Nothing has impacted me more about God than the reality that he is so practical.
To the hungry He is food.
To the naked He is clothing.
To the lonely, He is a friend.
To the cold He is warmth.
To the depressed He is hope.
To the sick, He is the healer.
To the prisoner He is freedom.
To the scared He is peace.
To the unwise He is wisdom.
To the lost, He is a mission.
To the guilty He is forgiveness.
To the fearful He is security.
To the rejected He is acceptance.
To the houseless, He is a home.
To the fatherless, He is a father.
To the demon-possessed He is authority.
To the racist He is love.
To the greedy He is generosity.
The Holy Spirit offers us a practical opportunity to experience God today. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is our Comforter, our Counselor, and our Helper among other practical expressions.
If you would have told me when I was 17 years old that God wanted a personal, loving relationship with me, I probably would have freaked out and ran away in fear. When you’re not living for God, it is incredibly intimidating to think about being known by Him. We all expect Him to know our sins already. At first, I didn’t desire a personal relationship with God, but now I do. Part of what drew me to God were the practical benefits. It has been more than three decades since I prayed, “God, if there is more to you than I realize then I really want to know.” It was there that I started asking God for more.
This is why I always focus on the practical benefits of knowing God. Courage is practical. So are love, wisdom, peace, and power. There isn’t a person on the planet who doesn’t recognize the need for more courage, more love, more wisdom, more peace, and more power. All of us can relate. We can also quickly agree that we’re already seeking those things. No one has to be convinced to seek peace. We all seek to love and be loved. There isn’t a good parent on the planet who doesn’t seek wisdom.
When I’m speaking to someone who is far from God, I think about how practical God is. Even unbelievers recognize the need for courage. When we share with them that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Courage, we identify their need for courage and ultimately their need for a Savior. We also point them to God’s provision. One of the most pivotal distinctions of the Christian faith over all world religions is God coming and dwelling within us through the Holy Spirit. We don’t have an instruction manual to follow. We have the Helper within us.
