"On" but Unplugged

Most of us have had the experience of wondering why an electric appliance of ours wasn’t working only to find out we hadn’t plugged it in it or turned the switch on.  When we realize the error, we feel silly that we didn’t check the obvious first.   I recall an instance many years ago when my brother and sister-in-law were just married.  They invited me over after church for a chicken dinner that was supposedly cooking in the crock pot while we worshipped.  Upon our arrival to their apartment, the absence  of the aroma of chicken stewing was obvious.  Upon inspection the crock pot had been turned on, but it was not plugged in.  Needless to say, I took a “rain check” on the dinner.

It is sad that many people who call themselves “Christians” are like that crock pot.  They have potential to produce a godly life.  They have the possibility to positively influence lives for the Lord and do great works “in Jesus’ name.”  The trouble is, they aren’t plugged into the power source of God’s Holy Spirit.   If they are plugged in, their power cord has a short, which disrupts the flow of God’s Spirit with the least little interruption.  The powerlessness of their lives is evident as they continually struggle with life issues, have little commitment to the things of God, and live a roller coaster spiritual life of up and down spiritual experiences and emotions.

It is only as we stay plugged in daily to God’s Spirit that we can truly know the constant power of the Spirit that Jesus promised to his disciples.  Just as any electrical appliance is useless without electricity flowing to it, so is the Christian unconnected with the Holy Spirit.  Instead of looking at all the circumstances of our lives and making excuses for why we just don’t feel as close to God as we once did or faithful as we once were, the answer is very simple: get plugged back into God’s power source, the Holy Spirit.  Only as we stay plugged into the power of the Holy Spirit can we truly become all God desires.

This week we will be continuing our series on the Holy Spirit looking at “The Guide: Our Constant Companion.”

I hope to see you Sunday,
Pastor Jeff