TUNE IN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

07/18/2024

“'As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them'” (Acts 13:2).

Ministering to God—whether through prayer, worship, or giving an offering—is impossible without the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Paul expresses this well in Romans 15:16: “That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” In other words, everything Paul did was by the power of the Holy Spirit. Did you know that Jesus could not offer His own blood to the Father without the ministry of the Holy Spirit? Hebrews 9:14 states, “Christ offered himself through the eternal Spirit as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will make us completely clean from the evil we have done.” The greatest miracle on earth today—our salvation—came about through the Holy Spirit’s ministry. As 1 Corinthians 12:3 says, “…no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” It was the Holy Spirit who made it possible for us to be born again.

If our desire is to minister to God effectively, it means that our fellowship with the Holy Spirit is non-negotiable. How else can we do anything for God without the power of the Holy Spirit?

In Acts 13:2, we see that as the apostles ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, “Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” This verse illustrates how the Bible connects the apostles’ actions with the moving of the Spirit. Notice that the Spirit spoke only after they ministered to the Lord. I believe this indicates that ministering to the Lord positions us spiritually to hear God’s heart. Jesus, for instance, was always in tune with the Father not because He had the title “Son of God,” but because He spent quality time ministering to the Father. Mark 1:35 tells us, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.” Through these times of prayer, the Father revealed His will to Jesus, and as a result, Jesus was never at a loss in any situation.

Brothers and sisters, God has many plans for us, and we need to be in tune with the Holy Spirit to manifest them. Take Philip as an example. In Acts 8, the Spirit told Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.” Philip obeyed and was able to share the good news with the Ethiopian eunuch, leading to his baptism. Hallelujah!

I believe that there are things God wants to manifest through your life—whether in your workplace, study group or among strangers prepared to receive the Word of salvation. The key is to first minister to the Lord in prayer. As we do, our hearts will be tuned to the frequency of God’s plans for us, and we will be ready to follow His prompts.

Praise God!

Hallelujah!

Faith-Filled Confession:

I declare that I am healthy, strong, victorious, and excellent. I am the exception in everything that people consider to be natural because I am supernatural! Greater is He that lives in me than anyone or situation that I face today. Hallelujah!

Prayer Direction

• Let’s begin with thanksgiving and praise for the gift of life and the ministry of the Holy Spirit in us. Acknowledge all the benefits of our salvation, including healing, victory, wisdom, promotion, and favor.

• Pray that every member of your family is guided by the wisdom of God in their family, relationships, jobs, business ventures, and partnerships. They are constantly led by the Spirit of God and guided away from error and poor decisions that may incur losses or negative effects on them (Isaiah 30:21; Isaiah 58:11; 1 Corinthians 1:30).

• Pray for those who have been inconsistent in their faith, that they are no longer children tossed to and fro, and that Christ may be formed in their hearts as they are strengthened in the things that are most surely believed among us (Luke 1:3; Ephesians 4:14).

One-Year Bible Reading Plan: Psalm 25-27; Acts 20:17-38