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Focus back for a second (and go back to wishing for your Hogwarts letter in a moment). Imagine with me, just for a minute, what it would be like to be as radically open about faith as many are about Harry Potter-or whatever books, movies, or artists you are crazy about. Think on what a culture looks like that is sold out for Jesus in comparison to one that is sold out for entertainment. If millions of people read the Bible in the same fashion that billions of us read our Harry Potter books, imagine how it would affect our lives! To be quite (embarrassingly) honest, I can probably quote the novels better than I can quote scripture. What if we talked about the Holy Spirit as much as we talked about our favorite fantasy heroes and villains?
The antagonist throughout the entire Harry Potter series is Tom Riddle, later renamed as Lord Voldemort, though in time most of magical world arrives at a point of refusing to even speak his name because of how terrible his actions come to be, earning him the name, 'He Who Must Not Be Named'. For his character this is fitting (without the concept of fear being addressed), because of how malevolent he turns out to be. However, lately in my life I've wondered if another being in our own world is earning the name of 'He Who Must Not Be Named': the Holy Spirit.
I probably just threw you for a loop, so let me explain. In the past three years I've realized that our society puts taboos on certain phrases or concepts that are very much biblical. Often these are parts of the spiritual life that can be out of our comfort zones, though they are very good for us (even if we believe the lies that Satan tells us that they aren't). The Lord has put a holy ambition on my heart this summer, and that is to speak His truth about His character, which is found in the very real presence of His Spirit in my (and every believer's) life, speaking to me, moving in my heart, and moving in the hearts of those around me. The Lord is on the move-in my life and in the lives of others-and He is producing a culture shift in many areas, and as I've prayed about what a culture living after Christ is supposed to look like, the Lord has revealed on awesome truth: a Jesus culture is a spirit-led culture.
Scripture tells us that as believers we are to be the salt and light of the world. If our end goal is to be the salt and the light, or to love the world and preserve it until the return of the King, then it seems like three pillars will form the pathway to get us there: character, competency, and collaboration. These three values are outlined by Alex and Brett Harris in their novel, Do Hard Things, an inspiring book about how to follow Jesus in daily life by stepping outside of our comfort zones and breaking down social barriers. Character, competency, and collaboration working together can practically work together to form a unity within people for them-us-to do hard things for the sake of Jesus. Taken separately, each concept has merit, but only when all three are combined can a sustainable and effective culture be built. Read these words from Alex and Brett Harris:
'Our vision for the Rebelution is to see these three qualities coming together in a new generation-young people who are passionate about growing in Christ-likeness and sharing the gospel (character), who care deeply about skill, strategy, and creativity (competence), and who are committed to finding and working with a community of like-minded rebelutionaries (collaboration) to bring hope and healing to a lost and hurting world'.
What's been burning on my heart and mind is that none of this will happen without prayer. If we truly want to be all that the Church-the body of believers-is called to be, then we have to spend time with our God. He has put His Spirit inside us to guide, counsel, convict, and encourage us. We are not going to see change without the work of the Holy Spirit, and though this-He-is inside of us as believers, we must actively seek Him in order to have the kind of love-living relationship of Jesus. Let us talk to Him. Let us listen to Him. Let us live in response to the truth and let us share with each other what God is doing in our lives. This is the sort of environment that Jesus wants, for it is one based on faith and love and doing hard things for Christ. Let us not ignore Him. Let us not fearfully stay silent about Him. Let us be bold. Let us be honest. Let us be real. Acknowledging the presence of the Holy Spirit in us is one way to identify as children of the living God. Acknowledging the Holy Spirit is showing that we know we are loved because we know God has put a bit of Himself inside us. The Holy Spirit will push us out of our comfort zones, as is His role, but it is all for love, through love, and by love. When we love because we are loved, then we will grow as a community, because the love of Christ is what draws believers together, and it is also what draws non-believers to Him. When we love because of the work of the Holy Spirit in us, we know that we are loving for the name of Jesus.
Let us not pretend we do not know the God that has reached out to us in love. Let us not put God in a box with our man-made limitations, saying that He can only work in third world countries or in Bible Times. Scripture says that if we are in Him we are marked with the Holy Spirit, sealed with redemption until the day that Christ returns. Let us not label Him as 'He Who Must Not Be Named'. God is real, He is surely alive, and He is moving. Let us proclaim what we see and experience Him doing! Let's experience God-not when we're older, not when we're married, not when we're (just) alone, and not when it feels comfortable to do so. Let's experience Him and shout His name from the mountaintops now. Today.
* Living Proof ministries has a beautifully written blog post over the work of the Holy Spirit that you can read about here.
