There are times that I can sound like a broken record. I recognize it most when my kids start finishing my sentences. I’ll be in the middle of saying something and they’ll start talking over me with the exact words that were in the process of coming out of my mouth. On one hand I’m pretty pleased – it means they’re listening. On the other hand, I should probably find other records to play that might be beneficial for their continued growth.
I do this in Sunday School as well… I tend to reference back to the same thing over and over and over again. They haven’t started finishing my sentences yet (at least not to my face), but, like the records set to repeat with my kids are important, the common theme I always seem to reference back to in Sunday School carries weight, as well.
It’s all about a deliberate focus on the Holy Spirit.
I’ve noticed in my own life that things tend to go well when I’m tuning into God more than all of the other stuff. As I’ve been thinking more and more about what it means to be led by the Holy Spirit, of course I had to crack open my Bible and read through Galatians 5. This passage talks mainly about the Holy Spirit producing fruit through us, not us striving to produce the right kind of fruit. That difference is huge and often missed by most Christians.
Just one example that comes to mind of the Holy Spirit producing fruit through us is the fruit of peace. How can we have peace when we’re constantly doubting whether or not we’ve done enough good or good in the right way and for the right people? Maybe we gave some money to the poor, but we walk away feeling guilty that we didn’t give more or do more – we feel condemned for what we chose to not do. That’s not being led by the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit doesn’t produce condemnation or anxiety.
I think that there are many (me included) Christians who have a very uneven understanding of who the Holy Spirit is and why He is so important in our daily lives. The Holy Spirit being an integral part of our lives is not just so that we can see the fruit being produced through us that’s listed in Galatians 5:22-23, but it’s the only real way to experience the freedom that Jesus died to give us (Galatians 5:1). We do the right thing because we follow His lead, but we do so out of relationship instead of fear.
Understanding the power and purpose of the Holy Spirit directly shapes how we see God – how we relate to Him. Take a look at John 16:7-15. This passage details the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit leads us into having a deeper understanding of the truth of the gospel, He’s a comforter and counselor, He’s our guide to navigate the day-to-day, He can give us insights into how to prepare for the future, and He goes before God and speaks of the righteousness we have because we have accepted Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins.
For far too long, I believed that the main job of the Holy Spirit was to point out my failures… to convict me of my sinful ways. Kind of like getting a guilt-trip until I decide to change. You can imagine that didn’t go over too well with me. But look at the wording in John 16:8-9. Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit convicts the world, the sinful world, that refuses to believe in Jesus. That’s not describing God’s kids! If you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you’re not in that category!
The Holy Spirit operating in our lives isn’t about mere moral improvement, but it’s about our status before God because of Jesus’ finished work on the cross. We have already been made righteous through Jesus (Romans 5:19, II Corinthians 5:19-21).
The Holy Spirit would be wrong to convict me for my sins because every last one of my sins was judged when Jesus went to the cross. That would be the same as being prosecuted for something that was already paid for or pardoned. Jesus paid the price so that I could be pardoned. I have been washed in the blood of the Lamb – and those who have been washed do not need to be washed again (John 13:10). I get to walk in freedom from the condemnation of sin because sin has already been completely dealt with (Romans 8:1, Romans 8:31-34, Hebrews 9:26-28, Hebrews 10:15-17).
I heard a pastor once state that when the Holy Spirit convicts a believer, He’s convicting that believer of their righteousness. The Holy Spirit will always point us to Jesus while the enemy will always have us looking at ourselves. It is God’s goodness that leads people to repentance, not condemnation (Romans 2:4).
I’m convinced that if we focus on our behavior instead of our Savior, we will fail and struggle time and time again. But when we focus on Jesus, the Author and perfector of our faith, we are empowered to live holy. Behavior management is what the world teaches and what the enemy uses as a weapon against us, but empowered holiness is what we experience when we tune into the direction of the Holy Spirit.
Along with playing the record of the Holy Spirit on repeat more often lately, I’ve also been focusing a lot on identity. I don’t know who said this originally, but I can’t help but see the truth in it: The enemy knows your name but calls you by your sin; God knows your sins, but He calls you by name. God – the Holy Spirit – doesn’t revisit what has already been settled.
I don’t want to operate the way the world does… constantly questioning my worth, identifying as a victim, and living condemned by my mistakes. I want to honor the finished work of Jesus by walking in the power and security of my salvation. The freedom from guilt and condemnation that Jesus gave us is not fragile or temporary, but completely whole and final.
The Holy Spirit’s job is to continuously point us back to Jesus. To reveal… to expose… to always help us see His righteousness that we’re clothed in for all time. As we continue in relationship with Him, we will see that He produces the fruits that are detailed in Galatians 5… and the only broken record will be that of walking in true freedom from guilt and condemnation, fully embracing our identity as a child of God.
