A Devotional by Pastor Cesar Castellanos
Today’s Bible Verse
Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.
John 7:38
Dare to Live the Most Exciting Experience
Believing in Jesus has many benefits, such as salvation, regeneration, restoration and provision. One of the greatest experiences that we can enjoy is the permanent presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, an experience similar to the constant flowing of running waters. Jesus points the only way that leads to enjoy a healthy relationship with the Holy Spirit. The secret is found in knowing what the Bible says about Jesus, who through the Holy Spirit, makes His home in our lives.
The Psalmist said, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence” (Psalm 139:7-12). David obtained a deep level of understanding about the Spirit of God. In the process of gaining this understanding, he may have tried at some point to measure God; however, he came to the conclusion that God is so big that He fills everything and is present everywhere. When king Solomon dedicated the temple that he had made for the Lord, he said, “But will God really dwell on the earth? The heaven, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You; how much less this temple that I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27). Solomon was able to see God’s greatness and understood that the Earth is not sufficient to contain His presence. The Lord declared through the prophet Isaiah, “This is what the LORD says: ‘The heaven is my throne, the earth is my footstool. Where is the house that you will build for Me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?’ Declares the Lord, ‘These are the ones I look on with favor: those who tremble at my word” (Isaiah 66:1-2). In his discourse to the people from Athens, the Apostle Paul said, “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’” (Acts 17:24-25, 28).
Even though God is so majestic, great and powerful, He decided to make His dwelling place in the heart of the believer. He prefers to live within us, rather than living in a beautiful and luxurious building. The Holy Spirit has the emotions of a person; He loves, feels, experiences sorrow, just like any human being. Some people think that God does not care how we live, that He is not interested in our problems; but they are wrong. The Lord Jesus said that as the father has mercy on His children, God has mercy on those who fear Him. That is why Isaiah said, “In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old” (Isaiah 63:9).
Something to Think About
One of the greatest privileges I have had in my life is to serve the Lord in the pastoral ministry. At a certain point in this ministry, I experienced a really change. Up until that point, we had seen God’s support in a supernatural way for more than a decade. Every territory the Lord had assigned to us, we had filled. We had accomplished every goal that we established, and we enjoyed a great level of success in the ministry. However, in the midst of this success, disappointment began to develop within me. I felt that what we had accomplished up to that day still did not reach the spiritual needs of the people. Therefore, I dared to pray an audacious prayer. One day, I opened my heart to the Lord and told Him, “Spirit of God, thank You for giving me the privilege of being in Your work. However, I have made the decision to give You my resignation. Spirit of God, from now on I ask that You would be the Pastor of the church and accept me as Your assistant.” I prayed this from the depth of my heart. Then He drew near to me and told me, “Why did it take you so long to tell Me this? Up until this day, you were the Pastor and I was your assistant. When you got up to preach you told Me, ‘Holy Spirit, bless what I am going to talk about.’ When you finished your messages you said, ‘Lord, bless the words that I have spoken.’ When you prayed for the people you asked me, ‘Holy Spirit, bless these people and I want You to move in this way or in that way.’ You behaved as the Pastor and you had Me as your assistant. Even in the meetings with your leaders you taught them for hours and then you said, ‘Holy Spirit, bless everything I have said.’ But son, I am very happy with the request that you have given to Me. You have handed over leadership to Me. From now, on I am going to be the Pastor and you are going to be my assistant. You cannot imagine what is going to happen in your ministry from this day on.” I can tell you that the Spirit of God heard my prayer, because from that day on, everything changed in our ministry. We have surely seen the glory of His Name.
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for counting me worthy of having Your Holy Spirit come to live in my heart. We know that You reserve this blessing for those who love You. Lord Jesus, thank You for being so generous in sharing Your Holy Spirit with each one of us. Holy Spirit, thank You for making my life Your home. Please use it in any way You can to glorify Jesus’ name. Father, I thank You for Your love. Jesus, thank you for Your generosity. Holy Spirit, I am blessed by your presence within me, Amen.
Declaration
The love of the Father and the generosity of the Son brought the beautiful presence of the Holy Spirit into my life.
Today’s Bible Reading
- Old Testament: Haggai 1-2; Job 39
- New Testament: John 20:10-18; Revelation 18
