What stops you from experiencing the Holy Spirit’s power in your life?

Pastor Troy Murphy asked that question on Sunday, March 1 as part of the sermon series on the Holy Spirit.

Here are some key points from Troy’s message:

*We have a war inside us that fights against the Spirit. Our goal should be to eliminate that resistance and allow the Spirit’s power to flow through us.

*We are called to turn from the things that are in conflict with the Holy Spirit so we can be transformed. (Galatians 5: 16-18)

*We are not to quench the Spirit, which means to hinder the Spirit's operation in our life. We are also not to grieve the Spirit, which means to bring sorrow.

*We have a vertical relationship with the Holy Spirit. Two ways to hinder that relationship:

1-A darkened understanding, meaning you become so smart or knowledgeable in your understanding of God that you become spiritually dumb. Don't get puffed up with religious knowledge. We need Godly wisdom, otherwise you become spiritually ignorant. Avoid worldly thinking that is not connected to God.

2- Indulging the flesh, meaning you live for the moment and do whatever feels good at the time.

*We have a horizontal relationship with others. Two ways to hinder the Spirit’s influence in those relationships:

1-Relational isolation, meaning you don’t use the gift given to you by the Spirit to build up the body of Christ. People need you to use your gift to build them up, and you need them. If you aren’t using your gift, why not?

2-Relational abuse, meaning we hinder the Spirit by engaging in gossip, slander, unforgiveness, anger, dissenion. Those things are far less likely to occur in the lives of Christ followers who are surrendered to the Spirit.

*How do you turn toward the Holy Spirit? Ephesians 4: 17-32 provides some examples of what to turn away from in order to allow the Spirit to work in your life:

-Turn away from worldly thinking and living. That could mean allowing for stillness in your life so you can pray and be more prone to let the Spirit work. Sometimes the Holy Spirit provides unplanned promptings that you must learn to follow. Perhaps it’s reaching out to someone you know that’s in need, or allowing yourself to be used in service.

-Turn away from deceitful desires. When you are offended, instead of feeling a sense of entitlement that you deserved better, can you let go of that offense?

-Turn away from harmful anger.

-Turn away from tearing down others.

-Turn away from unforgiveness.

-Turn away from dissension (1 Thessalonians 5.19)

-Turn away from ignoring the Spirit’s direction through others.

*If you’re honest with yourself, where are you blocking the Spirit from working in your life? What is resisting the Holy Spirit in your heart?

*The Spirit will provide inner peace, contentment and freedom (Matthews 5:8)