September 22, 2019 - INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE HEART
The Helper
Recently, me and a couple of friends from work have been talking about the concept of sin and how the world we live in has embraced sin and have unfortunately become comfortable with the idea of using “grace” as a masking tool to justify it. I know this is a very volatile topic to speak about publicly nowadays as it comes out as judgment towards the world and fellow believers alike. At the same time those who talk about it feel inadequate as we ourselves have been committing sin one way or the other in our lives. Honestly even now as I am writing I feel inadequate to talk about it.
I was in my quiet time the other day and was remembering the time when I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ in my life and got saved. The experience was unlike anything I have ever known in my life. I was in this space where I felt absolutely free for what Jesus has done for me on the cross. He took my guilt, shame, insecurities, doubts, fears, troubles and so much sins I have committed but Jesus bore all the brunt and died for me. And I was in this place of freedom from all these things and I loved my communion with Jesus. This went on for days and weeks. And then one fine day I was entrapped in the desires of sin and entertained the idea in my head and eventually took the bait. I remember the heavy weight of guilt on my shoulders. It was a very unpleasant feeling – a feeling that made me believe I let God down. Sin made me feel powerless. I could immediately sense the distance between God and myself. I remember reading Scriptures again and again to reaffirm my right standing with God, that it was not my works but His works that sealed the deal. What I was grateful for then, after the process of reconciliation, was the conviction of sin that I had at that moment and it was revealed to me. Then later in my walk I was directed to the passage of John 16:8, “And He (the Holy Spirit), when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment...”
Jesus has given us this amazing assurance of the Holy Spirit that would dwell within us once we accept Him as our Saviour and Lord. The Holy Spirit is the one who nudges us when something is wrong. Not only does He nudges us but even helps us through the process. John 16:7 says “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” I love the fact that Jesus calls the Holy Spirit our “helper”. Galatians 5:16 says “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of your flesh.”
Do you, like me, feel distant and far away from God at times? The pattern of our sin can be broken with the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. You and I don’t have to fight this battle alone. Let us get our hearts right today and ask the Holy Spirit to help us break these patterns of sin that entangle us in life and prevent us from having communion with our Heavenly Father.
Doug Bennyson