Living By the Power of the Holy Spirit

Title: Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit: From Orphans to Heirs - Based on the sermon by Dustin Renz of Make Way Ministries

Have you ever felt alone, abandoned, or like you have to figure everything out by yourself? It's a common human experience, but for those who follow Christ, it's a deception that keeps us from experiencing the fullness of what God has for us.

Imagine an orphan living on the streets, struggling to survive day by day. Now picture a wealthy benefactor coming to that child, offering not just a home, but full adoption into their family. This child would have access to everything the family owns - food, shelter, education, love. Yet, what if that child, even after being adopted, kept sneaking back to the streets, begging for scraps? It would be heartbreaking, wouldn't it?

This powerful analogy illustrates how many Christians live. We've been adopted into God's family through Jesus Christ, given full access to the riches of His kingdom, yet we often live as if we're still spiritual orphans. We try to figure life out on our own strength, forgetting that we have a Heavenly Father who wants to guide us, empower us, and reveal His heart to us through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus understood this tendency. Before He ascended to heaven, He promised His disciples, "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:18). His solution? The Holy Spirit. Jesus knew that without the indwelling presence of God's Spirit, we would default to an orphan mentality, feeling alone and powerless. But with the Holy Spirit, we can live as true children of God, accessing all the benefits of our spiritual adoption.

So what does it look like to live in the power of the Holy Spirit? Let's explore five key ways the Holy Spirit works in our lives:

1. The Holy Spirit Communicates Truth
Jesus called Him the "Spirit of truth" who would guide us into all truth (John 16:13). In a world full of deception and half-truths, the Holy Spirit is our compass, always pointing us back to God's word and revealing Jesus to us. He can give us discernment in situations, helping us navigate complex decisions with divine wisdom.

2. The Holy Spirit Forms Christ's Character in Us
The fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) - isn't something we can manufacture on our own. It's the natural outworking of allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us from the inside out. As we "walk by the Spirit," we find ourselves becoming more like Jesus in our attitudes and actions.

3. The Holy Spirit Anoints Us with Power
The early church in Acts didn't rely on their own abilities to spread the Gospel - they were empowered by the Holy Spirit. Peter and John, when confronted with a lame beggar, didn't offer mere sympathy. Instead, Peter declared, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk" (Acts 3:6). The Holy Spirit wants to anoint us with that same power to see lives transformed and bodies healed.

4. The Holy Spirit Directs Our Steps
Throughout the book of Acts, we see the early believers constantly seeking the Holy Spirit's guidance. Whether it was choosing leaders, making decisions, or determining where to preach the Gospel, they relied on the Spirit's direction. Even the Apostle Paul, with all his zeal and knowledge, needed the Holy Spirit to redirect his plans at times (Acts 16:6-10). When we learn to listen to the Holy Spirit's gentle promptings, we find ourselves in the right place at the right time, positioned for divine appointments.

5. The Holy Spirit Reveals Secrets
God knows everything about everyone, and sometimes He chooses to reveal specific information to us through His Spirit. This could be a "word of knowledge" about someone's situation, a dream or vision, or even a random thought that turns out to be divinely inspired. These revelations are not for our own benefit, but to minister God's love to others and demonstrate His intimate knowledge of their lives.

Living in the power of the Holy Spirit isn't about achieving some elite spiritual status - it's about daily surrendering to God's presence and allowing Him to work through us. It's choosing to believe that we're no longer orphans trying to survive on our own, but beloved children with full access to our Father's resources.

So how do we cultivate this kind of relationship with the Holy Spirit? Here are a few practical steps:

1. Set aside daily time to quiet your heart and listen. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you and be prepared to write down what you sense He's saying.

2. Study the scriptures, asking the Holy Spirit to illuminate God's word to you. He loves to reveal Jesus through the pages of the Bible.

3. Practice obedience to the Spirit's promptings. Start with small things - a nudge to encourage someone, an urge to pray for a stranger. As you prove faithful in little things, He'll entrust you with more.

4. Seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit if you haven't experienced it. This empowerment is available to all believers and opens up new dimensions of spiritual sensitivity and power.

5. Surround yourself with others who are passionate about walking in the Spirit. Their faith and testimonies will encourage your own journey.

Remember, the Holy Spirit isn't some impersonal force - He's a Person, the third member of the Trinity, who longs for intimate relationship with you. He's creative, exciting, and full of surprises. Walking with Him turns everyday errands into potential divine encounters and ordinary conversations into opportunities for ministry.

As you lean into the Holy Spirit's presence, you'll find yourself living with a new level of confidence, not in yourself, but in the God who lives within you. You'll discover that you're never truly alone, never without resources, and never without hope. You are a child of God, filled with His Spirit, and heir to all His promises. It's time to leave the orphan mentality behind and step into the fullness of your spiritual inheritance!