Three times over the past week I felt strongly to follow the leading of the Paraclete in my life. The early church identified the Paraclete as the Holy Spirit. It appears in the N.T. where it may be translated in English as “Counselor”, “Helper”, or “Comforter”. I tend to think of the Paraclete as more of a guide than anything else.
On Saturday during my run I felt so strongly to add into Sunday’s message something for just one person. I felt such a strong leading to let someone know that God truly loved them despite their imperfections. On Monday morning one of our leaders texted me saying, “I have always known that God loves me, but I really never understood His love for me. I needed to hear it. I didn’t know I needed to hear it. During worship I lifted my hands up to tell him back, “I love you too” and it was like He gave me a big giant God hug! Thank you for being a servant to Him and saying what He would have you say.”
I also stated a few other things for a specific person and got texted Sunday night, “Thanks bro I needed that”. A few blog entries ago I wrote on “I’m Waiting on You” and felt strongly to write it for a specific person. I had delayed writing that blog for several months. The next day I received a response saying, “I was the one” from a friend.
It makes me think of all the preparation put into a message or things we try to say based on our own wisdom, experience or lack of, or something good someone else said we can pass along. What if we neglected time spent in prayer? What if we neglected time in His word? In those moments is when he speaks to our hearts…… but here’s the thing I’m learning. When I neglect those sweet moments crying out in desperation for God to anoint my lips it doesn’t just hurt me from hearing something……. it costs that one person or maybe far more, perhaps an entire church hearing that one Paraclete-led word. Lives aren’t altared because of anything clever man has to say, but lives are transformed as the Paraclete speaks through man.
I’m truly looking forward to continuing to hear the voice of God. I’m also looking forward to reading a book on my list called Wild Goose Chase - all about the holy spirit.
Do you ever wander what would happen if we stopped ignoring that leading? What if we truly followed it every time we heard it? What risks would we take? What sins would we avoid? I’m thinking this is a future teaching series.
