Bible Reading: Job 42:1-5
Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you.” Job 42:1-2
Matt tried so hard to behave at his church’s Wednesday evening kids’ club. But week after week Kirk did stupid stuff to annoy Matt. This week Kirk’s trick was poking Matt with a pencil.
Matt’s patience was done. When Kirk poked him again, Matt screamed and popped his fist straight at Kirk’s nose. For one second Matt was happy he had stopped Kirk. The next second he wished he hadn’t.
Matt’s dad made him think hard about how he had acted. Besides giving him pointers on better ways to deal with Kirk, his dad told Matt how the Holy Spirit could help him control his temper.
Matt liked that idea. Yet he wondered if God was really there to help him. “If I’m supposed to be filled with the Holy Spirit every day,” he complained, “I think I maybe have a leak. I’m not sure if he comes and goes or what.” Like most of us, Matt wished he understood a whole lot more about exactly how the Holy Spirit works inside of us.
Well, here’s a hint: Unlike your heart, which beats whether you ask it to or not, the Holy Spirit does his best work when you invite him to do his thing-to make you more like Jesus.
Talk about this: Have you ever invited the Holy Spirit to work in your life? How could you do that?
Inviting the Holy Spirit is like letting a cleanup crew into a messy house. The first step is to open the front door. As a Christian, you’ve already done that. The Holy Spirit comes to live inside you at the time you trust Christ. So you don’t have to ask the Holy Spirit into your life. He’s already there.
But your job is to let him into the rest of your “house.” You can ask the Holy Spirit to enter every room of your life. You can invite him to control every area of your life, every hidden crack, corner, and crevice. Honestly tell him where you need help.
That’s your first step to truly relying on the Holy Spirit’s strength to obey and serve God.
When you have the Spirit’s power, you are teamed up with God, who can do everything. Don’t doubt that his Spirit is in you. If you believe in Jesus, he is. He will stick with you and do all that he has promised to do. No fooling. And no leaks.
TALK: How can you allow God to do his great work in you?
PRAY: Invite God to change whatever he sees inside you that needs changing.
ACT: Make a sign that reminds you to ask God’s Spirit to fill your life. Keep it up until inviting the Holy Spirit to work in you becomes a habit.
