don’t have to “feel” God to know that He’s with you. Rather, you ought to know that He’s with you always, because the Word says so. Jesus said, “…and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:20). He didn’t say, “I’m with you only when you can “feel” that I am.” Many have reduced their experience of Christianity to the carnal realm of feeling, and that so wrong, for we walk by faith and not by sensory perceptions (2 Corinthians 5:7).
But you might want to ask, “What if someone, having received the Holy Spirit at the New Birth, backslides and feels that the Holy Spirit has left him or her, is this just a feeling or was the Holy Spirit actually frustrated with all the sin in such a person?” Well, God is not a man (Numbers 23:19), and He doesn’t act like some earthly parents who wouldn’t relate with their kids for doing something wrong. Sadly, this is the poor perception of God that some folks have.
That you did something wrong won’t make the Holy Spirit leave you. Remember, you weren’t made right with God because of your own righteousness; it came because God gave you His righteousness. Thus, His presence with you isn’t dependent on what you did right or wrong, or the way you feel. His presence is dependent on His infallible Word; because of His love! That’s the reason He’ll never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).
Read again the words of Jesus in our opening verse, He said “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever” (John 14:16). God the Father, through the Holy Spirit abides with you forever, not sometimes. Don’t consider what your feelings tell you. As long as you haven’t willfully rejected Christ and His sacrifice of salvation for you on the Cross, the Holy Spirit cannot and will not leave you!
Even when you err and start feeling as though the Holy Spirit has left you, it’s still the Holy Spirit who guides you unto repentance, proving His presence with you even at such times. If He left you, you could never return to Him. But He wouldn’t, for He’s with you to fulfill His ministry in your life, till Jesus comes. Hallelujah!
PRAYER
Precious Lord, I thank you for the rich fellowship of the Holy Spirit which I enjoy lavishly today, and forever. What joy to know that I’m ordained into this wonderful union and fellowship with you for eternity! Amen.
Rhapsody Of Realities February 19, 2011
- Pastor Chris Oyakhilome
thank you. I really needed to hear this.
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