The Holy Spirit allows us to share in the victory of Christ over the world.
In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world.
We need to fan into flame the gift of the Spirit which we have received (see Second Timothy 2:6). He makes it possible for us to have peace in Jesus. He gives us his fruits of love, peace, joy, gentleness, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control (see Galatians 5:22).
Knowing the truth about Jesus and his resurrection in a merely intellectual way is not anything to keep the fear at bay. If the truth is still external to us it means that self-preservation still comes first. We're easy to scatter and to silence. We hole ourselves up within the safety of our communities rather than bringing knowledge of the kingdom of God to the people who need to hear it. Contrast this with the boldness of Paul.
He entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldly
with persuasive arguments about the Kingdom of God.
The Holy Spirit our direct connection to the power of the resurrection. He lives within us and changes us from the inside it. His gifts and fruits are not tools that we have and use. They are expressions of the life of God within us. By their nature they can't be bottled up or contained. God within us wants to flow through us to change the world.
And when Paul laid his hands on them,
the Holy Spirit came upon them,
and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
This isn't a special privilege for the select few. The gift of the Spirit is intended for all of us. It is meant to be normal in the life of believers. Without it we can't be all that we are meant to be. With the Holy Spirit alive in us we overcome the world, have peace, and receive more than all we can ask or even imagine.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.
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