Questions - Am I In The Spirit?

Photo by Mads Schmidt Rasmussen on Unsplash

I like to think that I am a smart person.

I should make most of my decisions, at least the really important ones, based on logic – data – and intellect. I distinctly remember that years ago my lovely wife and I were on the hunt for a new home. She spent weeks pouring through listings, evaluating them based on our criteria; weeding through the ones that would not make the cut. She walked through A LOT of them and I am thankful for her resilience and patience. She put together a lot of data and options to consider for us to make the most rational and advantageous decision.

Here I come… walking into one of the many we were scheduled to see that day and said within minutes “Yep, this is it. I feel like this is the one.” I couldn’t really explain it, just felt right. This also meant I said “nope” to all the others that she wanted me to consider. Once I made up my mind emotionally, there were a lot of facts and figures that I then used to justify my decision. I realize that was inconsiderate and frustrating for her. We talked about it and thankfully, my wife liked the house too. It wasn’t a bad decision and turned out to be a decent house for our family.

How do our decisions and actions work “in the Holy Spirit”?

“So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, are You restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time? He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took Him out of their sight.”

Much of what we do, what we decide, and how we operate are based on our emotions. What struck me about this passage was that Jesus promises the Spirit coming before they go and do their work. He didn’t say that they should get started and the Spirit would come when things got tough or when they felt weak. No, He says that the Spirit comes and fills them with power before they start. When we accept Christ as our savior miraculous things happen instantaneously. Our hearts are regenerated and the Holy Spirit takes up residence there (Rom 8:9). This has to happen because without Him, it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6).

Being in the Spirit isn’t based on how I feel about it or if I can sense His presence in some emotional way.

This is a big deal and fundamental to the Christian life. If I wait until I feel like being obedient, or holy, or fighting temptation it won’t happen. I will most likely do the opposite of what pleases Him.

When you or I resist the devil and his temptations, we are doing it with the Spirit. Whenever we are patient, kind, loving, tender, forgiving, charitable, etc, it is the Holy Spirit within us that does these things. When you choose to read His Word or worship, it is He who is “working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.” (Phil 2:3)  The Holy Spirit is a person, not an emotional state or feeling. That is very comforting.

Feelings come and go, but He remains in us and will remain until The King’s promised return.