Please join us for our next Online Bible Study!

“16-Day Love Challenge:

Matching our Words and Actions with

1 Corinthians 13:4-8″

by Cherie Zack and Rebecca LeCompte.

This study begins November 4th.

Be sure to go to our Registration page for more details, and to sign up today!!

The Registration page can be found by clicking on this LINK.

We hope you will join us!!

One of the most outstanding aspects of our study of Esther: The Beauty of Courageous Submission, in my opinion, has been the evidence of the influence of the Holy Spirit.  Oh, I had my preconceived thoughts of what we would uncover through our study.  HA!  I am so thrilled to admit how very wrong I was!

Based on certain information that I already held in my head (a brief overview of Mrs. Schacht’s book and a fair knowledge of the Book of Esther), I was looking forward to ‘sharpening my skills’ at submitting to my husband and in the other areas in which the Scriptures tell us of God’s will regarding submission: to elders (1 Peter 5:5), to governing authority (Romans 13:1-7), governors/political leaders (1 Peter 2:13-15), masters/bosses (Ephesians 6:5-8), AND to one another (Ephesians 5:21)!

As we began our study back in early September, it seemed like ‘submission’ would be the overall topic at hand.  And throughout Week 1, that was true. However, it seems to me that only that very first week was this the case!  From Week 2 through now, overwhelmingly the primary subject of discussion has been God and His working through the Holy Spirit.  (Wouldn’t you agree?)

Now while nowhere in the Scriptures are we commanded to ‘submit’ to the Holy Spirit, it is clearly evident through many, many other Scriptures that, YES, we are to submit.  In our study, we have looked at the definition of submission a few times.  Here again, from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, we see that to ‘submit’ is to ‘yield or surrender.’

SUBMIT

To yield, resign or surrender to the power, will or authority of another…

Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hand.  Genesis 16.
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands.  Ephesians 5.
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man.  1 Peter 2.

And this IS a large part of our relationship with the Holy Spirit—we are to yield or surrender our will, our thinking, our understanding, our <limited> wisdom, our perception, and our own desire to the guidance, leading, and influence of the Holy Spirit.

Here are a few reminders of  insights that my sister-bloggers have shared with us about the influence of the Holy Spirit:

• “In this place of communion, have you sensed the Holy Spirit’s influence on your life? He’s always at battle for you against the enemy who has an evil plan for your life.” (Kim Spring)
• “Holy Spirit, thank You for being our ultimate Helper! Help us today to see our beauty not as the world sees it, in the outward woman, but as our Father sees it. Help us in our “beauty regimen” to make ourselves pure, holy and beautiful for our Lord Jesus. Forgive us when we are resistant to Your leading.” (Robin Claddell)
• “Mordecai symbolizes the Holy Spirit and, like Esther asked questions of Mordecai, we can ask a question of the Holy Spirit. We need not send someone to ask for us—we can go directly to our Helper ourselves.” (Tonya Ellison)
• “You are looking for our obedience and courageous submission so that we can come into Your Presence, as Esther came into her king’s presence…You have promised us that Your Holy Spirit will be close to us to guide and comfort us.  Please Holy Spirit, help us daily to “walk our talk” so others will see You even when we don’t speak Your Name.” (Clella Fox)

Finally, Mrs. Schacht asks an important and probing question in our reading today:

Do a little soul-searching to find the evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in your life.  Does it convict you?  Does it comfort you?  Does it guide you?  Perhaps you can think of some specific ways He’s at work…?

Have you taken the time to consider this?  There is no doubt that God is desiring to influence you through the Holy Spirit!  When Jesus was preparing the disciples for His leaving them, He told them that He would send the Paraclete (aka the Comforter, the Helper) who would teach them, lead them, guide them, and remind them of His words.  I would say that is ‘influence,’ wouldn’t you?  The Holy Spirit does them same for us, in our day and time.

We must ask for help, through the Holy Spirit, so we can bring our thoughts, our words, our actions, and our attitudes in line with God’s.  We must allow His Spirit to become the guiding force in our lives to produce the qualities that the Scriptures tell us are found in true Christians.

But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Gentleness, self-control…
If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Galatians 2:22-23, 25

* * * * *

Let’s Pray:

We are so very blessed, heavenly Father, by Your gracious provision for our lives through the gift of the Holy Spirit!  May we remain humble and meek to His influence in our lives.  Truly may we seek His convicting, comforting, helping, and guiding!  And may we respond with submitted and obedient hearts!  Thank You!  We love You!  And we pray, asking these things in Jesus’ name.

Amen.