“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven all their sins and all the blasphemies they utter. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, but is guilty of an eternal sin.” He said this because they were saying, “He has an evil spirit.” - (Mark 3:28-30)

This verse strikes a chill in folks because they sometimes fear they may be guilty of this. However, in this context, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit meant attributing Jesus’ ability to do miracles to the power of demons in his life — saying he could do his miracles because “He has an evil spirit” — and not giving credit for the miracles to the Holy Spirit of God.

Sit down and read awhile in the Gospel of Mark and be reminded of the great power of Jesus to heal and cast out demons, then realize that power, the Holy Spirit, is  at work in you as a follower of Jesus. Give glory to God for such
an incredible presence in your life!

Prayer : Almighty God, when I see the incredible power displayed in the ministry of Jesus I cannot help but wish I were alive in the days when he performed these miracles. However, I am humbled to realize that the Holy Spirit who empowered these miracles is the gift of your presence inside of me, given by your grace to empower, comfort, and encourage me. Use the Holy Spirit to conform me to the character and compassion of Jesus, in whose name I thank you  and praise. Amen.

Do not put out the Spirit’s fire. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject whatever is harmful – (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

Like John warns Jesus’ followers, Paul is reminding folks to test the teaching of those claiming to speak by the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 John 4:1-3).

At the same time, we are not to discount the message of those who speak God’s truth, but to test the message and reject what is harmful.

The Holy Spirit, our anointing from the Father, will help us know and discern what is good and help us reject what is harmful (1 John 2:20-29).

We must hold to what is true and from God, but reject what is from mere human or evil sources. If we don’t, we can be quenching the work of the Holy Spirit within us.

Prayer : Father, I ask for wisdom and discernment. More than just human wisdom and discernment, I pray for the ability to discern your truth by the power of your Holy Spirit. In my world, there are so many voices competing for my attention and I want to only follow your will — not my own or anyone else. Help me to hold on to what is good and reject what is harmful. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. — 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

When the good news of Jesus is preached, the Holy Spirit is at work making the message powerful.

This may refer to miracles accompanying the preaching of the message of Jesus (Hebrews 2:1-4). However, in this context, Paul is primarily focusing upon a greater truth. While the message of a crucified Savior doesn’t appear to be wise and persuasive by human standards of wisdom (1 Cor. 1:18; 2:1-3), the Holy Spirit is active in the telling of the story of Jesus so it has inexplicable power to reach into our hearts and call us to Jesus.

For those of us who know the Holy Spirit, this power is not inexplicable; it is a reminder of God’s grace to not only give us the gift of Jesus, but also the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us understand the gift of Jesus!

Prayer : Words cannot express, dear Father, how precious your love is to me. I realize that everything that I am and have in Jesus is the result of your grace. I believe that my future is secure because of that grace and because of the blessed Holy Spirit who is in me, and who helps convict, correct, and console me. I thank you for such grace in the name of Jesus. Amen.