by Sarah Mentzer of Risen Music Publishing
“And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:2-4
We often talk and sing about the Holy Spirit in our churches, asking Him to “move.” I wonder, what do we truly mean when we ask this? I hope we don’t think of the Holy Spirit as our servant, just waiting around for us to point Him in the right direction with our prayers.
I also hope we don’t think the movement of the Holy Spirit is solely reliant and dependent on us, and that we have to declare, "ok, now we are ready for Him to act."
“The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:2
The Spirit of God IS GOD. He has no beginning and no end. He has been here before He even decided to create time and a few humans. He does not need nor require us to move in this world, He allows us to join in it. He is not waiting on us for anything. He is the one who gives the invitation.
“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14
He is not distributed in little pieces. The Holy Spirit is our complete connection to an Almighty God and the moment we accept Christ as our Savior, we get ALL of Him; He is poured into us and He changes us forever. The entirety of the Holy Spirit is given to you in that precious instant, for as the Bible says, He is all sufficient. If we are not being “moved” by the Holy Spirit on a daily basis, it is only because we are not listening.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26
The Holy Spirit speaks to us, teaches and guides us. The Holy Spirit is our daily helper, our weekly guide, our morning shield and our nightly armor. He is all powerful, HE IS GOD, living in you. Are you hearing Him speak? Do you recognize His voice?
“...but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” Romans 8:5
When we as believers, with the Holy Spirit inside us, come together and lift our hearts and our voices in one song, one prayer, one call, yes, amazing things can happen. Bodies healed, lives transformed, and people changed. The Holy Spirit can move like a “rushing wind” if He so chooses, changing the very atmosphere. This is the mysterious multi-dimensional presence of a Being that we cannot begin to comprehend.
But in your desire for a big corporate moment, don’t miss the intimate relationship you can have with that same Being, just you and Him. You are the entire reason He came as Jesus Christ, remember?
“these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God...Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10,12
I pray we want Him to move in ways and through means that we cannot explain, like that moment at Pentecost. But I also hope that we would want Him to move in us individually even more, when we are alone and meditating on His Word, or out living our lives, listening carefully for His voice, and allowing Him to lead our next steps. Then we will truly know the meaning of fervor and passion, the burning away of our selfish desires, the surrender of everything we are, and the desire for His presence to overwhelm us again and again.
About Risen Music Publishing:
Across our nation today, there is a revival happening in worship music. Our churches are tired of being entertained and want authentic personal communion with their Creator and Savior. Risen Music is honored to be a part of this great movement in the Christian faith. We seek not only to give a voice to the exceptional church-birthed songwriting that is occurring, but also to create a reservoir of spirit-filled songs for worship leaders to use in their own creative way.
“The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:2The Spirit of God IS GOD. He has no beginning and no end. He has been here before He even decided to create time and a few humans. He does not need nor require us to move in this world, He allows us to join in it. He is not waiting on us for anything. He is the one who gives the invitation.
“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14
He is not distributed in little pieces. The Holy Spirit is our complete connection to an Almighty God and the moment we accept Christ as our Savior, we get ALL of Him; He is poured into us and He changes us forever. The entirety of the Holy Spirit is given to you in that precious instant, for as the Bible says, He is all sufficient. If we are not being “moved” by the Holy Spirit on a daily basis, it is only because we are not listening.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26
The Holy Spirit speaks to us, teaches and guides us. The Holy Spirit is our daily helper, our weekly guide, our morning shield and our nightly armor. He is all powerful, HE IS GOD, living in you. Are you hearing Him speak? Do you recognize His voice?
“...but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” Romans 8:5
When we as believers, with the Holy Spirit inside us, come together and lift our hearts and our voices in one song, one prayer, one call, yes, amazing things can happen. Bodies healed, lives transformed, and people changed. The Holy Spirit can move like a “rushing wind” if He so chooses, changing the very atmosphere. This is the mysterious multi-dimensional presence of a Being that we cannot begin to comprehend.
But in your desire for a big corporate moment, don’t miss the intimate relationship you can have with that same Being, just you and Him. You are the entire reason He came as Jesus Christ, remember?
“these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God...Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10,12
I pray we want Him to move in ways and through means that we cannot explain, like that moment at Pentecost. But I also hope that we would want Him to move in us individually even more, when we are alone and meditating on His Word, or out living our lives, listening carefully for His voice, and allowing Him to lead our next steps. Then we will truly know the meaning of fervor and passion, the burning away of our selfish desires, the surrender of everything we are, and the desire for His presence to overwhelm us again and again.
About Risen Music Publishing:
