“God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.” - (Acts 15:8)

These words come from Peter’s defense of taking the good news of Jesus to Gentiles — Cornelius and his household (Acts 10:1-48). From the moment that the Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius and the other believers in his household, Peter and his companions were convicted that God had shown he approved of their conversion (Acts 10:44-48; 11:15-18).

The Holy Spirit is God’s way of showing that we are part of his family (Rom. 8:9). The unity, the bond, the family tie that we share is precious and to be rigorously protected (Eph. 4:3). The Spirit is our assurance that we belong to God and are family with each other!

Prayer : O Father, tear down the walls that keep your children apart. Thank you for confirming that I am your child through the presence of the Holy Spirit within me. May I deeply value each of your children, my brothers and sisters, for whom Christ died and in whom the Holy Spirit lives. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

They went to Phrygia, and then on through the region of Galatia. Their plan was to turn west into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. So they went to Mysia and tried to go north to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn’t let them go there either.

I am not sure how “the Holy Spirit blocked that route.” I am not sure how “the Spirit of Jesus wouldn’t let them go.” I do know, however, that so many of our decisions, our ventures, our endeavors are just that — OUR choices. We go through the process of deciding what we think best or what we want to do, then we ask God to bless it. We can quickly dismiss the doors closing to an opportunity or the Spirit directing us to go a different way. Yes, these are the stop signs of the Holy Spirit.

Discerning the will of God in these times is hard — what is the opposition of Satan seeking to deter us and what is the stop sign given us by the Holy Spirit. Two convictions come over me as I consider this. First, I don’t seek to walk each day being led by the Spirit as I should. This must be my passion and my yearning as I draw my first waking breath. Second, we must learn to present our challenges and our problems to the Lord in prayer … together. We must work together to discern the Lord’s will in these matters.

Prayer : O Father, help us hear your warnings and heed the stop signs of the Spirit. At the same time, dear God, help us not give up on something you are leading us to do simply because we face challenges and difficulties. Help us to know, O Lord, the way we should go so that in all things, your mission will be done and your name will be glorified. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye. Then he said, “You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord?” - (Acts 13:9-10)

In today’s world where we always question authority, we can often wonder if there is any true and trustworthy authority. What gave the apostles their authority was not position, name, rank, or even reputation: it was the Holy Spirit of God who operated through them. In the Old Testament, the prophets spoke with confidence: they were filled with the Spirit of God and spoke the words of God (2 Pet. 1:19-21). This is true as well of Jesus’ messengers.

While all true followers of Jesus have the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9), the apostles spoke with a unique authority directly related to the work of the Holy Spirit through them. Jesus built his church on their testimony and authority and we ignore their teaching at our own peril and rebellious risk (Eph. 2:20; 1 Thess. 4:8).

Prayer : O Father, I thank you for speaking authoritatively through your servants, the prophets. I thank you for speaking authoritatively through Jesus’ apostles. Now I ask, dear Father, that I can take what they have spoken and apply it in my life with the guidance and conviction that the Holy Spirit brings. I want my life to bring you honor as the Spirit conforms me to be like Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.