Be Blessed by Embracing the Fullness of God’s Values by Relating with Him through the Lord’s Feast of Pentecost

TRUTH AND PURPOSE

God appointed Shavuot, a/k/a the Feast of Pentecost, to serve as a reminder of the time the Ten Commandments were given to Moses. It also looks forward to celebrating the fullness of the harvest and the glory of God. Initially,

However, as the disciples were celebrating this time according to their custom, the Holy Spirit gave them a huge wake-up call! How so?

First of all, God poured out His love with the pour of the Holy Spirit. This is just what Messiah Yeshua-Jesus had promised! It marked a very relevant time of transition. Furthermore, at Pentecost, God revealed His plan to inhabit– literally live in– His people and express the manifold grace and presence of His Holy Spirit.

RELEVANCE

The Lord called the Holy Spirit the Comforter. Furthermore, He promised that He “will guide you into all truth.” Consequently, the disciples learned quickly that it was by the active presence, power and comfort of the Holy Spirit that the community of believers grew and maintained its vitality. Pentecost was a real transition point. It would represent a key pivot point that would change– and differentiate– their lives in a big way.

Truly, God works His transformation process through the Holy Spirit. How so? The Holy Spirit illuminates your vision, renews your mind and upgrades your values and character. Consequently, your nature and character aligns more closely with the Lord’s divine nature. Paul relates to this as growing to “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). It is about being “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). This happens as you intentionally yield to God’s Word and the inner working of the Holy Spirit. Hence, Peter, having experienced real transformation, referred to this as being “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4).

Paul also greatly valued the presence and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, Paul encouraged believers to understand the nature of the Holy Spirit. In addition, he taught people how the Holy Spirit flows within us and communicates with us. So he inspired yielding to the beckoning and flow of the Holy Spirit. He, therefore, encouraged cultivating boldness of faith.

It is to us, however, that God has revealed these things. How? Through the Spirit. For the Spirit probes all things, even the profoundest depths of God. 11 For who knows the inner workings of a person except the person’s own spirit inside him? So too no one knows the inner workings of God except God’s Spirit. 12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God, so that we might understand the things God has so freely given us.     (1 Corinthians 2:10-12 JNT)

One of the most relevant attributes of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is to console and comfort those in despair. This is because the Holy Spirit comforts and strengthens the depressed and broken of heart. As a result, the Holy Spirit gives hope to those without hope.

Furthermore, when loved and touched by compassionate servants of faith, the Holy Spirit can release the healing virtue of God. This, in turn, brings stability and comfort to wounded hearts and sets in motion God’s healing process.

So real transformation happens in time through God’s process as we submit and surrender to Him, and allow ourselves to be conformed to His nature. It entails allowing Him to increase and the self-nature to decrease.

For most of us, that’s more easily said than done! As we do, though, the Holy Spirit establishes and confirms our alignment with the Lord. As a result, we experience the sweet peace of God. That peace gives us the confidence of God’s presence and assurance of His favor. Most of all, we experience God’s grace in a huge way.

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

The result of God’s process yields good fruits.  The more we submit to the Spirit, the more we reflect His character and the fruit of the Spirit. “Since it is through the Spirit that we have Life, let it also be through the Spirit that we order our lives day by day” (Galatians 5:25 JNT).

REFLECT AND RELATE

In what ways can you value the ministry of the Holy Spirit in your life?

How do you think you can recognize the working of the Holy Spirit?

How does He speak to you?

How might you confirm what the Holy Spirit is doing?

In what ways has God been transforming you, growing greater measures of His nature in you?

What new values has God impressed you to embrace this season?

What new vision has God imparted in you to give you greater insights?

What virtues of the Lord have you received to walk in the new life in Him?

REFERENCES

John 14-16; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16; 1 Corinthians 12-14; 2 Corinthians 3:4-18; Galatians 5:1-26; Romans 14:1-22; 1 Peter 1:2-11

NEXT STEPS

Vertical movement: As you value the ministry and gifts of the Holy Spirit, you experience the fruit of Pentecost every day! So it behooves you to follow the One who said, “I Am the Good Shepherd.”

Horizontal movement: The more you value the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, the more you experience the fruit of the Lord’s conquest.

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