Evidences of the Spirit’s Empowering
For the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
(2 Corinthians 3:17)
What can we expect a Spirit-filled life to look like? What are things you and I can claim when the Spirit is in full control? When we are Spirit-filled and therefore rightly related to the Spirit of God:
- We are surrounded by the Spirit’s omnipotent shield of protection.
- We have an inner dynamic to handle life’s pressures.
- We are able to be joyful . . . regardless.
- We have the capacity to grasp the deep things of God that He discloses to us in His Book.
- We have little difficulty maintaining a positive attitude of unselfishness, servanthood, and humility.
- We have a keen sense of intuition and discernment; we sense evil.
- We are able to love and be loved in return.
- We can be vulnerable and open.
- We can rely on the Spirit to intercede for us when we don’t even know how to pray as we should.
- We need never fear evil or demonic and satanic assault. We are enabled to stand alone with confidence.
- We experience inner assurance regarding decisions as well as right and wrong.
- We have an “internal filtering system.”
- We can actually live worry-free.
- We are able to minister to others through our spiritual gift(s).
- We have an intimate, abiding “Abba relationship” with the living God.
None of the things on the list above could be called phenomenal—they are neither miraculous in nature nor supernatural manifestations—but they are ours to claim simply because the powerful Spirit of God is filling us.
And frankly, these evidences are the kinds of things we need and can count on far more than those exceptional moments of sheer ecstasy. These are the things we can count on because we are rightly related to the Son of God and to the Spirit of God. We do not need continual, highly charged “power visions” or “power encounters” nearly as much as we need to be filled with the sustaining, all-powerful Spirit of God.
Every child of God who walks in the power of the Holy Spirit is “freed up” to enjoy incredible release from the things that would otherwise hold us in bondage. What great liberty!
Taken from Flying Closer to the Flame by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 1993 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
