Did you ever desire to have a friend, a really good and close friend? A friendship that transcends any other relationship found here in this life. It has been my experience that everyone wants a friend whom they can be honest with and share hard times with, not have to put on some fake facade, but just to be real with each other. Well, I’ve found this type of friendship. 

The night before Jesus died, he talked to His disciples about just such a friend (John 16). He goes by many different names, but the name we all have heard the most is the Holy Spirit. I can remember the Sunday mornings sitting in my Grandmother’s house listening to a preacher talk about the Holy Spirit. I remember saying to myself, If I ever take this Christianity thing seriously, I definitely want this Holy Spirit. Well, that is exactly what happen, and I am so glad of it.  

The thing we need to understand is that after Jesus paid the price for the sin of mankind, it also paved the way for a new type of relationship for God to have with us. Notice I said it starts with God, not us. Once a person starts believing in Jesus and accepts him as Lord and Savior, we become born again, meaning your spirit (the real you) becomes transformed, you are no longer a sinner, you are saved by grace, you cannot be both. 

You might be asking… What’s the big deal? This is a major deal; it means there is nothing separating God from us. The following scripture gives us insight into God’s intentions for the type of relationship He has planned for us.

Ephesians 3:17

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

This is such a game-changer! Before the cross, the focus and responsibilty of changing our life was on us, but now with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, He carries the responsibility to bring about the change necessary in our life. Our part is to believe, put our faith and dependence on Him, and follow His lead. This type of teaching runs against the grain of most Churches. All I have ever heard is how I have to be so disciplined in my day-to-day life. Sometimes the word discipline is so overrated. 

This agent of change, as I like to call it, starts with a relationship, and like all relationships, it must have communication as a key ingredient. Let’s dispel this ridiculous myth that we do not have the ability to communicate with God. God speaks with His creation all the time. It would be ludicrous to think that God would create mankind and not have the ability to communicate with them. 

My relationship with my Wife started with simply talking. We discovered our likes, dislikes, and our dreams. These were not just casual conversations. These were intimate, life-changing conversations that were built during those early days and now have expanded over 40 years. I’m not the same person I was 40 years ago because of this deep friendship/relationship I’ve had with my Wife. 

THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF RELATIONSHIP GOD WANTS WITH US!  

The Holy Spirit was sent to make His home in your heart, to lead you and guide you. He works with you on changing your desires, desires which will please God (Philippians 2:13).  Numerous times in my life, I’ve needed counsel and direction, and the Holy Spirit has been there to help. The Holy Spirit and I share life together, not just in the bad times but in the good times as well. We are inseparable; we even exercise together, tho I do all the work. 🙂  

I couldn’t imagine if my Wife came home from work and I didn’t stop to acknowledge her or say hello, but just ignored her as if she were not there. Sometimes I feel we do the same thing with the Holy Spirit. Lately, I’ve been making more of an effort to acknowledge Him and to listen to what he has to say. Many times we hear things, and we think it’s just us, but most of the time, it’s the Holy Spirit speaking to us.

So if you are looking for a friend who promises NEVER to leave you or give up on you even when you mess up or think you have it all together, to be with you through the good and bad times of life, to help give you guidance and counsel. The Holy Spirit has been sent to help us and to change us. All you need to do is ask God for the gift of the Holy Spirit.  

Another Blog post you may be interested in.

From The Inside Out

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