The Gift of the Holy Spirit

As a child, hearing about the Holy Spirit (aka Holy Ghost) was always something that freaked me out. I used the movies Ghostbusters and Casper to try to process what the Sunday School teachers were telling me. But I had no real concept of this third person in the trinity.

When Christ died, he didn't just save us from our sins. But he unleashed the power of the Holy Spirit on every believer. Sadly, many believers don't understand what that means nor care to understand it. We're cool with God and Jesus, but this Holy Ghost weirds us out. So, with most things we don't understand, we push it towards the back and try not to think about it.

I didn't start caring until recently. So I began digging into the Word to learn more. Through scripture we see that the Holy Spirit acts as a Counselor who guides you into all truth, helps us in our weakness, and intercedes for us. It testifies that we are God's children. We are "marked in Christ with a seal (the Holy Spirit) ... a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession."

When Adam and Eve sinned, God covered them with garments of skin. When the prodigal son returned home, his father covered him with a robe. When Jesus appeared to his disciples after the crucifixion, he said that soon they would be "clothed with power from on high." The Holy Spirit covers us. It covers our sinfulness and brokenness. God now sees us as his children, as co-heirs with Christ. But many of us walk around like we're naked. We try to cover ourselves with good deeds rather than allowing the Spirit to fully envelope us.

Jesus gave his disciples the authority to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, and drive out demons. But why don't we see those things happening anymore? Maybe it's because we don't ask for it.

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
~Luke 11:11-13